Big Basin - Forest Management Strategy 2024

Forest Management Strategy

Big Basin, Año Nuevo, and Butano State Parks

AUGUST 2024

Prepared for:

California State Parks Santa Cruz District

Forest Management Strategy

Big Basin, Año Nuevo, and Butano State Parks

Prepared for:

California State Parks

Santa Cruz District

Contact:

Tim Hyland – Natural Resource Program Manager – tim.hyland@parks.ca.gov

Portia Halbert – Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) – portia.halbert@parks.ca.gov

Hudson Northrop – Environmental Scientist – hudson.northrop@parks.ca.gov

In Collaboration With:

Save The Redwoods League

Contact:

Ben Blom – Director of Stewardship and Restoration – bblom@savetheredwoods.org

Prepared by:

Auten Resource Consulting

Contact:

Shelby Kranich – Registered Professional Forester #3249 – shelbykranich@arcforestry.com

Steve R. Auten – Registered Professional Forester #2734 – steveauten@arcforestry.com

List of Abbreviations & Acronyms

ANSP Año Nuevo State Park

APN Assessor Parcel Number

ARC Auten Resource Consulting

ARU Autonomous Recording Unit

AV Audio Visual

BA Basal Area

BBRSP Big Basin Redwoods State Park

BSP Butano State Park

CAG Climate Adaptation Goals

CALFIRE California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection

CalVTP California Vegetation Treatment Program

CAS Climate Adaptation Strategies

CCC Central California Coast

CCI California Climate Investments

CCR California Codes and Regulations

CDFW California Department of Fish and Wildlife

CDP Coastal Development Permit

CEQA California Environmental Quality Act

CESA California Endangered Species Act

CGT Cutting the Green Tape

CHDF Conifer Hardwood Douglas-Fir (Forest Type)

CHRW Conifer Hardwood Redwood (Forest Type)

CNDDB California Natural Diversity Database

CNPS California Native Plant Society

CZU San Mateo Santa Cruz Unit (CAL FIRE)

CZU Fire

August 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire

DBH Diameter at Breast Height

DF Douglas-Fir (Forest Type)

DPR Department of Parks and Recreation

EIR Environmental Impact Report

ESA Federal Endangered Species Act

ESHA Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas

EW East Waddell (Subwatershed)

FDR Forest Density Reduction

FHFR Forest Health Fuels Reduction

FHG Forest Health Grant

FHR Fuel Hazard Reduction

FMS Forest Management Strategy

FPR Forest Practice Rules

FRAP Fire and Resource Assessment Program

FRI Fire Return Interval

FTP Forest Trend Plot

FVS Forest Vegetation Simulator

GIS Geographic Information Systems

GO Green Oaks (Subwatershed)

HAZ Hazard Tree Treatments

HW Hardwood (Forest Type)

ICP Incident Command Post

KNP King's Canyon National Park

LCP Local Coastal Program

LTO Licensed Timber Operator

LTR Large Tree Restoration

LVCF Local Volume Correction Factor

MM Mitigation Measures

MND Mitigated Negative Declaration

MT Metric Tonnes

MTHP Modified Timber Harvest Plan

NOID Notice of Impending Development

OGG Old Growth Redwood Forest Goals

OGRW Old Growth Redwood (Forest Type)

PEIR Programmatic Environmental Impact Report

PF Prescribed Fire

PHI Pre-Harvest Inspection

PRC Public Resource Code

PSA Project Specific Analysis

PWG Park-wide Vegetation and Forest Management Goals

RPF Registered Professional Forester

RPL Restoration Priority Level

RS Roadside Treatment

RW Redwood (Forest Type)

SERP Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects

SLTC Stable Live Tree Carbon

SOD Sudden Oak Death

SPR Standard Project Requirement

SQF Sequoia Kings Fire

STM Sample, Treat, and Monitor

STRL Save the Redwoods League

THP Timber Harvest Plan

TPA Trees Per Acre

VMP Vegetation Management Program

VTS Vegetation Treatment Standards

Executive Summary

Historically, many areas within the Santa Cruz Mountains have been affected by prolonged and extensive drought, intensive land use and development including legacy clearcut harvesting of old growth redwood, wildfire suppression, forest pathogens, and climate change. Forest ecosystems of the Santa Cruz Mountains once managed by the indigenous inhabitants mainly through fire are now experiencing modern anthropogenic and climatic influences directing a new pattern of ecological succession1 . Forest structure and ecological conditions now differ greatly from the vast expanses of historic old growth forest ecosystems known to these mountains. These forest systems will continue their trajectory away from past conditions, if landscape level, ecologically restorative treatments are not undertaken. These treatments will be designed to reduce forest density and fuel connectivity promoting the growth of larger trees while increasing the use of prescribed fire that maintained these lands for thousands of years prior to European expansion.

The 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire (CZU Fire) burned approximately 86,509 acres including 24,230 acres total in Big Basin Redwoods State Park (BBRSP), Año Nuevo State Park (ANSP), and Butano State Park (BSP). The CZU Fire was a unique disturbance event in the Santa Cruz Mountains, leaving behind variable post-fire conditions and setting the stage for conversations around changing disturbance regimes and dynamic ecosystem resilience. California State Parks is committed to active resource management following this event.

The CZU Fire presented the opportunity to develop a Forest Management Strategy (FMS) based on ecologically restorative treatments intended to operate in perpetuity as a living document capable of being amended by the Santa Cruz District of California State Parks over time or as environmental or regulatory conditions change. The FMS is driven by California State Parks’ responsibility to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state's extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation.

In 2021, Auten Resource Consulting (ARC), partnered with the Santa Cruz District of California State Parks (State Parks) and Save the Redwoods League (STRL), conducted a once in a lifetime post-fire field investigation, including Forest Trend Plot (FTP) monitoring

1 Ecological Succession - The process by which the structure of a biological community evolves over time. “Primary and secondary succession both create a continually changing mix of species within communities as disturbances of different intensities, sizes, and frequencies alter the landscape . At every stage certain species have evolved life histories to exploit the particular conditions of the community... Initially only a small number of species from surrounding habitats are capable of thriving in a disturbed habitat. As new plant species take hold, they modify the habitat by altering such things as the amount of shade on the ground or the mineral composition of the soil. These changes allow other species that are better suited to this modified habitat to succeed the old species. . A similar succession of animal species occurs, and interactions between plants, animals, and environment influence the pattern and rate of successional change” (Thompson, 2024).

and Restoration Priority Level (RPL) analyses, to examine forest health and evaluate postfire resilience in BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP. These expansive efforts served to aid in the development of an initial set of prioritized forest management treatments that consider and support the State Park goals further outlined in the Management Concepts, Principles, & Goals section of the FMS. It should be recognized that the prioritized treatments are only the first step in a long-term FMS to conduct ecologically restorative treatments across the three parks. The FMS identifies ~2,019 acres of prioritized treatments across BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP and the integration of ~12,173 acres of prescribed fire treatments.

Key Conclusions:

➢ Primarily due to anthropogenic and climatic influences over the last 100 years, forest densities, including surface fuels, were highly concentrated at the time of the CZU Fire where fire behavior resulted in significant damage and tree stem mortality in forest ecosystems. Stated by CAL FIRE Unit Chief Ian Larkin on the morning of Thursday, August 22nd, 2020 (4 days after the CZU Fire started with multiple lightning strikes across the region), “Last night the CZU Fire burned approximately 44,000 acres in 9-12 hours.” This was a high severity fire event on a scale not seen in the Santa Cruz Mountains in several hundred years or more.

➢ Although the impact to the forest ecosystem was significant, disturbance is part of the natural phenomenon of forests. The CZU Fire added significant complexity to the forest. The staggering regeneration is now expressing itself in an exponential manner, i.e., snag development, additional structure to old growth trees, downed woody debris, large wood contribution to the stream systems, nutrient additions to the soil and watersheds, exuberant understory development of nitrogen fixing plants, increased amounts of sensitive plant communities, hardwood and conifer basal and stem regeneration, and cleansing of forested areas where some tree disease was prevalent.

➢ To increase stand resilience to wildfire and climatic shifts, the initial guidance document, Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Following the CZU Lightning Complex, and the FMS Field Investigation Results supports:

o Strategically placing prioritized treatments of understory vegetation and small diameter trees to decrease the connectivity of ladder fuels into overstory canopies in areas where climatic shifts are expected to be accelerated. These treatments will also reduce competition for available sunlight, water, and nutrients, promoting the health and vigor of the residual stand, while supporting diversity and landscape connectivity, among other goals identified in the FMS. These treatments should be completed through a

variety of treatment activities, such as mechanical, manual, prescribed fire, and strategic and limited use of herbicide on invasive species where necessary.

o Reducing forest densities in mid-range and select large diameter trees over time promotes the re-allocation of available resources to the residual larger trees, facilitating greater spacing and wildfire resilience. By promoting a more stable and resilient future for forest stands in the face of climate change, the larger residual trees that form those stands allow for landscapelevel linkages between existing old growth stands, effectively expanding habitat for marbled murrelet, and other old growth dependent species.

Structure of Document

The Forest Management Strategy (FMS) is designed to have a prioritized structure in which the information essential to implementing and planning forest management projects is located at the front of the document. The resulting structure compartmentalizes information within the FMS into three sections:

Section I introduces the function of the FMS, outlines forest management goals and objectives, identifies connected and collaborative efforts, and describes the inception and development of the FMS. Ultimately, the purpose of this section is to provide the information necessary to lay the foundation for the contents of Section II.

Section II of the Forest Management Strategy introduces site-specific forest management prescriptions and actions, identifies a set of prioritized and general forest treatments, outlines permitting framework and pathways, and delves deeper into the data analysis originally introduced in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report. The purpose of this section is to provide the information necessary to justify and implement the proposed forest management projects.

Section III is comprised of site-specific information to support the development of environmental documents or permits. The purpose of this section is to increase efficiency of document development by providing the background information that is necessary to successfully complete the permits and environmental documentation outlined in Section II of the FMS.

Section I

Section I of the Forest Management Strategy outlines forest management policies and goals, identifies connected and collaborative efforts, and describes the development of the Forest Management Strategy.

Introduction

The August 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire burned over 86,000 acres of forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains, including most of Big Basin Redwoods State Park (BBRSP), Butano State Park (BSP), and Año Nuevo State Park (ANSP). In many areas, the fire was more severe than fires in recent history due to excessive fuel accumulations from decades of fire suppression, legacy effects of clearcut logging practices on forest ecosystems, climate related effects such as drought and extreme fire weather, and a departure from native peoples’ historic management of the land. While many individual redwood trees survived the fire, the landscape and forest characteristics have been severely altered by these effects which has created an ecological reset for the forests in the burn area.

