SANTA ROSA PLAINS ENDANGERED PLANT PROTECTION PROGRAM REPORT Prepared for Sonoma County Planning Department and California Department of Fish and G.-_ Endangered Plant Project Section A: Marco Waaland, Author and Field Investigator Section B: Joan Vilme, Author Project Manager and Editor: Rocky Thompson April, 1989 Revised April, 1990 TAB[_ OF CONTENTS Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................... /NTROOUCTION ....................................................................... ii EXECUTIVE SUM}tARY ................................................................... iii SECTION A. RARR PLJh_ITECOLOGY ..................................................... l I. BACKGROUND .................................................................... [ A. Ecology of Vernal Pools in the Santa Rosa Plains ......................... i B. Endangerment of Plants Associated With Vernal Pools In Santa Rosa Plains i C. Species of Concern ....................................................... 2 II. SCOPE OF PROJECT ............................................................ 6 Ill. NEED FOR THE PROJECT ................................................... 8 IV. METHODS ............................................................... l[ V. RESULTS ............................................................... [[ A. Field Survey Forms ............................................... 12 B. =iological Quality Rating ......................................... [6 C. hadangerment ...................................................... 20 D. Species of Concern ................................................... 24 [. Lasthenia burkei (LABU) .......................................... 24 2. Limnanthes vinculans (LIVI) ...................................... 27 3. Blennosperma bakeri (BLBA) ....................................... 30 4. Navarretia plie_a (NAPL) ...................................... 33 5. Po_ogyne Dou_lasii ssp. parviflora (PODOP) ...................... 36 E. Ensemble Sites ....................................................... 38 F. Preservation Priority .................................................. &0 G. Protected Locations .................................................... 44 H. Confirmed Locations of Listed CNDDB Occurrences ...................... 45 F. Eztirpation of Listed CNDDB Occurrences ................................ 45 G. New Rare Plant Locations Not Listed by CNDDB ........................... 45 VI. DISCUSSION .................................................................... 46 A. Implications for Rare and Endangered Plants in the Vernal Pools of Santa Rosa Plains ......................................... 46 B. Site Quality .............................................................. 49 C. Endangerment ............................................................ 51 [. Effluent Irrigation ................................................ 52 2. Urbanization ....................................................... 53 3. Intensive Agriculture .............................................. 54 D. Preservation of Endangered Species and Their Habitat .................... 55 i. Prioritization of Study Sites for Preservation ...................... 55 2, Biological Considerations in Oevelopin_ Santa Rosa Plains Endangered Plant Protection Program ................................. 57 3. Practical Considerations in Establishing Rare Plant Preserves ....... 58 4. Problems Establishing Rare Plants Using Artificial Pool Creation .... 59 5. Management Considerations in Conserving Endangered Species .......... 61 6. Management Reco_endatione .......................................... 6l 7, A conceptual Plan for a Rare Plant Preserve System in the Santa Rosa Plains ................................................. 63 VII. CONCLUSIONS ................................................................... 65 i I Page SECTION B: MECRAHISMS OF PROTECTION ............................................... $8 I. INTRODUCTION ................................................................ 68 [I • VERNAL POOLS - A DESCRIPTION llo••,•_o,el,o,e•,t•t,t,e•, e_,•••o, oe,, •,e•o• 68 Ill. THE IMPORTANCE OF SONOMA COUNTY'S VERNAL POOLS ........................... 68 _V POLICYFOR ENDANGEREDSPECIESPROTECTION 69 V. PHASE i: INTERIM PLAN ................................................... 69 A. Program Goals ........................................................ 69 8. Program Objectives ................................................... 69 C. Implementation Policies .............................................. 70 C-- i • Regulatory _Qo,oo,•leeo_•e•teolet_,eo•i•*•oole_oo_oQ._ooaoejo,to_t_to 70 "_ C-2. Voluntary ........................................................... 70 D. Implementation Procedures ................................................. 70 D-I. Regulatory ......................................................... 70 D-l-a. Project Design .............................................. 71 D-l-b. Mitigation Policy .......................................... 71 D-2. Voluntary Implementation Procedures ............................... 74 D-2-a. Grants of Conservation Easements ............................ 74 D-2-b. Grants of Land in Fee ....................................... 76 D-2-c. Rare Plant Registry ......................................... 77 E. Acquisition Techniques .................................................... 79 E-l. Mechanics .......................................................... 79 E-l-a Market Sale le,•leeoeooeooeoooiiooe_e_ee_ee_ee,,m,_•,_eoe 79 E-l-b. Bargain Sale ................................................ 79 E-l-c. Gift ........................................................ 79 E-2. Types of Real Estate Interests Acquired ........................... 80 E-2-a. Fee Title - Full Ownership .................................. 80 E-2-b. Conservation Easement - Partial Interest .................... 80 E-2-c. Remainder - Future Interest--Reserved Life Estate ........... 81 J t f- SECTION B. MECHANISMS OF PROTECTION (cont.) Page VI. PHASE 2: SENSITIVE AREA MANAGEMENT PLAN ...................................... 82 A. Introduction ............................................................. 82 B. Immediate Problems ......... _ ............................................. 82 i. Lead Agency .......................................................... 82 2. Project Leader ....................................................... 82 3. Comprehensive Inventory, Evaluation and Mapping Needed ............... 82 4, Fragmented Jurisdiction .............................................. 83 C. Collaborative Process .................................................... 83 -_ D. Participants ............................................................. 83 I. Federal Regulators & Resource Agencies .............................. 83 2. State Regulators & Resource Agencies ................................ 83 3. County Regulators ................................................... 83 A. City Regulators ..................................................... 83 5. Private Sector Representatives ...................................... 84 E. Producing Results ........................................................ 84 F. Updating of Information .................................................. 84 SECTION C: FINAL REPORT RECOMI_ND&TIONS ........................................... 85 PgREONS AND AGENCIES CONTACTED ..................................................... 86 APPENDICES .......................................................................... 87 Appendix I -- Laws Pertaining to Rare and Endangered Plants .................... 87 Appendix 2 -- Santa Rosa Plains Vernal Pool Survey Form ........................ 87 Appendix 3 -- Completed Rare Plan= Survey Forms ................................ 87 Appendix _ -- Parcel Specific Occurrence Maps .................................. 87 Appendix 5 -- List of California Natural Diversity Data Base Occurances and Corresponding Report Locations .................... 91 REFERENCES For Section A .................................................................. 95 For Section B .................................................................. 98 INTEODUCTIOM Because extinction can be avoided only by preventing habitat fragmentation, a regional approach is needed to protect vernal pool wetlands systems. That it was needed yesterday must not deter us from taking steps today that will safeguard species diversity for tomorrow. At issue is the survival of a unique and irreplaceable natural resource. As the rapid decline of rare plant populations in the Santa Rosa Plains continues, three of these species of concern will be on a collision course with extinction. We have already lost one species, showy Indian clover. The threat of extinction brings with it the likelihood of listing not only by the State but also by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). Should federal listing occur, the control over that species and its habitat falls under the stringent regulatory authority of this federal agency, potentially removing local jurisdiction over land use decisions in those areas considered to be critical habitat. This report consists of two sections. Section A, Rare Plant Ecology, with accompanying data from Appendices I-4, is presented in a scientific study format. Field work performed in the first half of 1988 provided the biological data upon which the body of this 3ection rests. Section B, Mechanisms of Protection, picks up where the scientific section leaves off. A