BASELINE BIODIVERSITY REPORT SANTA YSABEL CAUZZA CONNECTOR PARCEL P REPARED FOR: County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation 5500 Overland Avenue, Suite 410 San Diego, CA 92123 Contact: Mr. Dallas Pugh P REPARED BY: ICF 525 B Street, Suite 1700 San Diego, California 92101 May 2017 ICF. 2017. Baseline Biodiversity Report, Santa Ysabel Cauzza Connector Parcel. May. (ICF 42.16.) San Diego, CA. Prepared for County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation, San Diego, CA. Contents List of Tables and Figures ...................................................................................................................... iii List of Acronyms and Abbreviations ...................................................................................................... iv Summary ................................................................................................................................. S‐1 Chapter 1 Introduction ...................................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.1 Purpose of the Study ....................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.2 Multiple Species Conservation Program Context ............................................................ 1‐1 Chapter 2 Study Area Description ...................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.1 Study Area Location ......................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.2 Geographical Setting ........................................................................................................ 2‐1 2.3 Climate ............................................................................................................................. 2‐2 2.4 Hydrology ......................................................................................................................... 2‐2 2.5 Fire History ....................................................................................................................... 2‐3 2.6 Trails and Roads ............................................................................................................... 2‐3 Chapter 3 Methods ........................................................................................................................... 3‐1 3.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitats .................................................................................. 3‐1 Vegetation Communities Mapping .................................................................................. 3‐1 3.2 Plants ............................................................................................................................... 3‐2 Floristic Surveys ............................................................................................................... 3‐2 3.3 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. 3‐3 Arroyo Toad Surveys ........................................................................................................ 3‐3 Birds ................................................................................................................................. 3‐3 Mammals ......................................................................................................................... 3‐6 Chapter 4 Results and Discussion ...................................................................................................... 4‐1 4.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitats .................................................................................. 4‐1 4.2 Plants ............................................................................................................................... 4‐2 Special‐Status Plant Species Observed ............................................................................ 4‐2 Invasive Plant Species ...................................................................................................... 4‐3 4.3 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. 4‐4 Herpetofauna ................................................................................................................... 4‐5 Birds ................................................................................................................................. 4‐6 Mammals ......................................................................................................................... 4‐9 Special‐Status Wildlife Species Detected or Observed .................................................. 4‐12 Invasive Wildlife Species ................................................................................................ 4‐14 4.4 Wildlife Movement ........................................................................................................ 4‐14 Baseline Biodiversity Report May 2017 i Santa Ysabel Preserve Cauzza Connector Parcel ICF 42.16 County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation Contents Chapter 5 Conclusions and Management and Monitoring Recommendations ................................... 5‐1 5.1 Vegetation Communities/Habitats .................................................................................. 5‐1 5.2 Plants ............................................................................................................................... 5‐1 Invasive Plants.................................................................................................................. 5‐2 5.3 Wildlife ............................................................................................................................. 5‐2 Herpetofauna ................................................................................................................... 5‐2 Birds ................................................................................................................................. 5‐3 Mammals ......................................................................................................................... 5‐3 Invasive Wildlife ............................................................................................................... 5‐4 5.4 Wildlife Movement .......................................................................................................... 5‐4 5.5 Additional Management Recommendations ................................................................... 5‐4 Public Access .................................................................................................................... 5‐4 Fencing ............................................................................................................................. 5‐4 Trails and Access Roads ................................................................................................... 5‐5 Signage and Education ..................................................................................................... 5‐5 Litter/Trash Removal ....................................................................................................... 5‐5 Illegal Off‐Road Activity ................................................................................................... 5‐5 Emergency and Safety Issues ........................................................................................... 5‐5 Chapter 6 References ........................................................................................................................ 6‐1 Appendix A Vascular Plant Species Observed Appendix B Potentially Occurring Special‐Status Plant Species Appendix C Wildlife Species Detected or Observed Appendix D Potentially Occurring Special‐Status Wildlife Species Appendix E Photographic Log Baseline Biodiversity Report May 2017 ii Santa Ysabel Cauzza Connector Parcel ICF 42.16 County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation Contents Tables and Figures Table Page 1 Dates and Personnel for the Nocturnal Arroyo Toad Surveys on the Property in 2016 .............. 3‐3 2 Dates and Personnel for the Point Counts on the Property in 2016 ............................................ 3‐4 3 Dates and Personnel for the Nocturnal Bird Surveys on the Property in 2016 ............................ 3‐5 4 Personnel, Date, Time, and Conditions of the Small Mammal Trapping at the Property in 2016 ........................................................................................................................... 3‐7 5 Trapline Description ...................................................................................................................... 3‐8 6 Vegetation Communities and Land Cover Types within the Property ......................................... 4‐1 7 Nonnative Invasive Plant Species Observed on the Property ....................................................... 4‐3 8 Amphibian Species Observed during 2016 Surveys ...................................................................... 4‐5 9 Reptile Species Observed during 2013 Surveys ............................................................................ 4‐5 10 Avian Species Observed and/or Detected at the Property in 2016 .............................................. 4‐7 11 Number of Individuals Observed or Detected During the Avian Point Counts1 ........................... 4‐9 12 Number of Species Observed or