Winter 2006 Watershed Newsletter, Cambria Land Trust

 

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C A I V S R I A

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L A N D

T R U S T

IMpRovEMENTs oRFrsH oRFrsHpAssAGE, EsroRrarroN RoJEcrs

AND WATERSHED EDUCATION IN THE SANTA ROSA CREEK WATERSHED

In pr".riorr. Watersheds we have reported on a number of projects that Greenspace has completed on Santa Rosa Creek during the past few years. annual membership contribution, work to develop thecreek. grantsWe that funded these projects would not be possible. It is important to Without note thatyour Greenspace is not the only entity that the conducts work on the wan want t to acknowledge acknowledge the efforts of others whjle we continue our work with partnerships we have fostered over the past years. Following is a brief summary of some projects that have enhanced the health of Santa Rosa Creek. Santa Rosa Greek Enhancement Plan - 1993. This was our first Coastal Conservancy grant. The project describes an action plan to, in part, acquire key properties that protect the hydrological functions of Santa Rosa Creek. It recommended the acquisition of flood plains and other open space properties in the lower lower water shed between the Pacific Ocean and Coast Union High School. Properties that were targeted included the Midstate Bank property and the East/West Ranch now knor,tm as the Fiscalini Ranch but then called Rancho Pacifica. We are pleased to say that a-ll hese hese propefties are now under some form of protection. Santa Rosa Creek is Our Watershed. This was an educational grant that Greenspace was awarded n2002 by the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG). Five articles on steelhead were written and appeared appeared in our Watershed newsletter; a presentation on urban runoff was produced and given to various cornrnunity groups and at CCSD meetings; and a watershed workshop was conducted inviting regulatory agencies and stake holders as participants. Big Improvements or Ffuh Passage Cont'd n Page ]

GREENSPACECREEKSIDE GREENSPACE CREEKSIDE RESERVEUPDATE RESERVE UPDATE

Since October 1999 Greenspace has been the proud ovrmer of over 1.5acres 1.5 acres on Center Street rn the East VrlJ.age the Greenspace Creekside Reserve. Many members of the community have been on the property for special events and know that it is a beautifu-l and peaceful setting. It is our intent to open the Creekside Reserve to the public by 2007; however, there are still a number of steps that must be taken before that happens. Because we have been fundraising for this property since its purchase, we wanted to show the corrirnunity exactly where the funds we have raised have gone and how much will be needed in the future. The accompanying charts demonstrate the income Greenspace has received for the project since its inception, the expenses we have incur incurred red for the project and how much more must be raised in order to complete the project and open up the Creekside Reserves doors to the pubhc. As you can see, Greenspace has received no funding from any government agency to help pay for the Creekside Reserve. Ail funding we received was through private donations. The mortgage on the property has been paid rn full. All the expenses were paid at the time they were incurred. Greenspace has no outstanding debts forthe Creekside Reserve project. Andthere have been over L00 volunteers that have helped on this project over the years for over $15,000 n donated servrces. Currently we are waiting for a hearing that is scheduled for December 15th on the minor use permit that is required in order for us to finish the project. As soon as we receive our permit, we will begin the final stages of preparing the Creekside Reserve for opening. We are now in the home stretch of the Greenspace Creekside Reserve project. We are depending upon Patron Path brick sales and private donations to help us to complete this project and allow us to open up the property as a beautiful open space in the middle of the East Vrllage. We hope that you will consider purchasing a Patron Path brick or donating in some other way to help us complete our goal. If you have any questions regarding the project or would like to purchase a Patron Path brick, please call the Greensoace office at 927-2866.

MARINE LIFE PROTECTION ACT IS HERE

The oceal off the coast of Carnbria got a big boost recently when the California Fish and Game Commission created a network of 29 marine protected areas stretching from Santa Barbara County to Santa Cruz County. lncluded in this network network is a non-fishrng area in front of Rancho Marino called Carnbria State Marine Reserve and complete protection for Piedras Blancas, starting from the Elephant Seal haul out north to Point Sierra Nevada. Additionally, a recreatiorcnly marine park off Cambria's shore from from Lampton Street north to Little Pico Creek called the Cambria State Marine Park was also part of the approved plan. This protection off the Central Coast was the result of years of effort by de dedicated dicated indrviduals who worked to convince the Commission to save these areas urider the Marine Li fe Protection Act. Greenspace is pleased to have been one of the orgaruzations supporting these protections. Greenspace Vice President Mary Webb and her husband, Jm Webb, Presiden Presidentt of th the e Cambria Fishing Club, participated in meetings for over two years as the proposals for the the Commission were crafted and finetuned. Recreabiona land commercial fishermen, divers, kayakers, surfers, boaters, harbormasters and citizens shared their divergent views on the subject. The Commission received advice from scientists, experts, resource managers, enJorcement officers a nd agency staff. Marine