State Parks and its partners consider this an opportunity to return the forest to more closely resemble a pre-European condition that is more resilient to wildfire, other natural disturbances, and climate change. State Parks, with partners, is developing this landscapescale Forest Management Strategy for these three park units to guide a long term forest restoration effort that manages natural resources in a manner that maintains all naturally evolving components and processes comprising the composite whole, defined in the Management Concepts & Principles section. The Forest Management Strategy identifies forest management actions that aim to restore natural processes and increase forest ecosystem resilience to future disturbance events; the intent of implementing management strategies is to re-establish inherent resilience of the ecosystem processes and natural disturbance regimes, relative to modern anthropogenic and climatic influences, through reintroducing natural processes, or a parallel treatment.

Modern anthropogenic influences, disturbance events, and shifting climatic trends appear to be accelerating vegetation type transitions and the loss of valuable forest habitat for sensitive species Thus, a long-term, amendable Forest Management Strategy developed to outline forest management actions that address restoring natural ecosystem processes and features and to house applicable information to support permitting is essential to stewarding this landscape now and in the future.

Forest Management Strategy Purpose

The Forest Management Strategy (FMS) functions as a guide to implement forest management actions that restore a more resilient forest ecosystem in the face of modern anthropogenic and climatic influences and aids in the development of environmental

documents and permits. As an evaluation of ecosystem conditions and strategic planning document for Big Basin Redwoods State Park (BBRSP), Butano State Park (BSP), and Año Nuevo State Park (ANSP), the FMS provides detailed regulatory requirements for different permitting strategies to aid in project planning, environmental documentation and analysis, and implementation (Map 1).

The FMS is driven by State Parks’ mission and management goals that center on the protection, restoration, and management of natural ecosystems; therefore, the FMS identifies a multitude of restorative management actions to forward State Parks’ visions A subset of these actions identifies approximately 2,019 acres of prioritized treatments that serve as a foundation of restoration efforts that are intended to be built upon over time.

The FMS is also designed to perpetuate amenability to maintain alignment with environmental and regulatory changes and identify additional appropriate restorative management efforts that may result from adaptive management or ongoing monitoring; revisions or amendments are intended to be conducted by California State Parks, Santa Cruz District management and staff.

Map 1 - Forest Management Strategy Property Overview Map (Map Not To Scale)

Management Concepts, Principles & Goals

The CZU Fire’s landscape-level impact on forested ecosystems within State Park lands has demonstrated the need to increase active forest management within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. Thus, forest management goals were developed with climate adaptations and parkwide vegetation and forest management in mind, which underpin the development of ecologically restorative treatments supporting the array of sensitive species and resources throughout the three parks with a focus on old growth stands in alignment with California State Parks policies.

California State Parks’ approach to natural resource management is informed by the state constitution, state policy such as the Public Resource Code and California Code of Regulations, and internal policy guidance on goals, objectives, and criteria for specific resource categories. The overall natural resource responsibility is to acquire, protect, restore, maintain and sustain outstanding and representative examples of California’s natural and scenic values for the benefit of present and future generations. In the context of a rapidly changing climate, this responsibility and approach are elevated given the critical importance of ecological adaptation to the persistence of ecosystems and natural communities.

This section provides context about State Park’s key principles and concepts, and outlines forest management goals.

Management Concepts & Principles

State Parks supports the goals of protecting and managing a comprehensive set of natural resources, processes, and systems. Importantly, this includes processes and phenomena that occur in the landscape. In certain contexts, such as environmental risk assessments on built landscapes, these resources may be classified as natural hazards. From a natural resource management standpoint, however, these processes and phenomena are part of the natural condition of the landscape and are critical in maintaining and sustaining vegetation structure and community dynamics, wildlife habitats, and wildlife population health and sustainability. Thus, a management objective is to protect, sustain and manage these resources, and to employ analogue approaches where necessary, such as using prescribed fire, mechanized and handwork treatments, and limited herbicide use on invasive species.

To this end, specific management concepts and principles for areas where natural resource management is a primary focus. These concepts and principles define the fundamental approach that underpins actions and activities aimed at ecological restoration and management – including measures aimed at climate adaptation. These include the following:

Composite Whole – Natural resources will be managed to preserve the composite whole of physical and biological processes, features, and native plant and animal communities. Generally, this includes maintaining all the components and processes of naturally evolving park ecosystems, and the natural abundance, diversity, genetic and ecological integrity of the plant and animal species native to those ecosystems.

Natural Change – Just as all components of a natural system will be recognized as important, natural change will also be recognized as an integral part of the functioning of natural systems.

Natural Processes – Whenever possible, natural processes will be relied upon to maintain native plant and animal species, and to influence natural fluctuations in populations of these species. However, biological or physical processes altered by human activities often need to be restored to a natural condition or to the closest approximation of the natural condition through management intervention. The FMS seeks to return human-disturbed areas to natural conditions characteristic of the area in which the damaged resources are situated. Prescription burning to restore natural fire cycles after decades of wildfire suppression is one example.

Natural Phenomena – Natural occurrences such as floods, fires, landslides, earthquakes, diseases, and other stresses are also recognized as integral to the proper functioning of ecosystems. Landscapes disturbed by such natural phenomena will be allowed to recover naturally unless management is necessary to protect park values or for human health and safety.

Landscape Linkages – In many cases, maintaining the integrity of natural processes and elements in park units will require suitable linkages or corridors between parks and other protected lands. Linkages serve to connect existing protected areas, facilitate wildlife movement and botanical transfer, and result in combined acreage large enough to sustain healthy plant and animal populations over the long-term.

External Impacts – Activities that take place outside park boundaries sometimes have profound effects on the ability to protect natural resources inside parks. State Parks must act to protect natural resources from impacts caused by external activities through various strategies including working cooperatively with other agencies and landowners.

Public Use – In addition to preserving natural values, the management of natural resources is clearly for the enjoyment and inspiration of present and future generations. Toward this end, public use and access is guided at acceptable levels and at appropriate locations so as to perpetuate important natural values. In

addition, the visitor’s experience will be considered in planning for and conducting natural resource management activities.

Management Goals

Vegetation and forest management goals were developed by State Parks Santa Cruz District, in collaboration with Save the Redwoods League (STRL) and Auten Resource Consulting (ARC Forestry), to set forth a standard for forest management strategies with consideration of the CZU Fire’s impacts to forest resources.

The Climate Adaptation Goals (CAGs), Park-wide Vegetation and Forest Management Goals (PWGs), and Old Growth Redwood Forest Goals (OGGs) were developed in alignment with the State Parks concepts and principles regarding the management of natural resources. The intention of these goals is to improve the conditions of forestland on BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP by conducting ecologically restorative treatments that increase resilience, biological diversity, and reduce the severity of future wildfire.

The PWGs and OGGs were initially presented in the Prioritized Recommended Actions and Key Findings Report and have since been used as the foundation to further develop forest management strategies and expand treatment units. Since their conception, CAGs were developed to further define State Parks mission to achieve forest resilience to climatic changes and to emphasize the importance of the relationship between forest management and infrastructure. Ecologically restorative treatment prescriptions were designed to ensure that the implementation of treatment units would achieve these goals.

State Parks ecosystem and forest management goals for BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP are as follows:

Climate Adaptation Goals (CAG)

• CAG 1: Manage vegetation and forests to increase resilience in anticipation of climatic trends at BBRSP, ANSP, BSP.

• CAG 2: Maintain the persistence of existing and future infrastructure and facilities.

Park-wide Vegetation and Forest Management Goals (PWG)

• PWG 1: Manage flora and fauna at BBRSP, ANSP, BSP so that it supports a richness of native species.

• PWG 2: Maintain or enhance habitat for extant populations of California Native Plant Society (CNPS), state or federally listed species at BBRSP, ANSP, BSP.

• PWG 3: Maintain flooding, tidal flows, and other natural disturbance regimes, including fire, that support sustainable populations of most of the species present at BBRSP, ANSP, BSP.

• PWG 4: Detect new infestations of exotic species while still small and eliminate them where feasible.

Old Growth Redwood Forest Goals (OGG)

• OGG 1: Maintain the current extent and complexity of old growth redwood forest.

• OGG 2: Increase connectivity of large diameter forest stands and old growth forest characteristics by managing adjacent redwood stands to enhance old growth characteristics.

• OGG 3: Reduce horizontal fuel loads and vertical continuity of fuels to minimize the probability of stand replacing wildfire.

• OGG 4: To the extent feasible, approximate the prehistoric fire regime of this forest type.

• OGG 5: Maintain the existing suite and biodiversity of herbaceous understory species.

Connected & Collaborative Efforts

California State Parks has several approaches that address the impacts of the CZU Fire and outline a trajectory to adapt ecologically restorative implementation strategies and envisioning a future of adaptive management and monitoring for the parks that includes high quality recreation, such as Reimagining Big Basin and the Big Basin Facilities Management Plan. Essentially, the FMS was developed in collaboration with the Facilities Management Plan to incorporate considerations of key facilities plans among prioritized ecologically restorative forest management treatments. These ongoing efforts set the standard for regional planning and management implementation in the wake of changing climate and increased catastrophic fire regimes.

Reimagining Big Basin

Reimagining Big Basin2 is a collaborative vision completed in 2022, developed and inspired by recovery efforts following the CZU Fire, to guide the reestablishment of BBRSP. Its mission is to collaboratively renew BBRSP, protect old growth, and steward the natural lands with respect to post-fire conditions following the devastating loss of infrastructure and forest resources as a result of the CZU Fire. The basis of Reimagining Big Basin’s vision for stewardship encapsulates “park stewardship, based on scientific and Indigenous knowledge, will foster forest health and create opportunities to connect visitors of all backgrounds and abilities with redwood forests for generations to come…” (Vision Statement and Summary, n.d.).

The forest management goals and actions have been developed in alignment with the vision and guiding principles, placing great emphasis on prioritizing forest health, integrating various forms of land stewardship to promote natural ecological processes, fostering landscape connectivity for management within park boundaries and in adjacent

2 The Reimagining Big Basin Vision Summary website provides additional information regarding the vision, strategies, outreach and educational events, etc.

landownerships, and incorporation consideration of the construction of facilities in proximity to planned forest management.

Facilities Management Plan

The Big Basin Redwoods State Park Facilities Management Plan3 was designed as part of the Reimagining Big Basin visioning process. The intent of the Facilities Management Plan is to plan for the re-establishment of facilities in an ecologically sensitive manner that still supports visitor experiences within the park. The development of the Facilities Management Plan involves multiple stages of stakeholder engagement, alternative designs development and analysis, and ongoing environmental review, all of which lead to a final Facilities Management Plan in 2025.

