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February 8, 2018

Antioch Habitat Conservation Plan/Natural Community

Conservation Plan

Science Advisor Workshop

Kathryn GaffneyProject Manager

Matt RickettsLead Biologist

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Antioch HCP/NCCP PRESENTATION OUTLINE

Background Approach Purpose and Mission HCP/NCCP Process Role of the Science Advisors Initial Planning Status Questions for Advisors

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Antioch HCP/NCCPBACKGROUND

2002-2006 – East Contra Costa County (ECCC) HCP/NCCP developed 2003-2004 – ECCC HCP/NCCP Science Advisor process 2007 – ECCC HCP/NCCP permitted and began implementation by ECCC Habitat

Conservancy (Conservancy) 2014 – City of Antioch was awarded federal grant for developing HCP/NCCP April 2017 – City commenced work on Antioch HCP/NCCP

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Antioch HCP/NCCPAPPROACH

Maintain consistency with ECCC HCP/NCCPBuild on and expand the ECCC HCP/NCCP conservation strategyDevelop the Antioch HCP/NCCP in close coordination with Conservancy, with the

understanding that the Conservancy will implement Antioch HCP/NCCP consistent with ECCC HCP/NCCP

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Antioch HCP/NCCPPURPOSE

The purpose of the Antioch HCP/NCCP is to protect and enhance ecological diversity and function within Antioch’s portion of the urbanizing region of eastern Contra Costa County.

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Antioch HCP/NCCPMISSION

Balancing open space, habitat, agriculture, and urban development;Reducing the cost and increasing the clarity and consistency of federal and state

permitting;Consolidating and streamlining these processes into one, locally controlled plan; Encouraging, where appropriate, the multiple use of protected areas, including recreation

and agriculture; Sharing the costs and benefits of the HCP/NCCP as widely and equitably as possible; Protecting the rights of private-property owners; andAligning as closely as possible with the ECCC HCP/NCCP to facilitate implementation

and complementary conservation actions.

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Define Inventory Area

Identify Covered

Activities and Locations

Describe Land Cover

Identify Covered Species

Refine Species Models

Conduct Impact Analysis

Evaluate Conservation

Gaps

Develop Biological Goals and Objectives

Identify Conservation

Measures

Craft Conservation

Strategy (iterative process)

Develop Monitoring and

Adaptive Management Framework

Establish Implementation

Process

Develop Administrative Draft, Public Draft, and

Final HCP/NCCP

Develop Administrative Draft, Public Draft, and

Final EIR/EIS

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Antioch HCP/NCCPROLE OF THE SCIENCE ADVISORS

NCCP planning agreements “…shall establish a process for the inclusion of independent scientific input to assist the department [of fish wildlife] and plan participants…” Independent scientists charged to (CFGC Section 2810[b][5]), at a minimum: Recommend scientifically sound conservation strategies for species and natural communities Recommend reserve design principles Recommend management principles and conservation goals for developing a monitoring and

adaptive management framework Identify data gaps and uncertainties

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Antioch HCP/NCCPINITIAL PLANNING STATUS

Inventory Area Land CoverCovered ActivitiesCovered SpeciesConservation Strategy

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Antioch HCP/NCCPCOVERED ACTIVITIES AND DRAFT IMPACTS

2,000–3,000 acres inside Antioch city limits Urban development focused in:Eastern Waterfront Employment Focus AreaState Route 4 Industrial Frontage Focus AreaEast Lone Tree Focus AreaSand Creek Focus Areas

City operations and maintenance activities Bridge, culvert, outfall construction and

maintenance In-stream sediment management Conservation strategy implementation

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Antioch HCP/NCCPLAND COVER MAP: METHODS

What’s a “land cover type”?Update of ECCC HCP/NCCP land cover dataset inside City limits Aerial imagery - Google Earth and National Agriculture Imagery Project (May 2016)Wetlands - National Wetlands Inventory Version 2.0 (May 2016) Soils - Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Web Soil Survey (2017) Urban Development - CA Dept. of Conservation Farmland Mapping and Monitoring Program