Life Protection

Act [Cont'd on Page 3]

GREENSPACE RESERVE - $5221199CREEKSIDE INCOME 1999hrough hrough crober 006) octorcr 1999 General

Fud

$31,736 Pdvate $4.400 Water

FoudatioN

Meter

Sa.le

$ 1 1 6 ,8 3 1 Paton

Path

Bricks

$35,400 -

Special

Events

Private

Donations

$13,s14 $320.518

GREENSPACE CREEKSIDE RESERVE (ostorer1999 EXPENSES - $501,974 (ostorer 1999hroush hroushoctober october 006) Mortgage md Intere$ $ 4 JC ,C U U F a O n rU

Papents

-

Temple Expemes Restoration, Excavation, Design- $26,523 Clem up md Maintenmce

of

Propefiy'$10,906

Appraisal, Fees, Pemits, Utilities, Etc. - $4,476 Propety Tues $24.561

TOTAI, INCOME REOUIRED TO COMPI.ETE GREENSPACE CREEKSTDERESERVE CREEKSTDERESERVE - $592799 Fuds raised md ued - D5ut,Y/4 ror e&emes

Amout still needed to finish Greenspace Creekside ReseNe $75,600

Fud6 raised ild in the Creekside Restrided Fmd $20.225

 

GREENSPACEOPTS OUT OF THE BUILDOUTREDUCTION BUILDOUT REDUCTIONPLAN PLAN D a n a n r l , r r 1 . r 1 - m 1 - , i a Cv rnr m l r u 'r n ur y rnjlV

Serrnce lisLf iCt Sent OUt let_

ters Loa Loa varieryof varieryof non-profit and rusrs n our area. ncluding Greenspace, sking il Lhey would be interested n beconung one of Lheywould the land trusts that would purchase Dronerties ulder the Buiidout Reduction Program. \Alhrile reenspace reenspacePresidenL PresidenLWay'ne Way'neAttoe, Attoe, as a privale cilizen, was on the advrsory ommrtlee hat wrote rhe program, nd flrcensnaee

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meetings that have been held to determine the best method to implement the plan, after exhaustive discussions L a number numberof Boardmeetings, of Board meetings, heCreenspace heCreenspace oard Directorshas of Directors has decided nol-Lo nol-Loapply apply for a role n lh-Ls rogram lor a varrety of reasons. First, Lhe CreenspaceBoard Board Some has not takenmembers a posiLion or ot project. against theLheCreenspace desahnatron Board believe our pol1ed,worild loyal supporters, if pol1ed, worild similarly not agree on the subject. Participation in the Buildout Reductlon Program by Greenspace nughL e construedas construedas supporL or Lhe Lhedesalnarion desalnarionproject,which wor,rldnot wor,rld not be accurate and might ahenate some supporters. The innovative Buildout Reduction Program is untested and enttld ncrcralo

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endov,ment and depends on the support of rts members. The Board is reluctant to be involved in an untested program over which it has limted control and whuch, n the event o[ possible egal challenges, challenges,mighl mighl jeopardrze rs esraoprograms and commttments. lished and successfu-l successfu-lprograms Additionally,while Additionally, while i r is expecled rhat the CCSDwill CCSDwill indemnily land trusts and their directors agarnst lega1 lega1action action related to partlcipation in the Buildout Reduction Program, concern remains that Greenspace drrectors might be named as indlviduals in suits LhaL xght be blought by people who are unirappy with aspects aspectsoI oI the Program. The Greenspace Board of Directors endorses a reduction of buildouL n Lhe Lhecommuruty commuruty as a means Lopreserve Lhe LheMonterey Monterey prne forest and open space and and will continue seeking to acquire parcels for thrs purpose.

Please help Greenspace prcserue the coartal cteeks, forests, coastal waters, and open spaces of the North Coast of San Luis Obispo Cowty.

