1 Proposal to Restore Habitat and Reduce Flashy Fuels
at Buck Gully Reserve, City of Newport Beach
January 27, 2025
Cactus Planting Site (foreground) and CSS Restoration Site (background) Prepared by:
Robert Freese, PhD, Program Manager, Habitat Restoration & Enhancement Irvine Ranch Conservancy
[email protected]
Prepared for:
Sean Levin, Recreation Superintendent
City of Newport Beach
[email protected]
ATTACHMENT A
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2 Introduction
Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC) understands that the City of Newport Beach (City) wishes to reduce flashy fuels in Buck Gully Reserve (Reserve). Most of these fuels are annual non-native grasses and mustards that grow rapidly in winter, deplete soil moisture, set seed, and desiccate by late spring. This dead vegetation lengthens the fire season and can endanger nearby communities. The native vegetation of shrubs, bunchgrasses, wildflowers, and cacti grow more slowly and retain moisture for longer periods thereby delaying the fire season.
Native vegetation also provides considerable habitat value for wildlife. Management for the Reserve must maintain or enhance the natural resources of the site, which are conserved under the Natural Community Conservation Plan/ Habitat Conservation Plan (NCCP/HCP) for the Central and Coastal Subregions of Orange County.
California Gnatcatcher (Polyoptila californica) is a state and federally listed threatened species that nests and forages almost exclusively in open stands of coastal sage scrub (CSS) vegetation. Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) is a California state species of special concern that nests in cactus scrub.
IRC has successfully managed restoration projects at the Reserve for several years. Figure 1 shows the locations of several such projects. IRC proposes an eight-year project to restore habitat and reduce flashy fuel loads in the Reserve. This new restoration project would include two components shown in Figure 2:
• 4.8 acres of mixed CSS - grassland restoration near Canyon Terrace Drive. • 2.0 acres of cactus scrub comprised of seven parcels within or adjacent to the Hazard Reduction Zone (HRZ) of the Reserve.
Goals
Project goals include:
• Reduce long-term maintenance needs in the HRZ by replacing flammable, non-native, annual vegetation with non-flammable cactus.
• Create 2.0 acres of habitat for the Coastal Cactus Wren. • Replace flammable, annual vegetation with less flammable CSS – grassland vegetation. • Create 4.8 acres of habitat for the California Gnatcatcher. • Eliminate artichoke thistle (Cynara cardunculus), a highly invasive and unsightly weed, from the 4.8 acres and nearby buffer areas.
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3 Figure 1. IRC Habitat Restoration Projects at Buck Gully 8-6
4 Figure 2. Proposed Habitat Restoration Projects at Buck Gully 8-7
5 Figure 3. Newly Planted Cactus Pads at Castlecove Site in the Reserve
Figure 4. Planted Cactus Pads at Silverado Canyon after 17 Months of Growth 8-8
6 Conceptual Implementation Plan
Cactus Scrub: Planting will be a three-year process with only minor maintenance and monitoring needed during the remaining five years of the project. Examples of cactus scrub planting projects are shown in Figures 3 and 4. Implementation will involve the following steps:
• After nesting season, use weed whips to mow dead standing vegetation within the seven proposed parcels. Ongoing HRZ clearance makes this a relatively minor task. Rake any cut material from the sites.
• Harvest 3250 cactus (Opuntia littoralis) pads from existing stands of cactus following protocols to protect integrity of existing cactus scrub vegetation. • Select cactus planting beds and incorporate a four-inch layer of organic compost into the soil.
• Pads shall be planted in four-foot diameter beds spaced seven feet on center allowing for maintenance paths between beds.
• Install six cactus pads per bed and use water truck with hoses to irrigate each bed at least three times per year during the first two years.
• Apply pre-emergent herbicide to all areas to provide at least two years of weed control, allowing cactus to grow without competition.
• Conduct quarterly inspections to evaluate the condition of planting beds and identify any remedial steps.
• Conduct maintenance measures including weed and erosion control, as needed. • During the second year, replace cacti that failed to establish to ensure the desired density.
• After three years, apply a second dose of pre-emergent herbicide to provide additional years of control of annual vegetation.
• Continue to control weeds and monitor cactus growth and cover for the remaining five years.
• Conduct performance monitoring.
CSS – Grassland: Restoration involves three years of site preparation followed by eight years of maintenance. Implementation will involve the following steps:
• After nesting season, mow and remove any dead standing vegetation within the 4.8- acre parcel using weed whips. Care will be taken to avoid existing patches of native vegetation. Access to the site will be via Canyon Terrace Drive. • For three years, conduct broadcast spray applications of herbicides to kill germinating weeds. It will be necessary to park a trailer on Canyon Terrace Drive to access the site. 8-9
7 These grow-and-kill weed treatments are necessary to deplete the soil of accumulated weed seeds in preparation for seeding.
• Prepare a diverse seed mix using seed derived from appropriate local sources (Table 1).
Due to the heavy clay soils at this site, we recommend including several grassland species in the mix in addition to shrub species.
• Hand broadcast and rake the seed material into the soil in late fall/ early winter prior to the first significant rainfall.
• Re-seed the following year to supplement areas where seedling establishment was inadequate.
• Conduct weed control for five years to ensure establishment of desired vegetation using a combination of manual techniques, spot mowing, and backpack spraying. • Conduct quarterly inspections each year to evaluate the condition of the site and identify remedial steps.
• Survey nesting bird activity each spring prior to intensive field work to avoid impacts. As the planted vegetation matures, field staff trained in bird surveys will inspect the site prior to any field operations.
• Conduct performance monitoring.
Timeline: Appendix A provides a comprehensive list of tasks and a project timeline.
Table 1. Plant Palette for CSS - Grassland Polygon
Common Name Scientific Name Seed Rate (PLS #/ acre)
Deerweed Acmispon glaber 2
Sagebrush Artemisia californica 1
Black sage Salvia mellifera 1
Bush sunflower Encelia californica 3
Goldenbush Isocoma menziesii 0.5
Purple needlegrass Stipa pulchra 3
California brome Bromus carinatus 2
Melic grass Melica imperfecta 1
Fiddleneck Amsinkia intermedia 0.2
Coastal checkerbloom Sidalcea malviflora 0.2
School bells Dicholostemma capitatum bulbs
Farewell-to-spring Clarkia purpurea 0.2
Plantain Plantago erecta 1
Gumplant Grindelia camporum 0.5
Arroyo lupine Lupinus succulentus 0.3
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8 Performance Standards, Monitoring, and Reporting
Performance Standards: The performance standards shown in Table 2 will guide project activities, inform adaptive management strategies, and allow managers to assess progress.
Table 2. Performance Standards
Habitat Absolute Cover of Vegetation
Native Non-native
Cactus Scrub > 65 percent, cactus only < 15 percent
CSS - Grassland > 65 percent < 35 percent (including < 15 percent mustards)
Monitoring: Protocols will include:
• Photo documentation will be conducted each year from representative locations (three stations in CSS – grassland and three stations in cactus scrub). • Qualitative (rapid assessment) evaluations of vegetation cover will be done in the cactus scrub on alternate years following protocols from California Native Plant Society. • Quantitative monitoring (transect based) evaluations of vegetation cover will be done in the CSS – grassland on alternate years.
Reporting: Annual project updates will be sent to the City at the end of each fiscal year and will include a summary of activities, progress, and upcoming plans.
Budget
Appendix B shows the proposed budget for the project, which totals $425,055 over eight years.
Billable rates for labor classes are shown in Appendix C.
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9 Appendices
Appendix A. Project Timelines by Tasks and Fiscal Year (July – June) Restoration Tasks (by type)
Fiscal Year of Project
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Site mowing (All) x
Cactus pad collection/ installation (Cactus Scrub) x x Irrigation (Cactus Scrub) x x
Preemergent herbicide applications (Cactus
Scrub)
x x
Site preparation (CSS – Grassland) x x x
Seed Production (CSS – Grassland) x x x
Seeding (CSS – Grassland) x x
Weed Control (All) x x x x x x x x
Pre-disturbance surveys (All) x x x x x x x x
Performance monitoring (All) x x x
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10 Appendix B. Project Costs by Category and Fiscal Year (July – June) Budget Categories Fiscal Year of Project
Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Year 6 Year 7 Year 8 Total Management, Coordination,
Inspections
10,068 10,068
10,068
10,068
10,068
10,068
10,068
10,068 80,544
Plant Material Development 30,604 25,455 25,184 5,184 86,427 Site Preparation
16,088
1,692
2,256 20,036
Installation and Seeding
10,840
542
13,800
4,140 29,322
Maintenance
5,664
5,664
43,360
21,680
21,680
21,680
10,840
10,840 141,408
Monitoring
296
296
296
2,146
296
2,146
296
2,146 7,918
Supplies and Miscellaneous
6,867
1,923
2,594
1,875
1,875
1,875
1,875
1,875 20,759
Sub-total (project costs) 80,427 45,640 97,558 45,093 33,919 35,769 23,079 24,929 386,414 Contingency (10 percent project costs) 8,043 4,564 9,756 4,509 3,392 3,577 2,308 2,493 38,641 Total 88,469 50,204 107,314 49,602 37,311 39,346 25,387 27,422 425,055
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11 Appendix C. Billable Rates
FY25 Billable Rates Hourly Rate
Program Manager $98.00
Project Manager $78.00
Program Coordinator $74.00
Program Specialist $67.00
Program Technician $67.00
Program Assistant $59.00
Field Crew Member $51.00
IRC Contractor Hourly Rate
General Labor $45.00
Specialty contractor (bird surveys) $112.50
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