Potential Environmental and Ecological Impacts of Fuels Treatments Lorna Dobrovolny California Department of Fish and Wildlife

“It really is like an angry, out of control monster.” -BBC News “A huge wall of flames chewed through thick timber and brush… “ -The Associated Press

1. Equipment and personnel mobilization 2. Mechanized, chemical and/or hand treatment of understory vegetation 3. Grazing and browsing 4. Tree removal 5. Slash collection 6. Slash disposal

Outline  Wildlife, present or absent?  Altered habitat / displacement of wildlife  Best Management Practices (BMP) for reducing impacts  Regulations  Questions

Wildlife, what wildlife?

Covered Plant and Animal Species (Class I)  Vernal Pool Associates - Bogg's Lake Hedge-hyssop (Gratiola heterosepala), Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), Vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi)  Insect - Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus) Birds of Prey - Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni), Bald Eagle (wintering) (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), American peregrine falcon (wintering) (Falco peregrinus anatum), California burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) Other Birds - California black rail (Laterallus jamaicensis), Bank swallow (nesting) (Riparia riparia) Fish - Central Valley steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss), Central Valley Fall/Late Fall-run Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) Amphibian - Foothill yellow-legged frog (Rana boylii)

What Happens to Wildlife when Habitats are Disrupted? They…  Move Adapt or ….

DIE Forces of Nature and habitat disruption can be fatal to wildlife.

Best Management Practices For Wildlife and Plants in Thinning Projects

1.Plan your Project Outside the Breeding/Blooming Season  Survey/Assess/Plan in the spring and summer months Learn the wildlife and plants  Work in the fall and during the drier parts of the winter.

2.Know the Wildlife and Plants on the Project Area

3.Design Your Landscape to Include a Variety of Trees and Shrubs While Maintaining a Fire-safe Condition

4. Leave Areas for Wildlife to Escape from Predators and Travel from One Place to Another

5. Retain Large Snags and Live Trees

6.Use Herbicides According to the Label Transline Environmental Hazards Do not contaminate water when disposing of equipment washwaters. Do not contaminate water used for irrigation or domestic purposes. Do not apply directly to water, or to areas where surface water is present or to intertrdal areas below the mean high water mark. Clopyralid IS a chemical which can travel (seep or leach) through soil and under certain conditions contaminate groundwater which may be used for irrngatron or drinking purposes. Users are advised not to apply clopyralid where soils have a rapid to very rapid permeability throughout the profile (such as loamy sand to sand) and the water table of an underlying aquifer is shallow, or to soils containing sinkholes over limestone bedrock, severely fractured surfaces, and substrates which would allow direct introduction Into an aquifer Your local agricultural agencies can provide further Information on the type of soil in your area and the location of groundwater.

7. Check Old Wood Piles for Wildlife

8. Learn Your Rare Plants and Protect Them Lens-pod milk-vetch (Astragalus lentiformis) Closed-lip penstemon (Penstemon personatus) Follet’s monardella (Monardella follettii) Cantelow’s lewisia (Lewisii cantelowii) 2001 Dean Wm Taylor

9.Be Careful Clearing Along Streamsides and Building Roads

10. Do not Plant or Spread Invasive Non-Native Plants

Fish and Wildlife Laws and Regulations  Fish and Game Code  CA and Fed Endangered Species Act  Natural Resources Code  California Code of Regulations (CCR)  Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)  Public Resources Code (CEQA) Is wildlife regulation effective?

NOW: Era of Regulation  Fish and Game Code  CA and Fed Endangered Species Act  Natural Resources Code  California Code of Regulations (CCR)  Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA)  Public Resources Code (CEQA) Is wildlife regulation effective? That’s the part that’s up to you….

Questions? Thank you!! Lorna Dobrovolny Senior Environmental Scientist CA Department of Fish and Wildlife Office: