Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 Oak Woodlands of Mendocino County: An Assessment of Their Distribution, Ownership Patterns and Policies and Projects affecting their Conservation. Giusti, G. A. 2001. Oak Woodlands of Mendocino County: An Assessment of Their Distribution, Ownership Patterns and Policies and Projects affecting their Conservation. [online] URL: http://danr.ucop.edu/ihrmp. 66 pp. 1 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 reface P An ancient Chinese proverb reportedly counsels those contemplating a risk by asserting that every long journey begins with the first step. This report is just such a step. It is the beginning of a long and challenging exercise for the people of Mendocino County and the land they call home. It is the beginning of a process to evaluate, understand and choose a direction for the oak forests found within its boundaries. History paints the current scenes in other California counties where natural resources were not conserved while still plentiful. Sadly, oak-rich dominated counties of the central valley have lost most, if not all, of their rich natural heritage which were once dominated by the grandeur of valley oaks, sycamores, vernal pools and associated wildlife and fish populations. The same legacy is true for many of the coastal counties surrounding the San Francisco Bay and the counties farther to the south. Unfortunately, today, many of those regions are struggling to deal with past practices that have forced people to haggle and fight over remnant stands of oaks, even trees, where once stood magnificent forests. Mendocino County has a rich past and a bright future that are intimately intertwined between the people and their land. Today, we know that past forest activities were not always conducted in such a way that afforded the highest attention toward stewardship and conservation for the land. This attitude toward the land can be and is being altered, and affords an opportunity for those of us now charged with stewardship to protect and enhance our resources for our children and us. The lessons of history also remind us all to be diligent to the ever-present threat of newly introduced pests and diseases. The oak landscape has been changed forever during the past century with the introduction of numerous plant and animal species that have shaped the land that we witness today. Even today, a newly discovered disease threatens the oak woodlands immediately south of Mendocino. As is the case with so many forest tree diseases a cure to the problem does not appear close at hand. This report outlines the current state of knowledge with regard to oak forests within Mendocino County. It identifies the different kinds of oaks found within the county, ownership patterns, conservation and educational efforts aimed at oak stewardship and current local policies targeting oak conservation. As the ancient proverb teaches us, it is just the first step in a planning process that hopefully will help Mendocino County avert the path taken by too many regions of California. Gregory A. Giusti UC Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program 2 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 cknowledgments A An effort of this magnitude could only be successful with the assistance and input from a number of devoted individuals who gave tirelessly of their time and energy. The following individuals provided valuable input toward the development of this document. I would like to express my sincere thanks to: Charlotte Ambrose, Blaine Baker, Margaret Baumgratz, Dave Bengston, Linda Blatchford, Jack Booth, Peter Bradford, Rich Burns, Dianne Chocholak, Phyllis Curtis, Mike Devany, Joe Dillon, Allen Fallari, Jerri Finn, Kate Frey, Nancy Gard, Judy Garret, Linda Gray, Jim Guntley, Evan Johnson, Gary Johnson, Jeanette Knutson, Rudy Light, Charles Martin, Sam Masters, Greg Mangan, Ann Maxwell, John Nickerson, Linda Perkins, John Phillips, Julie Price, Richard Ruddick, Dave Sagehorn, Steve Smith, Roger Sternberg, Bruce Strickler, Bob Whitney, Chuck Williams, Jim Xerogeanes. Gregory A. Giusti Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program 3 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 Table of Contents Executive Summary 5 Introduction 8 Phase I 10 An assessment of current status of oak woodlands in Mendocino County Phase II 17 An assessment of current programs and activities focusing on oak woodland conservation in Mendocino County. Phase III 25 An Assessment of Oak Resources at Risk. Phase IV 29 An Evaluation of Current Programs, Policies and Future Considerations. Appendices Appendix 1 38 1993 Letter Sent to Mendocino County from the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection Directing County-based Approach to Oak Conservation. Appendix 2 42 An Abridged Version of Brooktrails Township – Oak Woodland Policies and Regulations. Appendix 3 48 General Plan Language for the County of Mendocino. Appendix 4 53 Conservation Strategy for Mendocino County submitted by Rudy Light Appendix 5 61 Oak and Vegetation Distribution Maps of Mendocino County. Appendix 6 66 Invited Participants for Oak Conservation Committee. 4 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 xecutive Summary The Oak Conservation Committee was a collaborative effort between the ECounty of Mendocino and the UC Integrated Hardwood Range Management Program (IHRMP). The Committee membership, developed by the IHRMP, consisted of individuals who have long had an interest and/or experience in oak woodland management throughout Mendocino County. The committee was charged with addressing the directive provided to counties by the Board of Forestry in 1993 to develop locally based conservation strategies (Appendix 1). The committee met monthly over a period of six months. The meetings were structured to allow focused presentations and discussions on selected topics. The committee’s agenda was divided into four comprehensive phases with each phase guiding the focus for the monthly meetings. Phase I – An assessment of current status of oak woodlands in Mendocino County. This first phase allowed participants to understand the current distribution, ownership patterns, land-use patterns and biological and physical aspects of the oak woodlands found within the county. This phase provided an opportunity for members to have an equitable understanding of the issues and topics to be discussed. Phase II – An assessment of current programs and activities focusing on oak woodland conservation in Mendocino County. A number of independently organized efforts are currently underway addressing a number of conservation issues throughout the county. This phase gave participants an opportunity to hear from land trusts, educators, land managers and special districts and their current efforts aimed at oak woodland conservation. Phase III – An assessment of oak resources at risk. The term risk has different definitions for various audiences. This phase gave committee participants an opportunity to hear information pertaining to physical, biological and social risks in the absence of strategies to conserve oak woodlands. Identified risks include: 1) loss of biological diversity, 2) fragmentation of functional habitat, 3) impacts to family farming operations, 4) increased regulatory oversight, and 5) decreased land values. Conservation strategies were identified and discussed that could benefit landowners and landscape level issues. 5 Mendocino County Oak Resources Assessment Report February 2001 Phase IV – A comprehensive evaluation of current programs and future needs. This phase provided an opportunity for the participants to discuss and debate the information that had been provided during the previous meetings. Information gaps were identified in addition to possible future actions. It became clear that both voluntary and mandatory solutions might be appropriate for specific projects. Phase V – Final report of the committee’s efforts. According to the Fire Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDF), Mendocino County has approximately 374,000 acres of oak woodlands (based on 1990 estimates). These acres are considered those dominated by true oaks and other hardwood species. This figure does not include hardwood acres found in association with conifers growing on timberlands, e.g. tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) growing on redwood sites. Today, oak woodlands continue to provide quality agricultural sites in addition to opportunities for residential, commercial and industrial development. However, modern development practices are often more aggressive than historical land use practices resulting in the net loss of contiguous oak woodland canopy which has led to increasing public concern over the resource. Future planning processes must identify and address the various land use practices impacting oak woodlands and develop appropriate mechanisms that achieve conservation objectives. This fact captures the essence of the current dialogue occurring throughout California as the State wrestles with the challenge of an ever-increasing human encroachment on a finite natural resource base. This document is intended to provide a basis for discussion to assist Mendocino County in addressing similar pressures that continue to impact local resources. The development of any future conservation plan for natural resources must include an overview of ownership patterns and the recognition of the juxtaposition of both public and private