RES 2026023 - Laserfiche WebLink

Sequoia Ecological Consulting, Inc. CalVTP Project-Specific Analysis and Addendum Augustin Bernal Community Park Fuel Reduction November 2025 4-34 In addition to pre- and during-treatment surveys and monitoring, the following avoidance and minimization strategies will be employed: • Prior to vegetation clearing activities within suitable Alameda whipsnake habitat, coverboards would be installed in key areas as determined by an RFP or qualified biologist o The coverboards would be strategically placed to provide refuge for the Alameda whipsnake leaving the work area o Coverboards would be inspected at the end of each workday, and wildlife using them would be recorded • Prior to operating stationary vehicles and equipment, all contractors, their employees, and agency personnel would check under and near vehicles/equipment for the presence of Alameda whipsnake and any wildlife that may have moved there o If Alameda whipsnake or any wildlife are discovered, the qualified biologist would be contacted immediately; the qualified biologist shall have the authority to halt Project activities until the animal leaves the area of its own accord, and shall contact USFWS, as necessary, to determine necessary steps o Manual removal of the species is not anticipated during vegetation treatment activities, but permitted biologists with applicable CDFW SCPs and/or USFWS 10(a)(1)(A) permits would be on-call during project activities • Within suitable Alameda whipsnake habitat, mechanical treatment and prescribed burning would be avoided when temperatures are determined by the qualified biologist to be too low for Alameda whipsnake movement (soil surface temperatures reach 66 °F [19 °C; Hammerson 1979]) o Manual treatments may occur in cooler conditions after the qualified biologist has thoroughly surveyed the area • In habitat suitable for Alameda whipsnake winter retreats, as determined by a qualified biologist, prescribed broadcast burning can occur between November 1 and March 31 and typically when soil surface temperatures reach 66 °F (19 °C; Hammerson 1979), or as determined by a qualified biologist • Contractors would immediately (i.e., the same day) process (i.e., remove completely from the treatment area, chip, permanently place within the treatment area for soil stabilization) all cut materials as they are produced to avoid attracting Alameda whipsnake to the vegetation piles; if processing within the same day is not feasible, the RPF or qualified biologist would advise crews on a suitable location for temporary storage of cut materials that cannot be processed immediately, or the materials would be deconstructed and investigated prior to processing under the advisory of the qualified RPF or biologist, and chipped materials would not be spread on suitable refugia for Alameda whipsnake, such as rodent burrows or rocky outcrops o The following measures apply when work occurs in suitable Alameda whipsnake habitat:  During any season, vegetation piles for burning would either be burned the same day, or the pile would be deconstructed and investigated prior to burning  Placement of piles for burning would avoid suitable refugia for Alameda whipsnake, including large rodent burrows and rocky outcrops  Fires would be lit from one end of the pile (typically the uphill side on slopes) to allow Alameda whipsnake to escape, rather than lighting the whole pile at once CalVTP MM BIO-2a requires habitat function to be maintained for Alameda whipsnake. Suitable Alameda whipsnake habitat is described in the USFWS Critical Habitat Designation (USFWS 2006) as comprising