Consideration of planning objectives, forest conditions and natural resources, physical landscape conditions, ecosystem responses, access, and resilient construction contribute to the visions of facilities to plan and rebuild. Vision concepts outline plans to re-establish and enhance four key locations that comprise the Park Core, including the Saddle Mountain Welcome Area, Old Growth Core located at the Historic Headquarters, Sky Meadow Campground and Operational Facilities, and Little Basin Campground and Group Recreation. Strategic facilities planning includes completing prioritized vegetation treatments prior to reestablishing or developing new facilities. In addition, the newly developed facilities are being planned in a manner that will allow continued vegetation treatments such as prescribed fire.

Setting

The Santa Cruz Mountains, home to BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP, span the coastal mountain range south of the Golden Gate Bridge to Monterey Bay and foster a myriad of geologic features and microclimates that support an abundance of unique ecosystems

Forested ecosystems in the Santa Cruz Mountains evolved with the natural phenomena of disturbance recovery regimes, including, but not limited to wildfire, prescribed fire, drought, winter storm events, and anthropogenic influences, where resulting legacy effects have been carried through time. In BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP, forested areas consist predominately of coniferous forests dominated by coastal redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesiii) affiliated with several hardwood species including but not limited to tanoak (Notholithocarpus densiflorus), Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), and various oak species (Quercus spp.). Plant species within these forest systems fall along a spectrum of fire tolerance and dependence, from relatively fire-intolerant species such as Douglas-fir to coastal coppice sprouting species, like madrone, that are adapted to

3 General information, planning objectives, and the Basis of Design Document for the Facilities Management Plan are available online for reference.

disturbance in which they respond readily to the mortality of the above ground portion of a stem, through rapid basal regeneration, establishing the next generation and proving the resilience of coastal species through this unique evolutionary trait.

The Santa Cruz Mountain coastal redwood ecosystems occupy a unique climate, one that fosters coastal fog drip which maintains soil moisture as temperatures fluctuate seasonally and over time. Coastal redwoods, and their affiliated forested communities, have persisted through a history of varying fire return intervals, extensive clearcut logging in the early to mid-1900’s, and approximately 100 years of fire suppression that resulted in dense forests, declines in forest health, and significant fuel accumulations more conducive to high severity wildfire (Stephens & Fry, 2007 and Forest History Society, n.d.). Notably, coastal redwoods are known for their longevity, resilience to fire, and complex structures that often result from different disturbances that physically change crown and limb structure promoting reiterated tops, buttressing, and other characteristics unique to coastal redwood. The inevitability of wildfire in these ecosystems poses the question of when will the next high severity wildfire event occur?

CZU Fire

In August of 2020, a series of Lightning Complex Fires broke out across California including the CZU Lightning Complex Fire (CZU Fire) which impacted 86,509 acres and destroyed 1,490 structures throughout Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties (CZU Lightning Complex, n.d.). The CZU Fire swept through approximately 24,230 acres of the land on BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP combined, exhibiting low to high fire severities throughout various ecosystems (Map 2). Forested ecosystems in these parks experienced a range of fire severities, resulting in beneficial disturbance in some areas, such as reduced understory and ladder fuels, reduced competition for resources, increased biodiversity, consumption of dead, dying, and diseased trees and vegetation, or increased nutrient cycling. Whereas other areas resulted in impaired post-fire conditions that will take decades to recover from, such as loss of valuable wildlife habitat or stand replacing mortality.

BBRSP lost many recreational facilities and trail structures placing a halt on public visitation and prioritizing restoring access, safety, and forest health (Climate Resilient Park Planning Factsheet, n.d.). Presently, approximately three years post-fire, several areas within BBRSP and BSP are re-opened to the public as State Parks and neighboring rural communities continue to actively recover and adjust to the forest conditions that are continuously exhibiting various stages of succession.

The magnitude of the CZU Fire’s landscape-level impact on forested ecosystems within State Park lands demonstrates the need to conduct ecologically restorative treatments in ecosystems within BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP. Thus, a collaborative effort between State Parks, Save the Redwoods League (STRL), Parks California, and ARC Forestry aims to analyze the

impacts of the CZU Fire across forest types and develop strategic forest management treatments through adaptive management and monitoring to restore ecosystem health and promote more resilient forests.

CZU Fire Personal Accounts

The CZU Fire’s impact on the landscape and surrounding communities can only be told in a few ways from a 30,000-foot view. Often the most critical details of the story are told by those who had intimate experiences with the CZU Fire, especially those who are well acquainted with the landscape and its history. Personal accounts from State Parks Santa Cruz District Staff, including Chris Spohrer, Tim Hyland, Portia Halbert, Tim Reilly, Alex Tabone, and Juan Villarino, are included to provide various perspectives and details of the CZU Fire event and the impacts it had on BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP, serving as a marker in history:

“I distinctly remember when the relatively small lightning-strike fires that began on the inland side of Highway One above Año Nuevo and Ranch Del Oso on August 17th began burning more vigorously. I was on the coast at Whitehouse Field during the afternoon of

Map 2 – CZU Fire Burn Severity Within BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP (Map Not To Scale)

the 18th and was overhearing radio traffic that a spot fire the crews had been chasing was blowing up. From my vantage point on the road I could see they weren’t going to catch it. The smoke column was rapidly increasing and laying down as it blew over the highway towards the ocean with a north wind, an ominous sign. I could see and feel the fire weather changing and what had been an inconsequential fire became an emergency as I watched that evening.

From that point decisions were rapidly made to start evacuating the areas around Butano and then on to the larger campgrounds at Big Basin into the evening. I was getting updates through the evening as reports of a rapidly moving fire front moved into the upper reaches of Basin, across upper China Grade. Our main focus was to safely evacuate the public and keep Highway 236 traffic moving out of the park; there wasn’t time to worry much about the park facilities in the rush to evacuate. The next vivid memory I have is from mid-morning the next day from the hastily assembled ICP at Sky Park in Scotts Valley. Our recon team had made it into the Park Headquarters and someone relayed a radio message to me – its lost…we lost Basin. I felt the most intense loss of my career as the reality of what had happened overnight hit me.” – Chris

Spohrer, State Park Santa Cruz District Superintendent

“The morning after the lightning storm, I coordinated Parks fire response. Tim Hyland went to Portola, Juan Villarino to Big Basin, with another fire at Waddell, I went. I spent the afternoon watching the smoke from the Waddell fire and advocating with CalFire to

Figure 1: CZU Fire Plume Over Highway 1, Viewpoint from Whitehouse Canyon Road Looking South, Taken By CAL FIRE Chief Rich Sampson on August 19, 2020

let it burn, it was in a Designated Wilderness, one of only three in the State Park System. Often fire suppression actions can cause more damage than the wildfires.

The following day, August 17th , David Cowman and I reported to the Butano Fire. Around mid-day we sized up the southern edge of the fire but it had already burned up from the bottom of the canyon and crossed over Olmo Fire Rd. Late in the day our group received the go-ahead to light a back burn to stop the uphill movement of the fire. We burned from the corner of Olmo x Butano Fire Roads back towards the west until the early hours of the morning.

For years, I had been thinking that fire was needed in this exact area. I lamented how challenging it would be to pull off a burn. It was surreal, to be firing without any preplanning or preparation, efforts that would have taken years and so much funding. I remember thinking it was one of the best days of my career as this would produce exactly the kind of fire effects we hoped for. I finished my 24-hr. shift and was relieved by Tim Reilly.

On the morning of the 18th we drove into Big Basin, the headquarters had only steps remaining, trees we knew like old friends were still in flames and the homes of my friends and colleagues, gone.

That afternoon a group of us headed to Año Nuevo and we were able to save several buildings as the fire front blew through. It was one win in the midst of all the loss.” –Portia

Halbert, Senior Environmental Scientist

“I was the Park Maintenance Supervisor for the Facility Maintenance program in Big Basin during the CZU complex and lived in the ‘upper residence’ neighborhood of the park. The last house on the left, as it were. I am facilities staff but also fire-trained personnel and I respond as a READ4 where needed. READ duties in the SC Mountains would occupy nearly all my time in the days prior to the conflagration.

I was home relaxing after a particularly long READ shift when I received the evacuation phone call... The message was clear, go now. I hung up and relayed the info to my neighbors: mandatory evac, get what you need, and go now… I packed an odd assortment of things in haste and left.

That night, monitoring the radio, I listened to my house burn down. ‘There is a 300’ wall of flame heading toward residence 19’, were the words. It was tough to hear, and I could only hope the park had a better fate.

In the morning, a small contingent of fire-trained personnel mobilized to the park for an initial damage assessment. It was a dangerous assignment; the fire was still active, and trees were actively falling. As we approached, cut our way into the Park, and began our assessment it became clear we had lost Big Basin. The vegetation was decimated, structures were gone, wildlife had perished, and everything was in greyscale. So much loss, it was devastating.

We compartmentalized all the loss and cut our way out of the park, briefed Spohrer at the ICP, and received our next assignment: structure protection at Cascade Ranch, Año Nuevo… It was an incredibly long 24 hours, fueled by adrenaline and duty. That day, August 18th 2020, would set the tone for the next two weeks and our response to the CZU complex.” – Juan Villarino, Park Maintenance Chief II

“In my 20 years of experience working in fire, the term ‘catastrophic fire’ is a term thrown around; for me, it was mostly in the context of the event we are trying to avoid by actively managing the lands under our watch. Maybe I just never thought hard about the meaning of this or maybe it’s just because it was a term so often used that it diluted the meaning but it wasn’t until the morning of August 19th, 2020 that I knew the meaning, that I felt the meaning.

Assigned as a READ on wildfire 5-14 in Butano State Park, after several hours working with Divs. and heavy equipment operators assigned to constructing fuel breaks, I’ll never forget hearing over the radio someone from Cal Fire saying ‘…we’ve got to regroup, nothing we’re doing is working. These fires are converging and heading to Boulder Creek…’. I immediately thought ‘this guy is crazy, there’s no way…’. As the radio traffic continued, I quickly realized the gravity of the situation. Several hours later I found myself driving with haste down Highway 1 to our District HQ in Felton where several of the District READs and fire trained staff had grouped up and were making a push to go into Big Basin and provide facility protection wherever we could. This was quickly shut down by Cal Fire. It was too late.

Early the next morning, assigned to a team put together to assess the damage in the Park, avoiding downed powerlines, clearing trees off the road and in one instance running for our lives as a massive Douglas fir landed within 5 feet of one of the vehicles, we finally came to the smoldering ruins of what once was the headquarters of the Department’s flagship Park. We had lost Big Basin.” – Tim Reilly, Environmental Scientist

“I awoke to thunder and lightning on Saturday August 16th, a rare event in Santa Cruz County, and my thoughts turned to fire. The lightning was followed by a brief downpour,

and I was relieved, thinking it might be enough to put out any fires that the lightning had started.

Later that morning I reported to a fire that was burning in Portola Redwoods State Park. My colleague, Portia Halbert responded to a fire at Waddell Creek. I remember the intense heat of the day as I drove to Portola, sweating in my fire gear. Cal Fire caught the Portola fire when it was less than an acre. I drove down the coast to tie in with Portia and get a look at the Waddell fire. It was on the top of a ridge in a Monterey Pine stand, hard to get to and Cal Fire had limited air support.

The Waddell fire, along with a couple of others chewed through decades worth of fuels for the next couple days, recycling nutrients, making space in the forest. I was surprised at how moderate the fire behavior was. I always thought a fire in a Monterey Pine stand would go off like a bomb. Then the high pressure broke, northwest winds kicked in and I heard over the radio that there was a spot fire on China Grade. Less than twelve hours later nearly all of Big Basin had burned.

We were there the next day while trees were still burning and falling, to see what of the infrastructure might be saved, but it was a near total loss. Everything was either black, white, or gray. Over the next several weeks I watched the greys turn to browns, like a sepia tone picture, and then slowly, the brown turn to green.” – Tim Hyland, Natural Resources Program Manager

Resilience

Resilience, in its simplest form, is the capacity of a system to persist or maintain its critical ecosystem functions and biodiversity despite adversity or disruption (McFarland, 2022 and Levin, 2024). Resilience in forested areas within the CZU Fire footprint exhibit various forms of resilience both at an individual level and ecosystem level i.e., coastal redwood canopies are reestablishing through epicormic sprouting in trees with live cambium whereas new cohorts of understory vegetation, downed woody debris, snag development, and trees are regenerating on a system wide disturbance recovery level demonstrating ecosystem resilience.

The concept of the resilience of an ecosystem cannot only be applied to a distinct disturbance-recovery event i.e., wildfire, landslide, or a winter storm event, but can also consider larger scale shifts in climatic conditions that alter environmental conditions regionally creating more significant ecosystem disruptions i.e., expected increases in temperature over the next 100 years which will most likely result in vegetation type change.

A Brief History of Climate Driven Vegetation Type Change

Climatic shifts directly influence the suitability of an ecosystem to host certain species and influences species migration to more suitable habitats and climates, a process that has

occurred consistently over geologic time Paleoclimate proxies5 suggest evidence of patterns of climatic change, including a cooling episode, termed the Little Ice Age, that occurred between 1300-1850 CE due to decreases in solar radiation, increased volcanism, and varying atmospheric circulation (Smith College, n.d.). Modern land stewards often reflect on recent land management history that followed European settlement, such as the loss and reduction of indigenous cultivation and extensively clearcut forested terrain, in attempt to restore the ecosystems that preluded such events.

These reflections encourage land stewards to focus restoration efforts on a smaller time scale in which anthropogenic influences and climatic conditions are reasonably similar or capable of supporting historic ecosystems and vegetation types. For instance, 100 years of fire suppression has led to a decrease in native grassland and oak woodlands as they succumb to afforestation and encroachment of conifer species, such as Douglas-fir.

Vegetation treatments, such as manual, mechanical, and prescribed fire treatments, could be implemented to successfully restore native grasslands and oak woodlands where current environmental and climatic conditions are suitable

The combination of climatic trends and fire suppression have established environmental conditions more conducive to extreme wildfire behavior, occasionally resulting in high mortality, stand-replacing events. Post-fire succession, a disturbance-recovery regime, functions as another form of vegetation type change. For instance, BBRSP experienced high severity fire throughout the park, leaving high mortality in hardwood and Douglas-fir stands. These dead trees will likely break in half as they begin to decay falling into a bed of thick regenerative Ceanothus spp. and hardwood coppice sprouting. This creates a situation ripe for a fast-moving reburn of the area in expected hotter drier conditions that will continue to support vegetation type change (Coppoletta et al., 2016).

Another example of post-fire succession relates to knobcone pine (Pinus attenuata), a shortlived, closed-cone conifer species that is reliant on heat from fire to release seeds, and occurs commonly on ridgetops in poor soils alongside various chaparral species throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains (Howard, 1992). Without fire, knobcone pines are at risk of being outcompeted by chaparral shrub species and thus require a stand-replacing fire event to open serotinous cones and promote the germination of seeds. As a pioneer species, or species that readily colonizes a recently disturbed environment, knobcone pines are often found occupying the ridgetops and migrating into lower slope positions where post-fire bare mineral soils become suitable for seedling germination (Sottosanti, 2023).

Coastal redwoods are reliant on cool, wet environments with coastal fog. Increases in air temperature throughout coastal landscapes or rising ocean surface temperatures may

5 Paleoclimate proxies are physical, chemical and biological materials preserved within the geologic record (in paleoclimate archives) that can be analyzed and correlated with climate or environmental parameters in the modern world (USGS, 2022).

reduce relative humidity and coastal fog development (Liu et al., 2022) and foster droughtlike conditions that could influence the footprint of coastal redwoods to recede and retract to cooler, moister locations such as drainages and north and northwest facing slopes (Johnstone and Dawson, 2010). Persisting anthropogenic legacy effects require variations and site-specific treatments in forest management to restore the ecosystem.

This history suggests that restoration to present-day ecosystems may be challenging due to climatic contrasts prior to 1850 following increased human habitation, all influencing the potential for reduced footprints of important sensitive communities. More importantly, ecologically restorative efforts proposed in the FMS consider tangible outcomes improving ecosystem resilience through reducing forest densities, reintroducing larger scale prescribed fire, promoting the development of larger older trees, and promote understory plant diversity. These restorative efforts consider adaptive management and monitoring strategies that set a new trajectory for ecological succession against historic anthropogenic influences that may be a greater barrier to classic restoration than climatic change.

Resilience in Action

In addition to regenerative recovery that is occurring naturally through succession, resilience is being promoted by restoration stewardship within and outside of the CZU Fire footprint. There are many examples across State Parks Santa Cruz District, a few of the more significant actions are summarized here. Many of the treatments that are occurring are the first steps in the ecologically restorative process intended to be built upon in future actions through the FMS.

Butano State Park CalVTP PSA

A California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) Project Specific Analysis (PSA) Addendum was certified for BSP in the Fall of 2022, following the CZU Fire. The purpose of the BSP PSA/Addendum is to analyze and capture post-fire conditions and design treatments to improve forest health and increase resilience to future wildfires. The PSA analyzed 2,103.6 acres of land within BSP, comprised of designated mechanical treatment units, manual treatment units, and prescribed burn units. Approximately 432.6 acres of initial mechanical and manual treatments are identified for treatment under a CAL FIRE CCI Forest Health Grant, hosted by the San Mateo Resource Conservation District, and are set to be treated by the end of 2024. Prescribed burn treatments will occur in designated burn units in future years under conditions that align with associated burn plans. The Butano State Park Forest Health Project PSA is discussed more in depth in the Prioritized Treatment Units – Butano State Park section.

China Grade VMP and Lodge Road SERP

Within BBRSP, an active Vegetation Management Plan (VMP) was approved in 2014 as part of the Big Basin Redwoods State Park Prescribed Fire Management Plan to facilitate the

implementation of approximately 973 acres of prescribed burning located along the northern boundary of the park between China Grade, Highway 236, Middle Ridge Road, and North Escape Route. Additionally, a Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects is in development for the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project, a prioritized recommended project that resulted from the Prioritized Recommended Actions and Key Findings Report. This project will implement ecologically restorative treatments that increase forest resilience through a reduction in forest density which will result in accelerated growth of the remaining, larger second growth redwood trees. The long-term goal is to develop late successional forest, with connectivity to existing old growth redwood stands to support marbled murrelets and other species reliant on old growth redwood. In addition, prescribed fire will be used to promote structural diversity of the stand, as well as increase understory plant diversity.

Quiroste Valley Preserve

The non-forested areas of ANSP have ongoing stewardship efforts, especially within the Quiroste Valley Cultural Preserve, where vegetation and grasslands are managed through the implementation of cultural burning and various other vegetation treatments. A document similar to the FMS is being developed by Dr. Rob Cuthrell, Ph.D. to encompass restorative stewardship strategies for the non-forested ecosystems within ANSP that works in concert with the State Parks management principles and goals to conduct ecologically restorative treatments.

Other Actions

Beyond BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP, State Parks Santa Cruz District implements routine vegetation and forest management, prescribed broadcast burning, and pile burning, throughout parks within the region, including, but not limited to, Wilder Ranch, NiseneMarks, Castle Rock, and Portola Redwoods. Continued forest management throughout BBRSP, BSP, ANSP, other State Parks in the region, and neighboring properties establishes landscape-level connectivity, creating greater opportunity for increased forest resilience.

Section II

Section II of the Forest Management Strategy introduces site-specific forest management prescriptions and actions, identifies a set of prioritized and general forest treatments, outlines permitting framework and pathways, and delves deeper into the data analysis originally introduced in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report (Appendix F)

Forest Management Treatment Prescriptions

This section of the Forest Management Strategy proposes various ecologically restorative resilience-focused forest treatment prescription categories that may be implemented to achieve vegetation management principles and goals within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. The forest treatment prescription categories, including Forest Health Fuels Reduction (FHFR), Forest Density Reduction/Large Tree Restoration (FDR/LTR), Prescribed Fire (PF), hazardous tree (HAZ), and Roadside (RS), maintain alignment with those that were introduced in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report (Appendix F).

The resilience-focused forest treatment prescription categories are intended to delineate a general structure to aid the development of site-specific prescriptions, which consider the variability of systems in the southern range of redwood that will require further fine tuning prescriptions to align with site conditions. Generally, these prescriptions identify forest management actions that aim to restore natural processes and increase forest ecosystem resilience to future disturbance events; the intent of implementing management strategies is to re-establish inherent resilience of the ecosystem processes and natural disturbance regimes, relative to modern climatic and anthropogenic influences, through reintroducing natural processes or a parallel treatment.

These prescriptions include the reduction of forest densities, reintroducing larger scale prescribed fire, promoting the growth of larger older trees, and promoting understory plant diversity. More specifically, treatments entail reducing understory vegetation and small diameter trees to reduce vegetative connectivity. Additionally, these treatments involve the selective reduction of mid-range diameter trees in second growth redwood stands to promote the growth of residual trees, improve habitat function, reduce fuels, and create greater connectivity of larger trees across the landscape. Other forms of stewardship, like PF and RS treatments, may be implemented individually, or on larger scales, or in conjunction with the understory and mid-range diameter treatments to further increase stand resilience, promote biodiversity, and reduce fuel loads. These stewardship techniques are primarily restoration and resilience-focused, but HAZ treatments are also included to establish a balance of post-fire restoration and reintroducing recreational visitors to greater areas of the parks. Table 1 below describes each prescription category

and provides a foundation of generalized prescription details that may be applied or altered to develop site-specific prescriptions.

Table 1: Forest Management Treatment Prescription Category Descriptions; These General Descriptions Serve as a Foundation to Develop Site-Specific Prescriptions

FHFR Forest Health Fuels Reduction

FDR/LTR Forest Density Reduction/ Large Tree Restoration

Understory treatments focus on treating dead and dying trees and live trees (less than 16 inches in diameter) to reduce fuel loading for forest health that can be used in PF treatments and wildfire management. Treatments reduce density and connectivity in the understory while retaining a mosaic of understory vegetation by considering specific retentions for shrubland, snags, herbaceous vegetation, and hydrophytic species. Understory treatments will decrease competition for available resources, like sunlight, water, and nutrients, resulting in a greater allocation of resources for the residual stand, ultimately promoting the growth of larger diameter trees over time, while increasing resilience, biological diversity, and reducing the severity of future wildfire.

Treatments will reduce stand density, connectivity, and competition for resources, further increasing the health and vigor of the residual stand through the removal of dense small diameter and mid-range diameter second growth redwoods, promoting the development of large diameter forest stands, increasing the opportunity for old growth characteristics to develop in these stands over time, while increasing resilience, biological diversity, and reducing the severity of future wildfire.

PF Prescribed Fire

HAZ Hazardous Tree

Treatments can be expected to occur in many areas of the parks and these units will likely employ both pile and burn and broadcast burn methods to increase resilience, biological diversity, and reduce the severity of future wildfire. These details and unit boundaries will continue to be developed and be added to the long-term forest management strategy and permitting.

Treatments will include the use of mechanized and handwork equipment to remove hazardous trees from high use areas around the park.

RS Roadside Treatments focus on treating dead and dying trees of any size within 50100 feet of the road or trail edge and reducing fuel loading of live trees (less than 16 inches in diameter) and shrubs within 25 feet of the road edge. RS treatments should be expanded beyond 25 feet in adjacent areas accessible by mechanical equipment on slopes predominantly less than 35% and not greater than 50%. The implementation of RS treatments along major roads and trails improves visibility along road corridors, reduces fuels along potential ignition sources, and creates opportunities to establish linkages between treatment units throughout the parks. This treatment prescription may be applied to any road or trail at State Park's discretion, where retreatment may occur as needed.

These prescription categories may be implemented through the use of various forest management actions, as described in the Forest Management Actions section, including but not limited to handwork, mechanized, prescribed fire, and a multitude of other treatment actions. Implementing a Treatment Prescription requires selecting a Forest Management Action for a Prioritized Treatment Unit where actions will follow the appropriate Treatment Standards outlined in Appendix D.

Management Actions & Strategies

Land managers within the Santa Cruz Mountains have a myriad of tools that can be applied to forested land independently or in combination with one another. This section identifies and describes a set of forest management actions and strategies that may be considered for use to achieve State Park’s forest Management Concepts, Principles & Goals within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. The following Treatment Units section outlines the locations where Forest Management Actions should be considered first. It is assumed that different actions, strategies, and treatment units will be amended to this document over time.

Climate Adaptation Strategies

Significant regional work has been completed on identifying climate adaptation strategies to reduce the risk and vulnerability in the Santa Cruz Mountains area in the face of climate change that identify focal resources, climate drivers and impacts, and resource vulnerabilities. The intent of the FMS is to adopt climate adaptation strategies resulting from this regional work that will be implemented through forest management actions to reduce vulnerabilities and increase resilience of forest resources.

This regional work, more specifically, the Santa Cruz Mountains Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Strategies Synthesis Report (EcoAdapt 2021) and the Santa Cruz County Regional Conservation Investment Strategy (McGraw et al., 2022) played a critical role in proposed management actions and strategies for the FMS. From these documents, climate adaptation strategies guide and support the direction for restorative treatments for forested ecosystems including Coast Redwood Forests, Mixed Evergreen and Montane Hardwood Forests, Oak Woodlands, and Closed-cone Pine and Cypress ecosystems. The following list applies key climate adaptation strategies to the FMS from this regional work:

• Administer Prescribed Fire

• Protect and Manage Old Growth Redwoods and Late Successional Stands

• Restore Connectivity of Old Growth Redwood Forests and Late Successional Forests

• Invasive Plant Management

• Remove Encroaching Douglas-fir in Oak Woodland Alliances

• Protect Large, Ecologically and/or Culturally Important Trees

These climate adaptation strategies are supported by Forest Management Actions but many, including the climate adaptation strategies list below, are also supported by the Treatment Standards that provide specific protection measures for old growth, restoring second growth, drainages, waterways, and promoting chaparral communities.

• Protect and Manage Old Growth Redwoods and Restore Second Growth Redwood Stands Along Drainages and Waterways

• Protect and Restore Aquatic Features and Riparian Areas

• Protect and Promote Chaparral Communities

Forest Management Actions

This section lists and describes forest management actions to be considered for the implementation of prioritized and general treatment units now and in the future. Forest management actions proposed as part of the FMS are focused on initial prioritized ecologically restorative treatments. It is expected that these treatments will need to be repeated over decades to achieve ecosystem resilience opposing previous anthropogenic influences. These forest management actions provide various mechanisms to implement treatment prescriptions that vary in implementation costs, potential effects, and efficiencies. It is assumed that forest management actions will be amended or altered during the life of the FMS.

Forest Management Action Description

Prescribed Fire

• Broadcast Burning

• Pile Burning

Traditional Native Stewardship

Herbicide Treatments

Manual Treatment

• Understory Manual Treatments

Is the intentional and strategic ignition of fire under specified conditions which allows fire to behave in more predictable and controlled patterns to achieve a desired outcome.

May occur under specified conditions that allows fire to spread within a confined, predetermined area to achieve desired fire behavior and characteristics that obtain management goals. Broadcast burns can be used in areas to re-introduce fire to the landscape where naturally occurring wildfire may have been excluded outside its historic fire return interval due to nearly a century of fire suppression efforts.

Involves the ignition of piles of woody debris that results from forest management activities. Like broadcast burning, piles may only be ignited under a prescribed set of conditions. Pile burning is a useful tool for reducing the amount of biomass left in a project area.

Involves the indigenous practices used to manage vegetation and forests to provide a desired cultural service and/or various ecological purposes; practices related to the cultural and historical significance of forests, often involving indigenous or traditional knowledge.

Involves the application of chemicals to targeted plants species to inhibit their growth and control their spread. There are various methods to apply herbicides, including but not limited to backpack sprayer, boom sprayer, and hand application, all of which have subsequent techniques to improve application. Allowable herbicide application may vary by permit type.

Is the practice of removing or modifying vegetation through the use of non-mechanized hand tools (i.e. handsaws, Pulaskis, axes, loppers, etc.) and/or mechanized hand tools (i.e. chainsaws, hedge trimmers, pole saws, etc.) to cut, remove, hand pile, lop and scatter, and thin trees. Manual treatments are generally not limited by slopes and can be implemented in locations otherwise not accessible for treatment, however, implementing manual treatments in excessively steep areas may be unsafe and may influence the cost of treatment.

Involves the use of the equipment described in Manual Treatment to remove treat understory vegetation and small diameter trees, or trees that comprise the intermediate and suppressed canopy levels. Woody debris generated from understory manual

Table 2: Forest Management Action Descriptions

Forest Management Action Description

treatments may be manually arranged for processing, such as for pile burning or chipping. Understory manual treatment is often used in combination with understory mechanical treatments, prescribed burning, or other forest management actions.

• Overstory Manual Treatments

Mechanical Treatment

• Understory Mechanical Treatments

• Overstory Mechanical Treatments

Consists of the removal of overstory trees that are generally located in the dominant, co-dominant, and occasionally intermediate canopy classes through the use of a chainsaw and may be referred to as hand felling. The individual falling the tree may use the precision of the cut, a wedge, or hydraulic jack to directionally fall a tree. This form of tree falling is used in conjunction with the overstory mechanical treatments described in the Mechanical Treatment section, where the mechanized actions are responsible for retrieving and transporting fallen logs.

Is the practice of removing or modifying vegetation through the use of heavy equipment (i.e. skid steers, excavators, tractors, tracked chipper, backhoe, etc.), usually assorted with attachments that are appropriate for vegetation modification or processing, such as a masticating head attachment. There is a spectrum of heavy equipment capable of conducting mechanical treatments for vegetation and forest management and consideration should be given to the following specifications to determine what equipment is most appropriate for each project: equipment size and weight, type of tracks (rubber or steel), mobility and reach, and available attachments.

Targets the removal or modification of understory vegetation and small diameter trees, generally below approximately 16 inches diameter at breast height (DBH) or including intermediate or suppressed canopy positions. Mechanical equipment can be used to masticate, crush, chip, mow, machine pile, and thin trees within the understory.

Targets the removal or modification of overstory trees, which are generally categorized as being greater than approximately 16 inches DBH or within the intermediate, co-dominant, or dominant canopy positions. The implementation of overstory mechanical treatments may be prescribed in locations that could benefit from increased stand spacing, to promote the growth of larger trees, or to remove hazardous trees. Trees may be removed with mechanized equipment or be felled manually as described in the Overstory Manual Treatments section.

• Ground-Based Tractor Operations

• Skyline Cable Yarding Operations

Is a system that uses ground-based equipment, such as a skidder or forwarder, to extract logs and deliver them to the landing. Skidders, tracked or tired, are configured with a cable or grapple on the rear end and often have a blade on the front end for moving material and smoothing ground obstructions (FOEC Skidders, n.d.). Ground-based operations are limited to slopes less than 50%, with consideration of adverse, or uphill, and favorable, or downhill, yarding directions.

Consists of a system of cables rigged between a yarder and anchor point that partially or fully suspends cables that retrieves logs with chokers from terrain that is otherwise inaccessible to groundbased equipment to be transported to a landing. Manual tree felling is generally used in tandem with cable yarding operations due to the nature of the steep terrain in which cable yarding units are established. Several cable yarding configurations exist, including, standing skyline, running skyline, live skyline, and highlead systems, all of which vary operationally based on the

Forest Management Action Description

configuration of mainlines, skylines, haulback lines, and carriage function.

