February 2014 Tijeras Arroyo Biological Zone (Bio-Zone) Open Space Resource Management Plan Tijeras Arroyo Open Space Properties and Adjacent Lands City of Albuquerque ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS City of Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry City Council City Administration Ken Sanchez District 1 Robert J. Perry Isaac Benton District 2 Chief Administrative Officer Klarissa J. Peña District 3 John Soladay Brad Winter District 4 Chief Operations Officer Dan Lewis District 5 Barbara Baca Rey Garduño District 6 Parks and Recreation Director Diane G. Gibson District 7 Trudy Jones District 8 Don Harris District 9 City of Albuquerque Open Space Division Matt Schmader, Ph.D. Superintendent, Open Space Division Tony Barron Assistant Superintendent, Open Space Division Jim Sattler Supervisor, Visitor Services and Resource Management James L. Lewis Planner, Parks and Recreation Department Susannah Abbey Associate Planner, Open Space Division Erik Zsemlye Bosque Forestry Specialist, Open Space Division Tijeras Arroyo Bio-Zone Management Plan-Final Draft 2014 i Table of Contents 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Overall Goals ................................................................................................................. 3 1.2. Bio-Zone Implementation (Report Section 9.1) ............................................................. 7 2. PLAN INTRODUCTION AND PURPOSE ....................................................................... 13 3. PROPERTY DESCRIPTION & EXISTING CONDITIONS .......................................... 13 3.1. Topography .................................................................................................................. 14 3.2. Soils .............................................................................................................................. 16 3.3. Geology ........................................................................................................................ 21 3.4. Hydrology .................................................................................................................... 21 3.5. Plant Communities ....................................................................................................... 23 3.6. Wildlife Communities .................................................................................................. 34 3.7. Wildlife Corridors, Trails, and Use Areas ................................................................... 37 3.8. Protected Species ......................................................................................................... 38 4. HISTORIC AND CULTURAL RESOURCES .................................................................. 43 4.1. Site History and Culture ............................................................................................... 43 5. LAND USE ............................................................................................................................ 45 5.1. Current On-Site Activities ........................................................................................... 45 5.2. Trail Conditions ........................................................................................................... 47 6. KEY ISSUES ......................................................................................................................... 49 6.1. Future Acquisition ........................................................................................................ 49 6.2. Protecting the Natural Character of the Land .............................................................. 52 6.3. Natural and cultural resources ...................................................................................... 56 6.4. Trailhead Improvements .............................................................................................. 56 6.5. Recreational opportunities ........................................................................................... 57 6.6. Trail Development and Conditions .............................................................................. 57 6.7. Sustainable Trail Design .............................................................................................. 58 6.8. Limits of Acceptable Change ....................................................................................... 59 6.9. Signage and Boundary Protection ................................................................................ 59 6.10. Environmental education and interpretation ................................................................ 60 6.11. Stewardship and volunteer coordination ...................................................................... 60 7. RESOURCE AND VISITOR PROTECTION ................................................................... 63 7.1. Operations and Maintenance ........................................................................................ 63 7.2. Resource Management and Visitor Services ................................................................ 63 8. MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGIES .................................................... 65 8.1. Acquisition ................................................................................................................... 65 8.2. Resource Protection and Restoration ........................................................................... 65 8.3. Property Improvements ................................................................................................ 83 8.4. Visitor Access and Information ................................................................................... 83 8.5. Trails ............................................................................................................................ 84 8.6. Shared Uses .................................................................................................................. 84 8.7. Educational Opportunities ............................................................................................ 85 ii Tijeras Arroyo Bio-Zone Management Plan-Final Draft 2014 8.8. Stewardship and Volunteer Programs .......................................................................... 85 8.9. Facilities Maintenance ................................................................................................. 87 8.10. Resource Management and Visitor Services ................................................................ 87 9. IMPLEMENTATION .......................................................................................................... 89 9.1. Biological Zone Natural and Cultural Resource Protection and Enhancement ........... 89 9.2. Implementation shall focus on three main areas of concern. ....................................... 90 9.3. Environmental Education and Interpretation ............................................................... 90 9.4. Trail Improvements ...................................................................................................... 90 9.5. Parking Area ................................................................................................................ 91 10. REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 93 11. ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ...................................................................................... 95 11.1. Rank I Comprehensive Plan ......................................................................................... 95 11.2. Rank II Area and Facility Plans ................................................................................... 95 11.3. Rank III Corridor Plans ................................................................................................ 96 13. APPENDICES ....................................................................................................................... 97 Appendix A – City Council Resolution .................................................................................... 97 Appendix B – Plant Species .................................................................................................... 100 Appendix C – Revegetation Species ....................................................................................... 107 Appendix D – Animal Species ................................................................................................ 108 Appendix E – Relevant Planning Documents ......................................................................... 112 Tables Table 1. Implementation Table ........................................................................................... 9 Table 2. Wetland Locations .............................................................................................. 33 Table 3, Nest Locations .................................................................................................... 40 Table 4. Tijeras Arroyo Bio-Zone Priority Acquisitions .................................................. 51 Figures Figure 1. Regional Location Map ....................................................................................... 2 Figure 2. Ownership Categories ......................................................................................... 5 Figure 3. Flood Zones ....................................................................................................... 11 Figure 4. Topography