(2012)Reconnaissance-level field verification on 8/14/17Classification consistent with ECCC HCP/NCCP Holland 1986 CDFW List of Vegetation Alliances and Associations CDFW California Wildlife Habitat Relationships System (CWHR)

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Antioch HCP/NCCPLAND COVER AND NATURAL COMMUNITIES

NCCP Act requires identification of “natural communities”Grassland (66,833 acres) Cultivated Agriculture (30,849 acres)Oak Woodland (29,856 acres) Chaparral/Scrub (3,020 acres)Wetlands (1,168 acres) Riparian Woodland/Scrub (536 acres)

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Antioch HCP/NCCPCOVERED SPECIES: METHODS

Evaluated 28 species covered under ECCC HCP/NCCPReviewed Table 3-7 in ECCC HCP/NCCP (all 174 species evaluated for coverage)Queried CNDDB for new species occurrences in Inventory AreaUpdated taxonomy and legal status/agency designation ECCC HCP/NCCP species not proposed for coverage by Antioch HCP/NCCP:Giant garter snake Longhorn fairy shrimpMount Diablo manzanita Showy madia Adobe navarretia

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Antioch HCP/NCCPCOVERED SPECIES: WILDLIFE

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C. Lyall

Vernal pool fairy shrimp Midvalley fairy shrimp Vernal pool tadpole shrimp California tiger salamander California red-legged frog Foothill yellow-legged frog Western pond turtle Alameda whipsnake Northern California legless lizard Burrowing owl Golden eagle Swainson’s hawk Tricolored blackbird Townsend’s big-eared bat San Joaquin kit fox

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Antioch HCP/NCCPCOVERED SPECIES: PLANTS

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Brittlescale Big tarplant Round-leaved filaree Mount Diablo fairy lantern Recurved larkspur San Joaquin spearscale Diablo helianthella Brewer’s dwarf flax

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Antioch HCP/NCCPCONSERVATION STRATEGY: APPROACH

Conservation measures (CM) will build on those in the ECCC HCP/NCCPCMs identified at three scales:

1. Landscape2. Natural community3. SpeciesCM types (applicable scale)

• Land Preservation (1)• Habitat Enhancement (1, 2)• Habitat Restoration (2)• Habitat Creation (2)• Population Enhancement (3)• Avoidance and Minimization (1, 2, 3)

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Antioch HCP/NCCPNATURAL COMMUNITY-LEVEL CONSERVATION MEASURES

2.1. Enhance, Restore, and Create Land Cover Types and Habitat2.2. Manage Wetlands and Ponds2.3. Restore Wetlands and Create Ponds2.4. Manage Grassland2.5. Manage Natural Burrow Availability and Prey Base in Grasslands2.6. Manage Oak Woodland and Oak Savanna2.7. Compensate for Loss of Oak Savanna2.8. Manage Chaparral and Scrub2.9. Manage Streams and Riparian Woodland/Scrub2.10. Restore Streams and Riparian Woodland/Scrub to Compensate for Habitat Loss and to Increase Biodiversity

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Antioch HCP/NCCPQUESTIONS FOR ADVISORS

1. Are you aware of any taxonomic revisions that would affect our covered species list?

2. Are you aware of data gaps related to species’ life-cycle needs or landscape management that should be considered?

3. What gaps in existing information create the greatest uncertainties for reserve planning, management, and monitoring?

4. What modifications would you suggest to the original reserve design principles in the ECCC HCP/NCCP (if any)?

5. Are you aware of new threats to any of the proposed covered species?

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Antioch HCP/NCCPQUESTIONS FOR ADVISORS

6. What are some recommended tools and models for evaluating potential effects of climate change on covered species?

7. How vulnerable are the proposed covered species to non-native invasive species?

8. Which attributes or indicators are appropriate for monitoring population viability of covered species and ecological integrity of natural communities?

9. Is the monitoring and adaptive management framework in the ECCC HCP/NCCP sufficient for the Antioch HCP/NCCP?

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Questions?

Photo: Chris Lyall