Skyline systems are appropriate for use in thinning operations by means of establishing corridors that range from approximately 1020 feet wide to allow passage of logs at varying distances, generally between approximately 500 and 1,320 feet; corridors can be constructed in a radial arrangement that disperses from the yarder that results in a higher degree of tree removal in proximity to the landing, or a parallel arrangement that spaces the corridors in a more visually sensitive manner (FOEC Cable Logging Operations, n.d.). Cable yarding systems create the opportunity to manage forest stands that are located on steep terrain while exhibiting technologies that can limit or reduce ground disturbance footprints, leaving much of the understory intact (Campbell, 2020) and have successfully obtained similar forest management goals in projects like Redwoods Rising (Redwoods Rising: Overview, n.d.)

When designing a cable yarding unit, it is important to ensure the unit allows for appropriate deflection, which influences the distance, or sag, between the skyline and mainline cables that are responsible for suspending logs; a location with poor deflection would resemble terrain with a convex shape that would require more tension on the skyline to suspend the load above the ground (Harvesting Systems and Equipment, n.d.). Deflection influences the load capacity of each turn and directly influences the amount of soil disturbance caused by logs being in contact with the ground during transport.

• Aerial Operations

Aerial Operations, also referred to as helicopter yarding, consists of a helicopter that is used to extract cut logs from the forest and deliver them to a landing, where a front-end loader or heel boom (FOEC Log Loaders, n.d.) will sort logs and load the log trucks. Aerial operations are particularly beneficial in remote locations with steep terrain because the helicopter vertically lifts logs from locations that may only be accessible on foot (FOEC Helicopter Extraction, n.d.).

Logistically, an approximately 90-300-foot line of wire rope is suspended below the helicopter and gets attached to pre-set chokers by a hook, once the chokers are attached to the long line, the helicopter can transport the logs to the landing and begin its next turn. Alternatively, a grapple may be attached to the long line in place of chokers. Aerial operations may occur in tandem with manual felling or mechanical felling, where slopes permit, and should consider how either mechanism facilitates extraction efficiency.

Some benefits of aerial operations include reduced ground disturbance during yarding that promotes regeneration (Jones, et al., 2000), opportunity to manage remote forest stands, reduced use or installation of roads and infrastructure, and efficient yarding productivity. Due to the versatility of aerial operations, this method can be particularly beneficial in urgent post-fire salvage operations. Operational considerations include high costs (Christian & Brackley, 2007), weather limitations (i.e., wind or air density), and yarding distances.

Forest Management Action Description

Biomass Processing & Utilization

• Chipping

• Mastication

• Air Curtain Burning

• Carbonization

• Cost Offset

Involves the use of a mechanized chipper to chip woody debris and pile or spread the processed material in a given location. This type of biomass processing produces material that can be left onsite or taken offsite via chip truck. Chips may be spread on the forest floor at varying depths, which is dependent on the amount of volume processed. Spreading chipped material has the potential to slow rates of understory regeneration due to the lack of sunlight on the soil and increases soil moisture retention. For these reasons, chips have benefits to agricultural land uses and local farms may have interest in obtaining unwanted chipped material.

Chipping woody debris and leaving it onsite is a form of fuel rearrangement and would influence how a fire behaves or is carried throughout the forest.

Involves the use of mechanized equipment to chew, shred, chunk, or masticate woody debris in place. Generally, mastication will occur as a form of Understory Mechanical Treatments as groundbased equipment with some form of mastication attachment walks throughout a treatment area and masticates vegetation and small diameter trees that are within the planned line of travel, similar to how a lawn mower operates. Through this process, all masticated material is left on the soil surface or lightly mixed into the soil during operations.

Involves the use of equipment to load logs and woody debris into a firebox that has a curtain of air blasting over the top to trap smoke and particles inside as the material is consumed with fire. Air curtain burners vary in size that are capable of processing a range of 1 to 10 tons per hour (Air Burners Inc., n.d.). In order to operate an air curtain burner, a large area, approximately 300’ by 300’, clear of all vegetation is needed to decrease fire risk from the heat that radiates from the firebox and the potential for ember cast while material is loaded, breaking the air curtain. Another consideration of implementing air curtain burning is the staffing requirements to efficiently run operations; essentially, the firebox must be supervised at all times while operational, which means staff may need to be present overnight, or the burner must be shut down and cooled each day, ultimately slowing the performance and efficiency.

Is the process of using a high-temperature and low-oxygen pyrolysis machine to turn biomass into biochar (Biomass Carbonization Machine, n.d). Biochar, a carbon rich porous material, can be used for soil restoration, agricultural uses, and carbon sequestration. Several types of machines exist, including a skid-mounted carbonizing machine as a mobile version that may be purchased or rented. Alternatively, some forestry contractors may have a machine and staff to run it.

Any potential for value in biomass that is removed from the site may be reinvested into restoration treatments, such as by expanding treatment footprints where feasible or by supporting additional restoration efforts in the park. State Parks would only consider cost offset for the purpose of achieving habitat and resilience benefits of the proposed projects

Treatment Units

This section will introduce an array of treatment units, including priority units and general units that are comprised of additional field verified units, prescribed burn units, roadside treatments, and manual treatment area expansion, that are proposed to achieve State Park Management Policies and Goals It is assumed that prioritized and general treatment units may have treatment prescriptions and locations amended over time to meet site-specific conditions or Treatment Standards. It is also assumed that newly added treatment units or properties may be added to the FMS and will follow the requirements of the FMS.

Treatment Unit Development

The Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report presented several prioritized treatment units within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP that were recommended for immediate action. These treatment units were identified based on field investigations that ranked a subwatershed’s6 suitability for treatment through a Restoration Priority Level (RPL) analysis. The RPL analysis was designed to evaluate a set of Criteria7 and Conditions8 that consider the feasibility of implementing treatments and how treatments may align with achieving State Park Management Concepts, Principles, and Goals and climate adaptation strategy considerations; the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report describes the RPL analysis in detail (Appendix F).

It should be noted that the Table 6, 7, and 8 of the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report provide the original scores by index for Criteria, Condition, and relative averages by field evaluated sub watersheds generating the composite index for Criteria and Condition rankings (Appendix F). Essentially, consideration of future project development may refer to these tables to determine where additional priority treatments may be placed depending on the Conditions prioritized. In addition, the delineation of priority treatment areas in the FMS, with respect to the field evaluated Conditions, were not limited by subwatershed boundaries and were also influenced by habitat continuity for the purpose of restoration and relative components of Criteria

Geographic Information System (GIS) data and software were used to delineate draft treatment units in subwatersheds identified with the highest ranking RPL scores, generally

6 BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP were delineated into 300 subwatersheds that were generally defined by natural land features and infrastructure, ranging from approximately 50-150 acres in size. The intent of the subwatershed delineations was to compartmentalize assessment areas to ensure sufficient, representative data collection within the parks; see Appendix F.

7 Criteria were considered factors that influenced the feasibility of implementing treatments within the subwatershed. The Criteria evaluated for each subwatershed included Treatment Access for Restoration, Value of Conducting Restorative Treatments, and Public Access, which considered the extent of public facing projects and opportunities for demonstration projects.

8 Conditions were considered a set of treatable conditions that may or may not be present within a subwatershed. The Conditions evaluated for each subwatershed included Resilience to Wildfire in the next 15 years (PWG 3 and OGG 3), Potential for Marbled Murrelet Habitat Suitability in the next 50 years (PWG 2 and OGG 1), Sediment Input Potential to Higher Order Watercourses (PWG 3)., Sudden Oak Death Conditions (PWG 4), and Invasive Species Occupation (PWG 4).

on slopes less than 35% that are accessible to mechanized ground-based equipment The draft treatment units were exported onto georeferenced maps to be used during field investigations to verify each unit’s accessibility for treatments, verify forest conditions, reshape treatment boundaries, and identify appropriate site-specific treatment prescriptions and management actions. The field verified treatment units were later prioritized through a combination of referencing RPL data and evaluating alignment with State Park’s Management Concepts, Principles, and Goals, which resulted in the development of the original set of prioritized treatment units and additional field verified treatment units in BBRSP. Since the development of the original set of prioritized treatment units, expansion units have been identified for two prioritized units within BBRSP. The expansion units should be considered for a demonstration of various management actions that can increase forest management connectivity by building off existing priority unit footprints. The priority units with expansion areas are described as a whole within the Priority Treatment Units section.

Concurrently with this process, a CalVTP PSA was developed and was approved for BSP with treatment units that span approximately 2,103.6 acres of the park, where approximately 432.6 acres are prioritized for mechanical and manual treatment under an active CAL FIRE Forest Health Grant and approximately 1,793.9 acres consist of prescribed burn treatments that overlap with other management actions. Due to the extent of approved treatment areas under the BSP PSA/Addendum, no further units have been developed in BSP at this time. Initial treatments on the 432.6 acres at BSP are underway.

The top two prioritized treatment units in ANSP were developed through GIS analysis, RPL analysis, and crew familiarity with the treatable ground and, therefore, were not further field verified. Prescribed burn units were delineated utilizing GIS data with oversight from State Parks burn bosses (Tim Hyland and Portia Halbert) with the intent of developing unit landscape connectivity and opportunities for unit compartmentalization through the strategic placement of treatment units and intermediate burn control lines.

Along with the Restoration Priority Analysis, Management Actions, and Treatment Prescriptions, the development of treatment units was also supported by FTP analysis and data results provided in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report, Section IV, Assessments Results Discussion (Appendix F), and additional data analysis in the FMS, beginning in Section II, Investigation Results & Discussion. Collectively, this information forms the basis for Treatment Unit Development and should be fully understood by stewardship practitioners considering future treatments under the FMS.

Treatment Acres Summary

BBRSP has a total of 1,506.3 acres of prioritized treatment units, 570.9 acres of additional field verified treatment units, and 10,439.8 acres of prescribed burn units (Table 3). Burn units overlap with approximately 1,662.7 acres of the prioritized and additional field

verified units; when merged, the total treatment footprint in BBRSP equates to approximately 10,439.8 acres, excluding double counting burn unit overlap with other units (Table 3, Map 3).

In the forested areas of ANSP, there are 80.4 acres of priority treatment units and 342.9 acres of burn units, where approximately 57.8 acres contain overlap between the priority units and burn unit footprints. When merged, the total treatment footprint in ANSP equates to approximately 365.6 acres, excluding double counting burn unit overlap with prioritized units (Table 3, Map 3).

Table 3: Treatment Area Acreage Breakdown by Park. Merged acreages consider the footprint of treatment units and do not double count acreage where there is overlap.

Table 3 indicates that priority treatments comprise approximately 1,506.3 acres across six project units in BBRSP and approximately 80.4 acres across two project units in ANSP (Table 3, Map 3) Map 3 displays opportunities to increase treatment connectivity to prioritized units through general treatment units, including additional field verified units and prescribed burn units.

