20080902 US Fish and Wildlife Services letter re: San Ramon Canyon Landslide Coastal Sage Scrub •
1110 •e us. U. S.Fish and Wildlife Service California Department of Fish and Game
FLSH&WILDLIFE
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AGENCY$$ Carlsbad Fish and Wildlife Office RNIA South Coast Region
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6010 Hidden ValleyRoad �' Wall 4949 Viewridge Avenue
ANLArli Carlsbad,California 92011 '=`;%591‘ San Diego,California 92123
(760)431-9440 / (858)467-4201
F(760)(473610-)9443410-9618
760 431-9618 FAX(858)467-4299
In Reply Refer To:
FWS/CDFG-LA-08B0331-08TA0612
SEP 1 2 2000
Vindu Vaish
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
30940 Hawthorne Boulevard
Rancho Palos Verdes, California 90275-5391
Subject: San Ramon Canyon Landslide Coastal Sage Scrub Restoration Project Year 6 Annual
Assessment, City of Rancho Palos Verdes, Los Angeles County, California
•
Dear Mr. Vaish:
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service(Service)and the California Department of Fish and Game
(Department), hereafter collectively referred to as the Wildlife Agencies, have reviewed the
above-referenced Annual Assessment dated June 2,2008. We compared the results from year
six of the restoration project to the success criteria originally prescribed in the restoration plan
(HELIX 2001).
The primary concern and mandate of the Service is the protection of public fish and wildlife
resources and their habitats. The Service has a legal responsibility for the welfare of migratory
birds, anadromous fish, and endangered animals and plants occurring in the United States. The
Service is also responsible for administering the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended
(16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.). The Department is a Trustee Agency and a Responsible Agency
pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act, Sections 15386 and 15381,respectively.
The Department is responsible for the conservation,protection, and management of the state's
biological resources, including rare, threatened, and endangered plant and animal species,
pursuant to the California Endangered Species Act and other sections of the Fish and Game
Code.
At the end of year five, the San Ramon Canyon landslide restoration site met the success criteria
for non-native species cover and native species cover but did not meet the success criteria for
species richness, lacking one additional species (San Ramon Canyon Landslide Coastal Sage
Scrub Restoration Project Year 5 Monitoring Report October 22, 2007). Subsequently, the site
was reseeded with a coastal sage scrub palette on January 24, 2008 to address the species
richness shortfall. The Wildlife Agencies issued a letter(FWS/CDFG-LA-08B033 1-08TA0399)
dated April 16, 2008 recommending additional vegetation transect surveys be conducted after
initial growth of the coastal sage scrub reseeding was observed and to continue weeding until the
year six monitoring report was due.
TAKE PRIDE
t A MER I CA:14:.
•
Vindu Vaish(FWS/CDFG-LA-08B0331-08TA0612) 2
At the end of year six, the restoration site increased species richness by seven species and the
non-native cover was below 24 percent,both meeting the restoration site's success criteria(San
Ramon Canyon Landslide Coastal Sage Scrub Restoration Project Year 6 Annual Assessment
June 2, 2008). Native cover averaged 78 percent at the end of year six; a decrease from year
five's 94 percent native cover and below the 84 percent native cover success criteria.
Nevertheless,based on the improvement in the overall condition of the restoration site and the
increase in the native plant seed bank from several years of native plant growth and reseeding
efforts, we expect that the restoration site is now sustainable in its current condition or better
over the long term. Therefore, the Wildlife Agencies release the City of Rancho Palos Verdes
from further restoration responsibilities at this site.
We appreciate your coordination on this project. Should you have any questions regarding this
letter,please contact Anna Schmidt of the Service at(760)431-9440 extension 277 or Matt
Chirdon and Erinn Wilson of the Department at(714) 968-0953.
Sincerely,
(-4
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44 Karen A. Goebel Helen Birss
Assistant Field Supervisor Environmental Program Manager
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service CA Department of Fish and Game
cc:
Amy Mattson, HELIX Environmental Planning, Inc.
Mike Yadrik, PVPLC
HabCon-Chron—CDFG