CC SR 20201104 C - PVPLC Comp Report Draft_AM
CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: 11/04/2020
AGENDA REPORT AGENDA HEADING: Consent Calendar
AGENDA TITLE:
Consideration and possible action to receive and file the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land
Conservancy’s 2016-2018 Comprehensive Report and the 2018 Annual Report on its
management activities for the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
RECOMMENDED COUNCIL ACTION:
(1) Receive and file the 2016-2018 Comprehensive Report and the 2018 Annual
Report submitted by the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy on its
management activities for the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
FISCAL IMPACT: None
Amount Budgeted: N/A
Additional Appropriation: N/A
Account Number(s): N/A
ORIGINATED BY: Katie Lozano, Senior Administrative Analyst
REVIEWED BY: Cory Linder, Director of Recreation and Parks
APPROVED BY: Ara Mihranian, AICP, City Manager
ATTACHED SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS:
The complete 2016-2018 Comprehensive Report and the 2018 Annual Report were
made available to the City Council and the public on October 14, and are available for
review on the City’s website at the following link:
http://www.rpvca.gov/DocumentCenter/View/16227/Comprehensive-Mgmt-Report-2016-
2018
A. Public Comments
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION:
In 2014, the City Council adopted a Draft Natural Community Conservation Plan/Habitat
Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) that establishes the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land
Conservancy (PVPLC) as the City’s habitat manager for the Palos Verdes Nature
Preserve (Preserve). As Permittees under the NCCP/HCP, the City and PVPLC are
required to provide annual and comprehensive reports (every three years) to the
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California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
(Wildlife Agencies) to evaluate the implementation of the NCCP/HCP and the adequacy
of the overall progress toward reaching the conservation goals of the NCCP/HCP.
Specifically, the PVPLC is required to submit monitoring reports on its habitat
restoration and exotic plant removal activities, on species monitoring, and on
recommendations to enhance the overall health of the covered species under the
NCCP/HCP, and impacts to habitat throughout the NCCP/HCP plan area. Additionally,
the NCCP/HCP requires the City to provide components of the report discussing night
activities in the Preserve.
Pursuant to the City Council-approved NCCP/HCP and the management agreement
authorizing the PVPLC to perform activities in the Preserve on the City’s
behalf, PVPLC has submitted, for the City Council’s acceptance, the 2016-2018
Comprehensive Report and the 2018 Annual Report, summarizing the PVPLC’s
management activities in the Preserve. Electronic copies of both the Comprehensive
and the Annual Reports were transmitted to the City Council on October 14, 2020. The
reports have also been posted on the City website and distributed through the
Preserve listserv group for public review.
2016-2018 PVPLC Comprehensive Report
The PVPLC 2016-2018 Comprehensive Report includes the covered species
monitoring program, predator control plan, three-year habitat restoration plan,
management recommendations, and the 2018 Annual Report, as summarized below.
Covered Species Monitoring Program
PVPLC monitors six protected plant species and four protected animal species in the
Preserve. The plants include the California Native Plant Society rare and special status
species Aphanisma, South Coast saltbush, Catalina crossosoma, bright green Dudleya,
Catalina Island desert box thorn, and woolly seablite. Per the NCCP /HCP, PVPLC
monitors whether these populations are expanding, stable, or declining; identifies
threats; and provides management recommendations. Monitoring over this reporting
period shows that populations of South Coast saltbush, Aphanisma, Catalina
crossosoma, bright green Dudleya and woolly seablite have decreased. Population of
Catalina Island desert box thorn has remained stable. Threats identified are invasive
non-native species, cliff erosion, drought, and trampling. PVPLC recommends the
following adaptive management activities:
• For PVPLC to continue to use the improved monitoring system
• Continue seed collection for propagation
• Install covered plant species in restoration efforts and/or broadcast seed during
periods of favorable precipitation
• Remove threatening invasive species
• Continue to seek funding for this work
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Covered wildlife species include the El Segundo blue butterfly (ESB), Palos Verdes blue
butterfly, California gnatcatcher, and cactus wren. ESB populations have increased,
likely due to recent PVPLC ESB habitat restoration efforts. PVPLC habitat management
recommendations are to continue expanding and maintaining habitat for ESB and to
work with the City to ensure that ESB host plants are not accidentally removed during
regular maintenance of the trails or when conducting City projects in the Preserve.