Since the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report was submitted to State Parks Santa Cruz District in 2023, actions have been taken to begin implementing portions of the proposed prioritized treatment units, including the implementation of the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project and active forest health fuels reduction operations being conducted at BSP under a PSA/Addendum and Forest Health Grant in collaboration with San Mateo Resource Conservation District and Registered Professional Forester (RPF), David Cowman. Additionally, more distinct plans for facilities and infrastructure have been developed under the Facilities Management Plan, influencing prioritized treatment units.

Considering the scope of active and planned operations that serve as demonstrations for forest management within the State Parks Santa Cruz District and the development of the Facilities Management Plan, the original set of Prioritized Treatment Units were re-evaluated to identify strategic locations to expand treatments in high priority areas to incorporate additional FHFR,FDR/LTR, PF, HAS, and RS actions that work to restore or rehabilitate forest stands and further protect infrastructure. This resulted in the expansion of proposed

Map 3 – Forest Management Strategy Treatment Unit Overview Map (Map Not To Scale)

management actions in the Little Basin Campground & Western Little Basin Units and in the Johansen Unit, which will be reintroduced as the Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road Unit. The unit expansions were developed through GIS analysis, alignment with State Park Management Policy and Goals, field verified for treatment accessibility, existing stand conditions, and site-specific prescription development. The General Treatments section includes a set of additional field verified units accessible for manual and ground-based mechanical treatments, prescribed burn units, roadside treatment unit standards, and a discussion on opportunities for unit expansion through the implementation of manual treatments. Most prioritized treatment areas present opportunities to further develop connectivity through manual treatments that are not limited by slope, RS treatments, nonforested treatment areas, and potential collaboration with adjacent landowners that expand on the proposed project areas. Expansion of the presented unit boundaries should be considered during permitting.

Prioritized Treatment Units

This section outlines the original prioritized recommended actions for BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP that were introduced in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report, outlines an opportunity for unit expansion within BBRSP, and introduces a sixth priority treatment unit for BBRSP. Priority treatment units proposed as part of the FMS are focused on initial prioritized ecologically restorative treatments. It is expected that these treatments will need to be repeated over decades to achieve ecosystem resilience opposing previous anthropogenic influences.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

This section discusses the six prioritized treatment units that comprise the 1,503.6 acres of priority treatments within BBRSP. Map 4 portrays an overview of the priority treatment unit footprints by their dominant prescription category; refer to the site-specific treatment prescriptions described in detail in this section. Two priority treatment units within BBRSP include expansion units, that build off the original priority unit footprint to create opportunities to demonstrate various forest management actions and achieve greater management connectivity.

1. Historic Headquarters & Lower 236 – FHFR, RS, PF

Table 4: Concepts & Principles, FMS Goals, and Climate Adaptation Strategies Supported by the Priority Treatments Located in the Historic Headquarters and Lower 236 Unit

Treatment Explanation

Approximately 137.3 acres have been field verified and are delineated for treatment in the Historic Headquarters & Lower 236 Units (Map 5). Treatments should include understory FHFR in OGRW stands and pile and burn or broadcast burning should be conducted with consideration to infrastructure. Routine roadside FHFR treatments should be conducted along the Highway 236 corridor from the southern entrance to Historic Headquarters. Although HAZ treatments have already been conducted in these locations, predominantly focused on public safety as BBRSP re-opened, routine hazard tree evaluations should continue as the forest proceeds through the regenerative phase of forest recovery and conditions change. These prioritized treatment areas present opportunities to further develop habitat connectivity through manual treatments that are not limited by slope, prescribed burn units, RS treatments, and establishing other field verified treatment areas that expand on the proposed Historic Headquarters & Lower 236 Unit boundaries. Boundary modification of the Historic Headquarters & Lower 236 Unit boundaries should be considered during permitting and implementation phases for this priority treatment.

Treatments and prescriptions described in this section account for a first round of treatment, however, re-occurring treatments are encouraged to achieve management goals over time; these site-specific treatment prescriptions may apply over time, but site conditions should be monitored to inform treatment maintenance intervals or to further develop prescriptions. The initial Historic Headquarters & Lower 236 treatments described in this section, as well as its

maintenance treatments, may be implemented under a CalVTP PSA. Once the CalVTP PSA expires following significant changes to environmental conditions, alternative permitting should be considered for maintenance treatments, such as a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land; refer to the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section to guide California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) compliance.

Treatment Prescription

Table 5: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Historic Headquarters and Lower 236 Unit

Justification

BBRSP’s Historic Headquarters and the Highway 236 corridor have a high visitor frequency and are home to many OGRW trees that likely have the greatest public focus in the park This treatment unit burned very hot in most places but with lower severity around headquarters except for areas next to buildings which burned with a high severity. Most large Douglas-fir trees, former potential habitat for marbled murrelet, did not survive. Most understory trees under 12 inches in diameter and many up to 20 inches in diameter also did not survive. Basal and bole sprouting of most redwoods is well underway, and the understory is vigorously expressing itself with significantly more sunlight contacting the forest floor.

Understory FHFR treatments will promote the resilience and growth of larger redwoods through the reduction of competition and connectivity of ladder fuels with continued treatments. Treatment of post-fire understory vegetation that is often nearly homogenous, or dominated by Ceanothus spp., will likely promote an increase in understory expression and an increase in biodiversity over time. Additionally, implementing roadside treatments along this scenic route will increase the public’s visibility of the OGRW stands that the interior FHFR treatments promote. Pile burning is recommended due to its planning and logistical flexibility around infrastructure; however, this recommendation does not intend to totally exclude broadcast burning, which would promote the reduction of dense stands of smaller

trees in perpetuity, partly responsible for the high fire severity in many of the old growth tree crowns in this area.

FHFR treatments will support fire resilience goals, including the resilience of larger older trees over time with repeated treatments, based on Forest Trend Plot Data from the CZU, and improve infrastructure protection and public safety as the BBRSP Historic Headquarters and recreational facilities are re-established.

Table 6: Concepts & Principles, FMS Goals, and Climate Adaptation Strategies Supported by the Priority Treatments Located in the Lodge Road Demonstration Project Unit.

Treatment Explanation

Since the time this project was introduced in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report, approximately 53.4 acres of the original 96.7 field verified acres, have been delineated into subunits for treatment under a Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects (SERP) as part of the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project. Under the SERP approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) on July 24, 2024, three main subunits (Redwood Unit A, Redwood Unit B, and Hardwood Unit) are proposed for treatments implementing FHFR, FDR/LTR, and HAZ prescriptions. In addition, an approximately 45.6 acre broadcast burn unit, including burn unit preparation has been identified to burn portions of Redwood Unit A, Redwood Unit B, and a control unit following treatments (Map 6). The prescriptions below are updated to reflect the treatment specifications included in the approved SERP

Lodge Road area predominantly burned at moderate-high to high severity and almost all hardwoods did not survive. Most second growth redwoods up to 12 inches in diameter did not survive and many more redwoods up to approximately 18 inches also did not survive. The understory response is tremendous with approximately 100% coverage of Ceanothus spp. in most places except for more open areas in Redwood Unit A growing less, larger trees per acre.

The implementation of the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project and broadcast burn unit presents opportunities

2. Lodge Road – Demonstration Project – FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, HAZ

to further develop connectivity through manual treatments that are not limited by slope, additional prescribed burn units, RS treatments, or implementing other field verified treatment areas (Map 15). The intent of implementing the first phase of treatments under the SERP is to demonstrate various prescriptions in a focused area and monitor them over time through the Sample, Treat, and Monitor (STM)9 process, therefore, the SERP does not include an expanded treatment area footprint. Opportunities for treatment area expansion should be considered during future park-wide permitting and implementation.

Treatments and prescriptions described in this section account for a first round of treatment, however, re-occurring treatments are encouraged to achieve management goals over time; site-specific treatment prescriptions may apply over time, but site conditions should be monitored to inform treatment maintenance intervals or to further develop prescriptions. The initial Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project treatments described in this section will be implemented under the existing SERP approved and filed in July 2024. The additional prescriptions outlined below in Redwood Unit C may be implemented under a new SERP, CAL FIRE Exemptions, Modified Timber Harvest Plan (MTHP), or Timber Harvest Plan (THP) when site conditions become suitable to implement the prescription. All maintenance treatments may be implemented under a CalVTP PSA, which may include an expanded footprint Once the CalVTP PSA expires following significant changes to environmental conditions, alternative permitting should be considered for maintenance treatments, such as a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land; refer to the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section to guide CEQA compliance.

Treatment Prescription

Redwood Unit A includes FHFR and FDR/LTR to occur simultaneously and prescribed broadcast burn, including necessary site preparation to occur as feasible following FHFR and FDR/LTR treatments (Table 7). HAZ treatments should occur as necessary. This prescription will be implemented under the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project SERP. This prescription may be considered for expansion in the footprint of the original field verified ground at Lodge Road (Map 6).

9 An intent of the FMS is to Sample, Treat, and Monitor (STM) i.e., sample conditions prior to treatment in specific project areas and different forest types as projects are considered for implementation. The outcome is not only to sample and monitor pre and post treatments but to consider the accuracy of FTP information across different forest types from the prioritized recommendations document. Lodge Road is the first recommended forest density reduction project to implement the STM methodology with a sampling intensity of 14.6% across 46.5 acres.

Redwood Unit B includes FDR/LTR and prescribed broadcast burn, including necessary site preparation to occur as feasible following FDR/LTR treatments (Table 8). HAZ treatments should be conducted as necessary. This prescription will be implemented under the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project SERP. This prescription may be considered for expansion in the footprint of the original field verified ground at Lodge Road (Map 6).

Table 7: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Lodge Road Demonstration Project – Redwood Unit A

Table 8: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Lodge Road Demonstration Project – Redwood Unit B

Hardwood Unit includes HAZ and FHFR (Table 9)

Table 9: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Lodge Road Demonstration Project – Hardwood Unit

Control Unit is the control and will only include prescribed broadcast burn, including necessary site preparation, and any necessary HAZ treatments (Table 10).

Table 10: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Lodge Road Demonstration Project – Control Unit

Redwood Unit C includes FHFR and FDR/LTR (Table 11). This prescription may be considered for future implementation or once growth rates in redwoods greater than 30” begin to slow, which may be determined by in-field dendrochronological analysis via use of a increment corer; see the Lodge Road Radial Tree Core section for more information. Implementation of this prescription may occur in locations that overlap with units or prescriptions implemented under the SERP and does not have a specific unit delineated at this time.

As mentioned above, the described FHFR, FDR/LTR, and HAZ in Redwood Unit A, Redwood Unit B, Hardwood Unit, and Control Unit is planned to be implemented under an approved SERP as part of the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project. Redwood Unit C treatments may be

Table 11: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Lodge Road Demonstration Project – Redwood Unit C

permitted through a CalVTP PSA, SERP, CAL FIRE Exemption, MTHP, or THP in the future; refer to the Project Permit Implementation Strategy section for information regarding permit limitations.