JOIN GREENSPACE TODAY E New N/Iember

E Renewal

E New Member

n Patron

n Contributing - $50 E Sponsoring - $100

E Sustaining $500 E Benefactor $L,000

Big Improuements

Address City/State/Zip Phone Email Payment Method: E Check nclosed visa n u/c Card # ftrp. Date

Sigrrature Send your taxdeductable donations to: Greenspace, P.O. Box 1505,Cambria, 1505, Cambria, CA 93428

lcont'd from Page 1]

San Luis Obispo Gounty Strearn Grossing Inventory and Fish Passage Evaluation Grant. This grant was awarded to Greenspace in 2003 to conduct an inventory on SLO coastal streams that have erther historlc or current steelhead mrgrations in them and to assess culvert issues at road crossings.. The final repoft can be seen on our website at u/v\,nv.greenspace crossings cambria.org Burton Bridge Barrier Removal Proiect. This project was fr-rnded through the Department of Fish and Games' Adaptive lManagement Program and the National Ocearuc Atmospherrc Administration (NOAA) in 2005. The project began in October 2005 and ended in October 2006. A concrete apron was removed under Burton Bridge that prevented fish passage during 65% of Lhevear. Lhe vear. The apron was removed during rhe fall ol bolh years when Santa Rosa Creek is fl,pically at its ]owest flow rate. Pictures can be seen at wvvw. greenspacecambrra. org. Fiscalini Stream Bank Restoration Proiect. This grant was awarded to Greenspace rn 2004 by DFG and was completed in 2006. The project restored 350 feeLol feeLol e roded srream bank by crealing a new stream charLnela arr d flood terrace. The project site contained 30- foot vertical wal ls of scalloped stream banks that were depositing thousands of cubic yards of sediment and valuable farm land into Santa Rosa Creek. The project pictures can be vrewed on oru website w JVW.greenspacecambria.org. A pending proiect is the Ferrasci Bridge Proiect. This project will remove the highest ranked barrier to steelhead mrgratron in San Luis Obispo Countv. Aller Lhesteelhead Lhesteelhead barrier is removed, a bridge wiU be bult to replace the crossing. See pictures of tlus barrier at wvwv.greenspacecambria.org. For Lhe pasl tl-uee ears Greenspace Greenspacehas has been ar el ected member of Lhe Tri County Fish Team (TCFT;.which is made up o[ indivrdua]s iom SLO, SanLa Barbara, and Ventura Countres. Some of the projects that the TCFT is under taking are restoratron pennt strearn]irung and restoration best management practices. In addition, the TCFT conducts workshops on culvert placement and road crossing structures on steelhead streams. Greenspace has taken an active role ln these important improvements in permtttrng and educating contractors who conduct this tlpe of work. One project that we anticipate rntroducing into the North Coast of the county ls water monitoring that includes urban rr-rnoffpollutlon rr-rnoffpollutlon (We were saddened that the County of SLO has decided to hardscape the parking area behind the Chewon station with asphalt instead of a permeable surface. Water leaving that srte which mns directly into Santa Rosa Creek wr11be wr11be polluted lvrth battery acids, anti-lreeze constituents, and oil and grease). Capturing samples oi 'first flush' of water entedng the Santa Rosa Creek through culverts at the beginning of the wet season will be another project we want to implement. Finding ways to prevent urban runoff pollution by filtering water before it enters waterways is a high prionty for many agencies and watershed groups lil:o

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Road Crossing

The Ranch. CCSD ecenlly completed a streaman bank ero sion project rhe was Fiscahni This prqect reconsfiucted eroded stream bankonthat endangering public infrastructure and provided needed habitat for steelhead. Ttus prqect was done by the Ca-IiforniaConservation Ca-IiforniaConservation Corps under the SLO T ^-^

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The CCSD has an other project that is pendhg to reconstruct 300 feet of eroded stream bank directly across the channel from the project completed by them last year. Work is scheduled for 2007. Greenspace has partnered wrth many organizations and state and federal agencles with the projects mentioned above. These include, include, Califorrua Department of Fish and Game, County of San Lrus Obispo, the SLO Land Conservancy, California Conservation Corps, NOAA, Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, and the California Coastal Conservancy. It should be noted that much of the labor for our projects has been provided through the California Conservatr Conservatron on Corps. Tlls state agency has been instrumental in many projects throughout the county and in the Carnbria area. The Corps provides our cormty wrth skilled labor arrd leadership leadership tn a varlety of ways that largely go unnotlced by the pubJic. Restoration projects are their forte and much of our success is directly related to the Corps efficiency and skill. if you wouJd like to learn more aboul Lhe projects we have completed or are pending please call the Greenspace office or vrsit our website at www,greenspacecambria.org. We also will conduct presentations on most of our projects to groups or associations of interested pafties.