Biological consultants hired to monitor the two bird s pecies reported that California
gnatcatcher populations have decreased by 50% and cactus wren populations have
decreased by 75%. Populations of cactus wren and California gnatcatcher are in decline
throughout their range for reasons that are not entirely clear, but are likely a
combination of prolonged drought, the wet winter of 2016-2017 resulting in an explosion
of weedy growth that altered the structure of the birds’ habitat, threat of invasive plants,
increase in predators, and lack of immigration of new birds into the isolated area. The
consultants recommended the following adaptive management approaches that PVPLC
and the City may consider:
• Immediate and permanent removal of large acacia and other non-native trees
and shrubs at Three Sisters, Filiorum, and Alta Vicente (the three last reserves
that support/supported cactus wrens)
• Installing cactus wren nest boxes
• Limiting human use of trails that run through prime cactus wren habitat at Alta
Vicente and Three Sisters to reduce stress on the remaining pairs
• Reducing supplemental irrigation of restoration zones near areas of recent
cactus wren use (since irrigation may support more weeds, rodents, and
predators)
• Removing tall non-native trees on the Preserve periphery known or likely to
support nesting Cooper’s hawks (e.g. pines and ficus)
• If necessary, translocating birds from other populations to supplement Peninsula
breeding population
Wildlife Monitoring and Predator Control Plan
PVPLC monitored predator species (i.e., brown headed cowbirds, feral cats, coyote,
and foxes) during the reporting period. This monitoring is important to ensure cowbirds
(brood parasites) and feral cats are not present in the Preserve which can directly
impact the breeding success of cactus wren and California gnatcatcher. Additionally,
PVPLC monitors the presence of top predators (coyote and fox) in the Preserve since
they are documented as crucial to ensuring healthy ecosystem function. A role top
predators play is controlling the population of meso -predators (i.e. skunks and
raccoons) and small rodents. Coyotes were located in Portuguese Bend, Three Sisters,
Filiorum, Alta Vicente, and Ocean Trails reserves, with the largest numbers detected in
Portuguese Bend and Three Sisters, and fewer in other three reserves listed. Coyote
populations appear to be remaining stable. PVPLC recommends continued monitoring
of predators in the Preserve.
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Three-Year Habitat Restoration Plan
Per the NCCP/HCP and the Management Agreement between the City and PVPLC,
PVPLC is required to plant five acres of habitat annually, and either remove five acres
of invasive plants or remove 20 small populations of invasive plants through its
Targeted Exotic Removal Program for Plants (TERPP). PVPLC has submitted a report
of its restoration activities from 2016-2018 and its restoration plans for the following
three years (2019-2021). The initiation of restoration activities is as follows:
• 2016: Phase 3 habitat restoration at Alta Vicente Reserve (5 acres)
• 2017: Phase 4 habitat restoration at Alta Vicente Reserve (7 acres)
• 2018: Enhancement of cactus wren habitat in Three Sisters, Filiorum and Alta
Vicente reserves in coordination with Wildlife Agencies (7.06 acres)
• 2019-2021: Abalone Cove restoration (13.1 acres)
Residents living near the Abalone Cove restoration area were notified in advance of the
work, and City and PVPLC staff sends public notifications/updates on progress through
the City’s listserv group and at quarterly Preserve Public Forums in accordance with
City and NCCP/HCP public notification policies.
