The Legal Status of Monarch Butterflies in California International Environmental Law Project 2012 IELP Report on Monarch Legal Status The International Environmental Law Project (IELP) is a legal clinic at Lewis & Clark Law School that works to develop, implement, and enforce international environmental law. It works on a range of issues, including wildlife conservation, climate change, and issues relating to trade and the environment. This report was written by the following people from the Lewis & Clark Law School: Jennifer Amiott, Mikio Hisamatsu, Erica Lyman, Steve Moe, Toby McCartt, Jen Smith, Emily Stein, and Chris Wold. Biological information was reviewed by the following individuals from The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation: Carly Voight, Sarina Jepsen, and Scott Hoffman Black. This report was funded by the Monarch Joint Venture and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. For more information, contact: Chris Wold Associate Professor of Law & Director International Environmental Law Project Lewis & Clark Law School 10015 SW Terwilliger Blvd Portland, OR 97219 USA TEL +1-503-768-6734 FX +1-503-768-6671 E-mail: [email protected] Web: law.lclark.edu/org/ielp Copyright © 2012 International Environmental Law Project and the Xerces Society Photo of overwintering monarchs (Danaus plexippus) clustering on a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) on front cover by Carly Voight, The Xerces Society. IELP Report on Monarch Legal Status Table of Contents Executive Summary .........................................................................................................................v I. Introduction .........................................................................................................................1 II. Regulatory Authority of the California Department of Fish and Game ..............................5 III. Protection for Monarchs in California State Parks and on Other State Lands .....................6 A. Management of California State Parks ....................................................................6 1. Legal Protection from Park Visitor Impacts ................................................6 2. Habitat Protection under Park-specific General Plans .................................7 3. Applicability of the California Coastal Act .................................................8 4. Historic Sites Protected Against Alteration .................................................8 B. Overwintering Sites in State Parks and on Other State Lands .................................8 1. Leo Carillo State Park ..................................................................................8 2. Andrew Molera State Park ...........................................................................9 3. Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park ...................................................................10 4. San Clemente State Park ............................................................................10 5. Doheny State Beach ...................................................................................10 6. Torrey Pines State Beach and State Natural Reserve ................................11 7. San Simeon State Park ...............................................................................11 8. Montaña de Oro State Park ........................................................................11 9. Pismo State Beach......................................................................................12 10. Morro Bay State Park .................................................................................12 11. Refugio State Beach ...................................................................................13 12. Gaviota State Park ......................................................................................13 13. Carpinteria State Beach..............................................................................13 14. Lighthouse Field State Beach ....................................................................13 15. Natural Bridges State Beach ......................................................................14 16. New Brighton State Beach .........................................................................14 17. Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve ..........................................................14 18. Sonoma Coast State Park ...........................................................................15 19. Fort Ross State Historic Park .....................................................................15 20. Point Mugu State Park ...............................................................................15 21. Pajaro Coast Sector Lifeguard Headquarters .............................................16 22. Bodega Marine Reserve .............................................................................16 23. University of California, San Diego ..........................................................16 IV. Monarch Overwintering Sites on Federal Land .................................................................17 A. National Forest Lands ............................................................................................17 B. National Park Lands ...............................................................................................18 C. Department of Defense Lands ...............................................................................19 V. The Protection of Monarchs under County and City Ordinances: The California Coastal Act and Local Coastal Programs ........................................................................................21 A. Scope and Jurisdiction of the Legal Regime ..........................................................22 B. The Coastal Act’s Conservation Mandate .............................................................23 1. Sensitive Coastal Resource Areas ..............................................................24 2. Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas ..................................................25 VI. The Local Coastal Programs of Counties with Overwintering Monarchs .........................27 IELP Report on Monarch Legal Status Page i A. Los Angeles County ...............................................................................................28 1. Relevant LCPs ...........................................................................................28 2. Local Ordinances Relevant to Monarchs ...................................................30 a. Palos Verdes Estates ......................................................................30 b. City of Santa Monica .....................................................................31 c. Redondo Beach ..............................................................................31 d. City of Long Beach ........................................................................31 e. Rowland Heights ............................................................................32 f. Wilmington ....................................................................................32 g. El Segundo .....................................................................................32 h. Playa Del Rey ................................................................................33 3. Conclusions and Recommendations ..........................................................33 B. Marin County ........................................................................................................34 1. Unit I ........................................................................................................34 2. Unit II ........................................................................................................36 3. Conclusions and Recommendations ..........................................................38 C. Mendocino County.................................................................................................39 1. Mendocino County LCP ............................................................................39 2. Conclusions and Recommendations ..........................................................41 D. Monterey County ...................................................................................................42 1. Monterey County LCP ...............................................................................42 a. Background/Overview ...................................................................42 b. Purpose and Structure ....................................................................42 2. Other Monarch Sites ..................................................................................45 a. Pacific Grove .................................................................................45 b. Elkhorn Slough Ecological Preserve .............................................45 3. Conclusions and Recommendations ..........................................................46 E. Orange County .......................................................................................................47 1. City of Laguna Beach LCP ........................................................................47 2. Local Ordinances Relevant to Monarchs ...................................................48 a. City of Dana Point .........................................................................49 b. City of Newport Beach ..................................................................49 c. City of Seal Beach .........................................................................49