 

GREENSPACE ANNOUNCES NEW SPEAKER SERIES PROGRAM

'Fha 1-lroancna^ 6 P^ard

of Directors is pleased to announce a new innovative communlty program. In the upcoming months Greenspace will begin its inaugural Speaker Serles, bringrng notable rndividuals to Cambria and the Central Coast who will address envlronmental toprcs of con cern and interest that challenge society, government, and business. Bill Morem. Ooinion Editor of The Tribune will begin the series in January. He will be discussing his thoughts on envlronmental and social issues that are currently affecting and will be affecting the County of San Luis Oblspo. Garv Patton. Executive Director of the Planninq and Conservation Leaque (PCL) will speak in February on the leadership role that PCL, along with California's leglslature, leglslature, has taken on global warming issues, rnciuding what the landmark teglslation, AB 32, has the potential to accomplish and PCLs affiliation with the National Wildlife Federation regarding climate change and wildlife . The Plan Planning ning and Conservation Conservation League (PCL) s a 4O-yearstatewide, 4O-year statewide, non profit lobbying organizatio n. Based in Sacramento, PCL is an alliance of individuals and conservation organizations that have joined together to protect Callfornia's environment through legislative and administrative action. Heather Coolev. of the Pacific Institute in Oakland, is tentatively tentatively scheduled to speak in N4arch. She will discuss "Desalination Wlth A Grain Of Salt, A California PerspecLive", 2006 report published by the Institute that she co-authored along with PeLerGleick PeLerGleick and Gary Wolf . Desalination is the water purveyors' ultimate answer for manufactured water. The Pacific Institute is dedicated to protecting our natural world, encouraging sustatnable development, and improving global securrty. Founded in 1987 and based in Oakland, they provide independent research and policy analysis on issues at the intersection of development, environment, and securiry  

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Dr.Garla DAntonio. Professor Schuvler Chair of Environmental at the controls Universitv Santa Barbara will end this segment of the Speaker Seriesand ln April. Dr. DAntonio's current research Studies topics include over of biolCalifornia. biologicai ogicai invaslon by non-tndigenous nlenr onanioc taarlhanlubetween population and ecosystem processes n planLs, planLs,p)ant p)ant effects on soil resources, and processes conLrolling plant population dynamrcs. Dr. DAntonio, author of numerous papers on the subject, will be speaking on native plantings, invasive plants and fire. There will be a reco recommended mmended donation of $10 to attend each of the lectures or $30 to attend all four lectures. The exact dates and locations of the Lecture Serles will be announced soon. We thlnk that the Speaker Series discussions and views will stimulate dialoque and intellectual thorrcrhi Pleasc RS\/P (927-2866\as soace is limited. Marine

Life Protection

Act lcont'd from Page 1]

On behalJ of Greenspace, Vice Presrdent Webb spoke at many of the regional stakeholder meetlngs and testified at several of the Commrsston heanngs supportlng sclentrfically based maximum protection off of our coast. Under the auspices of his role as Regional Vice President of the Plandng and Conservatron League and as Executive Director of Greenspace, Rrchard Hawley testified at the Commission hearings and wrote let[ers of support for the most protective package developed through Lhe Lhestakeholder stakeholder process. In Lhe Lheend, end, on August lbththe Commission agreed adopt a compromise plan that to combrned some ofunanimously the best parts of thetopackages that were presented them. In their final plan, the Commrssion agreed that other areas on the Central Coast deserved the highest levels of protection, includlng Point Aflo Nuevo, Natural Bridges, Point Buchon, Point Lobos, Pornt Arguello and many underwater canyons, prtrnacles and kelp forests. Soon another region of the California coast will be studied as the MLPA is implemented from the Oregon border to the Medcan border with a target date of 2011 or completion.

Christmas is comjng - and what better gift for friends and family than something you larow wjll fit perfectly, will last forever and is personalized * a brick along the Patron Pathl The Patr Patron on Path is a walkway through the Greenspace Creekside Reserve which will contain Z22bricknarneplates. The bricks can be inscribed with your loved one's name or their business. Or you can a special to them on the the brlck. And you won't evenput have to wrapmessage it Also, don't forget our Buddy Brick program. Express the dedication that you and your family have for each other by purchasing a brlck together. If you belong to a book book club, a yoga ilass, an art club or another kind of special group, demonstrate your commitment to each other by sharing a Patron Path brick. Purchase a brick with two or three of your friends to honor your friendshlp and, at the same time, confiibute to this beautifr.il beautifr.il open space. Or pitch in with youl co-workers to buy a brick on the Patron Path. Please consider becoming a part of the Patron Path. Call the Greenspace office today af 927-2866 for more information.