2018 PVPLC Annual Report
A component of the Comprehensive Report (Section 7) is the required Annual Report of
the third year covered by the Comprehensive Report (starts on p. 248 of the
Comprehensive Report). The Annual Report describes the PVPLC’s management
activities relating to habitat enhancement and restoration, vegetation and wildlife
monitoring, trail management and monitoring activities, and volunteer involvement
during the 2018 calendar year. The 2018 PVPLC Annual Report includes the following
sub-reports:
• Habitat Restoration Monitoring
• Alta Vicente NCCP/HCP Restoration Plan
• TERPP
• Citizen Science and Education Programs
• Volunteer Programs
• Trails Projects/Maintenance
• PVNP Signage Designs
• Habitat Impacts
• Night Hike Activity
• Management Recommendations
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PVPLC 2018 Annual Report Management Recommendations
Additional management recommendations include focusing on the removal of acacia to
enhance native habitat to support the natural recovery of habitats that benefit the
California gnatcatcher and the cactus wren, and continuing to seek and secure funding
to control highly invasive species, close unauthorized trails and repair wide ning trails.
City Staff has reviewed the reports and finds that they are consistent with PVPLC’s
Preserve management responsibilities as required by the City Council approved
NCCP/HCP and the current management agreement between the City and the PVPLC.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Public Comments
To date, the City has received one public comment on the Comprehensive Report and
2018 Annual Report, and it is attached to this staff report (Attachment A). If public
comments are received after the transmittal of this staff report, they will be provided to
the City Council as late correspondence.
2019 Annual Report
The PVPLC indicated that the 2019 Annual Report should be submitted before the end
of the year.
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A-1
Katie Lozano
Subject: FW: Question. Re : 2016-2018 Preserve Comprehensive Report
From: Katie Lozano <Kat i eL@rpvca .gov>
Sent: Monday, October 26, 2020 4:51AM
To: SUNSHINE <su nshinerpv@aol.com>
Subject: Re: Question. Re: 2016-2018 Preserve Comprehensive Report
Hello Sunshine,
Yes, the report contains the habitat restoration plan at Abalone Cove. Due to City, PVPLC, and Wildlife Agency
focus on the NCCP/HCP, this report was submitted late, so normally the habitat restoration plan goes to the
City Council and public much earlier. The habitat restoration plan is Section 3 on pg. 156 of the pdf below.
http://www. rpvca .gov /Docu me ntCe nter /View /1622 7/Com p reh ensive-M gmt-Report-2016-2018
Thank you,
Katie Lozano
Senior Administrative Analyst
Recreation, Parks, and Open Space
City of Rancho Palos Verdes
310-544-5267
City Hall is open to the public during regular business hours. To help prevent the spread of COVID-19, visitors
are required to wear face coverings and adhere to physical distancing guidelines. Some employees are
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delayed. For a list of department phone numbers, visit the Staff Directory on the City website.
From: SUNSHINE <sunshiner pv @aol.com >
Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2020 3:43PM
To: l is t se rv@civ i cplus .com ; Katie Lozano
Subject: Question . Re: 2016-2018 Preserve Comprehensive Report
Hello Katie,
A-2
Does this Report contain PVPLC's proposed Work Plan for next year like some have in the past? Or,
is the Plan for 2021 going to get it's own Agenda Item public review? Or, has it already received
Council Approval? Either way, can you give me a short-cut to view just the Plan? ... S 310-377-
8761
In a message dated 10/14/2020 11:19:56 AM Pacific Standard Time, li stse rv @ci vi cplu s.com writes :
View this in your browser
On November 4, 2020, the Rancho Palos Verdes City Council will consider the following agenda
item:
Consideration and possible action to receive and file the Palos Verdes Peninsula
Land Conservancy's 2016-2018 Comprehensive Report and the 2018 Annual Report
on its management activities for the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.
Please click here to view the 2016-2018 Comprehensive Report. It is a large PDF .
Please click here for instructions on how to participate in the City Council Meeting.
Please contact Senior Administrative Analyst Katie Lozano for additional information at
trails@rpvca.gov or 310-544-5267.
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