In August the National Wiidlfe Federatton filed an amicus brief on behalf of itselJarrd 73 other spofiing spofiing ard conservatio conservation n or organizahons, ganizahons, state fish and game departments, professional fish and wildlife societies, zoos and aquariums and reJigrous reJigrous organizations in a firstever case involving g1oba1warming to be heard by the Umted States Supreme Court. Greenspace rs proud that it was asked to be one of the 73 organizations irtcluded in this brief. Counsel for the National Wrldlife Federation (N\MF) stated that this may be the most diverse coalition to ever file an environmental environmental amicus brief with the Supreme Cor.xt. The NWF amrcus bdef is not the only brief submitled rr this case in support of Petitioners. Petitioners. Additional amrcus briefs were filed by climate scientists, Alaskan natives, energy technology comparries,ski comparries,ski resorts, resorts,state state and loca1 governments, reiigious groups and more. The case will be heard by the Court sometrme this month. The case, Commonwealth of Massachusetts. et al. v. United State Enuironmental Protection Agencv is based on a 2003 EP EPA A decision not to regulate carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles as pollution. The brief states that, accordmg to the Clean Air Act, the Environmenta-l Protection Agency has the duty to regnrlate regnrlateany any air pollutant that can reasonably be expected to endanger public health or welfare, which rrcludes effects on climate and wildlife. Because of thns duty, the EPA must act to Limit greenhouse gas pollution rn order to stop the increase in climate that these pollutants are causing and prc tect wildlife resources for future tts generations. shouldon beharms noted not thal our Commonwealth of Massachuse Massachusetts v. USEPA (It s based onJy to wlldlife, but to the public in general.) Greenspace will Iet the commumty know the outcome of this case when the Supreme Court n.iles on this important issue later this month.

Chinese Temple Tented By Key Termite

KSK&&XK MKSX Thank you to Key Termite and Pest Controi of Atascadero for their assistance in rldding the Chinese Temple on the Greenspace Creekslde Reserve of building-destroylng building-destroylng insects Greenspace would like to thank Craig Loud and the staff at Loud Design for their invaluable asststance in the creation of the Watershed.

 

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MONTEREY PINE FOREST HEALTH SURVEY AT THE WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE Recentftt

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property owned by The Nature Conservancy. Items of interest were Monterey pine regeneration, fungal pathogen infection rales for piLchcanker and western gali rusl. and a parasite called dwarf mistletoe. Alother aspect of the survey was determimng how many snags per acre were present. Other data were collected and analyzed that will be reported in future Watershed Newsletters. With the rnvaluable technical assistance of three CalPoly students, Don Applegate, Kevin McCrummen, and Erin Rice and with the assistance of long time colleagues Dr. Don Owen and David Adams, the sampling regime and data collection rnrac

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Once the coll ected data was analyzed we were surprised that pitch canker was nol prevalenL n the rural ands. Only 2.7o/a f the forest area surveyed showed symptoms of pitch canker. The primary tree fungal palhogen was western gall rust followed by parasrte infectrons of dwarf mistletoe. We a r q n s r r r r r c r r e d l n r a n i n q c e t e a l l e c l Suev a rurvnr ui : a2rreaq

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Snags pror,rde habitat for woodpeckers and other cavity nesting animals and provide perch and roost opportunities lor raptors. Understanding Lhe Lhenumnumber and types of snags on conservation lands js criLical o managemenl. Snags were delined by us in this way: any dead tree tree with a diameter diameter of 6 inches or g reaLer reaLer at four feet that was at least 6 feet tall. Snags fell into one of three classes:all classes:all bark intact. peeling bark and no bark. bark. Wrthin each of the three snag classe s we looked for two ii^r;^^r ufDLrffuL

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Therefore, we have lour types of snags Therefore,we within each class of snag. We found thal Ihere were l0.b snags per acre of all classes. DeLermininq ird and mammal use from thls data has not been analyzed bul we hope to find the exper Lise n solving thrs complex slatistical formuia in the future.

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than 1 inch in diameter. The numbers are quite dramatic and comparing these wildland numbers with the urban area of the Cambna pine forest will give us lmportant information on how to manage vegetation clearing. Based on obser aLions, aLions,lee lee genelation within the urba n area is srgnificantly lower because of ve getation removal practices.

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Classl-63% C\ass 2 - L'L% Class 23 - 26%

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