Justification

The treatments described above for the Lodge Road Demonstration Project, also called the Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Project, are designed to demonstrate the implementation of various restorative forest health treatments to increase habitat quality and connectivity to existing habitat for marbled murrelet and other native species by promoting growth in larger trees to develop late-seral redwood forest structure and improve future resilience to wildfire. Proposed treatments will provide the environmental benefits of habitat improvement, wildfire resilience, and improved forest conditions through planned forest density reductions, understory treatments, and prescribed burning. These treatments will develop habitat conditions that support marbled murrelets in the canopy of conifers within the project area, as well as heterogeneous forest structure and understory conditions to support habitat for other native plant and animal species. The resulting stand will develop late seral characteristics more quickly than if left untreated. Treatments will result in increased wildfire resilience, while increasing connectivity to other late seral and old growth forest stands.

Most of this stand experienced high severity fire due to understory and canopy connectivity Treatments are intended to reduce competition for resources and promote the growth of larger redwoods and improve forest health in a second growth redwood stand post CZU Fire. Post-fire conditions have increased understory fuel loads that may increase future burn intensity around redwood groves, which is common throughout the burn area. As supported by the BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP Forest Trend Plot data trends, larger diameter trees have lower mortality rates across all severities compared to trees less than 12-inches diameter at breast height (DBH), which have high mortality rates, especially in the higher burn severities and where dense concentrations of smaller and medium size trees mostly likely increased burn severity (Appendix F). Generally, promoting the growth of larger trees over time will ultimately increase the connectivity of late seral characteristics and potentially suitable habitat for native species across the landscape The Lodge Road forest stand presents an opportunity to increase the connectivity of old growth characteristics, given the project’s proximity to forest stands that exhibit these characteristics.

The project area was harvested near the turn of the 20th century and is generally dense, has direct access from Lodge Road and has several existing skid trails that can be used in the unit interior. These factors greatly influenced high ranking Criteria scores for the overlapping subwatersheds. This unit does not have current

public access but is being considered as a future site of walk-in primitive camping under the Facilities Management Plan and provides an excellent opportunity to monitor redwood forest response to such treatments. Additionally, the project area has a history of prescribed broadcast burning, which were ignited by State Parks in 1981 and 1986.

Lodge Road consists of two main subwatersheds, each with an existing FTP as part of the BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP dataset, that were scoped during the park-wide field analysis. In addition, 39 FTP’s were installed throughout the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project units as part of the Sample, Treat, and Monitor (STM) process to evaluate forest trends throughout the treatment process.

By introducing various forms of active management in BBRSP, this project can demonstrate the importance of FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, HAZ, RS treatments in second growth redwood forest types and display the benefits and purpose of sustainable forestry practices in a restoration setting, such as State Parks in the Santa Cruz District.

Table 12: Concepts & Principles, FMS Goals, and Climate Adaptation Strategies Supported by the Priority Treatments Located in the Sky Meadow Unit.

Treatment Explanation

Approximately 82.5 acres have been field verified and are delineated for treatment in this unit (Map 7). Treatments should include a combination of HAZ, FHFR, pile and burn and/or broadcast burning. HAZ treatments should prioritize areas that are slated for campsites or adjacent recreational use areas under the Reimagining Big Basin and Facilities Management Plan efforts. Understory FHFR treatments should occur routinely and in proximity to existing and future infrastructure. Prescribed burning methods should be conducted in combination with the FHFR and HAZ treatments described above.

Sky Meadow predominantly burned at high severity with very high tree mortality for most hardwoods, redwoods up to 12 inches including many more redwoods up to 18 inches DBH. Most redwoods, including old growth, experienced complete crown consumption with crown regeneration fully underway through bole sprouting on the tree. Many very large dead limbs are positioned in areas where it is expected that campsites may be developed. Understory regeneration is most extensive in areas of highest severity with some grassy areas experiencing less shrub regeneration.

Treatments and prescriptions described in this section account for a first round of treatment, however, re-occurring treatments are encouraged to achieve management goals over time; site specific treatment prescriptions may apply over time, but site conditions should be monitored to inform treatment maintenance intervals or to further develop prescriptions. The initial Sky Meadow treatments described in this section, as well as its maintenance treatments, may be

3. Sky Meadow – FHFR, PF, HAZ

implemented under a CalVTP PSA. Once the CalVTP PSA expires following significant changes to environmental conditions, alternative permitting should be considered for maintenance treatments, such as a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land; refer to the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section to guide CEQA compliance.

Treatment Prescription

Table 13: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Sky Meadow Unit

Justification

The Sky Meadow treatment area occupies Sky Meadow and Huckleberry Campgrounds, which are likely to be re-established as recreational areas and/or staff residencies following the CZU Fire. There are a significant number of hazardous trees and limbs located in the Sky Meadow portion of the unit that need to be treated prior to establishing recreational sites. Routine FHFR treatments will promote a more resilient forest by promoting forest health through the reduction of competition and ladder fuels, ultimately reducing fuel loads for greater infrastructure protection. Additionally, this unit is topographically significant as it is a large flat, central area with access to several key ridgelines that can be used as initial attack points for future wildfire management or used as an active fuel break. Continued treatments are encouraged to promote long term forest health fuel reduction areas.

4.

Table 14: Concepts & Principles, FMS Goals, and Climate Adaptation Strategies Supported by the Priority Treatments Located in the Little Basin Campground & Western Little Basin Unit.

Treatment Explanation

Since the time this project was introduced in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report, approximately 216.7 acres of expansion units have been field verified in addition to the original 89.6 acres of the Little Basin Campground and Western Little Basin units, creating a total field verified unit footprint of 306.4 acres (Map 8). The purpose of adding expansion unit acreage to this priority unit is to increase treatment connectivity by identifying strategic areas that are appropriate for additional management actions, such as various mechanical treatments outlined in the Forest Management Actions section. Proposed treatments include FDR/LTR, FHFR, HAZ, and pile and burning in predominantly second growth redwood and oak woodlands. The post-fire campground closure has created an opportunity to conduct FDR/LTR treatments in proximity to existing campground infrastructure in combination with FHFR. HAZ treatments should prioritize areas that are slated for campsites or adjacent recreational use areas under the Reimagining Big Basin and Facilities Management Plan efforts and should continue overtime, as needed.

This treatment unit is made up predominantly of second growth redwoods in the flats near the previous camping facility. As the treatment units extend out from the flat areas, the vegetation type transitions into a mix of Douglas-fir and hardwoods. Burn severity was moderate-high in the more open areas and high through the vegetation transition areas. Most second growth redwoods up to 12 inches in DBH along with many redwoods up to 18 inches DBH did not survive. Some larger hardwoods survived in the main camping areas, but many hardwoods experienced significant mortality outside of this area and most Douglas-fir trees also did not survive. There are many dead limbs on redwood trees proximal to areas best suited for camp re-development that will require treatment. Regeneration of shrubs are

Little Basin Campground & Western Little Basin – FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, HAZ

less in the flat areas and increase to 80-100% in the vegetation transition zones up slope.

Treatments and prescriptions described in this section account for a first round of treatment, however, re-occurring treatments are encouraged to achieve management goals over time; site specific treatment prescriptions may apply over time, but site conditions should be monitored to inform treatment maintenance intervals or to further development prescriptions. The initial Little Basin Campground and Western Little Basin treatments described in this section may be implemented under various CEQA compliant documents. The initial FDR/LTR treatments are most suitable for a SERP or CAL FIRE Exemption, whereas all other initial and maintenance treatments may be implemented under a CalVTP PSA. Once the CalVTP PSA expires following significant changes to environmental conditions, alternative permitting should be considered for maintenance treatments, such as a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land; refer to the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section to guide CEQA compliance and compare alternatives.

Justification

The Little Basin Campground unit is likely to be re-established as a recreational area following the CZU Fire. The Western Little Basin Unit was designed to create continuity and increase the scale of treatments. Post-fire campground closures have

Treatment Prescription

Table 15: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Little Basin Campground & Western Little Basin Unit

created an opportunity to conduct FDR/LTR treatments in Little Basin Campground that will promote the growth of the residual redwood stands and increase fire resilience around the campground. FHFR treatments are intended to reduce competition in the understory while promoting biodiversity and increase fire resilience by reducing horizontal and vertical fuel loads. Contiguous treatment areas further reduce the risk of extreme fire behavior during future wildfires and increase infrastructure protection. There are several hazardous trees and limbs located in the Little Basin Campground unit that need to be treated prior to establishing recreational sites. Prior to the re-establishment of the Little Basin Campground, a combination of the treatments described above should be implemented to effectively use the opportunity of accessibility to promote a healthier and more resilient forest stand.

This priority unit proposes the use of various mechanical FDR/LTR management techniques, including ground-based, skyline cable yarding, and aerial operations, to limit disturbance in locations where landscape conditions are less suitable for ground-based mechanized treatments. Demonstrating the implementation of skyline cable yarding or aerial operations supports the increase of landscape connectivity, ultimately promoting biological diversity and resilience on a larger footprint. In addition, these demonstrations will present opportunities for State Parks to expand forestland management to areas that are inaccessible to groundbased operations, resulting in more opportunities to create linkages between critical state park habitat types.

5. Upper China Grade & North Escape – FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, HAZ

Table 16: Concepts & Principles, FMS Goals, and Climate Adaptation Strategies Supported by the Priority Treatments Located in the Upper China Grade & North Escape Unit.

Treatment Explanation

The Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report originally introduced this project as the “Johansen, Upper China Grade, & North Escape Unit”, which spanned approximately 165.8 acres. Since its conception, the Johansen Unit has been reevaluated and opportunities for expansion have been identified; the Johansen Unit will be re-introduced below as the Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road Unit.

Now labeled the Upper China Grade and North Escape Route Units, this treatment unit includes approximately 78.9 of field verified ground (Map 9). Treatments should include FHFR and HAZ along the property boundary, upper ridges of the major watersheds, and interior ridgeline (North Escape Route Unit) in these second growth redwood and oak woodland stands. FHFR treatments should focus on establishing and maintaining a shaded fuel break that can be used in PF treatments and the ability to manage wildfire. HAZ treatments should be implemented within 50 feet of the road edge.

This treatment unit meanders through second growth redwood and mixed stands of Douglas-fir and hardwoods on and off the ridge. The area burned with moderatehigh and high severity. Most trees less than 12 inches DBH did not survive and many redwoods up to 18 inches DBH also did not survive in high severity zones. Most hardwoods and Douglas-fir did not survive. In Douglas-fir and hardwood areas where the forest floor is exposed to significantly more sunlight are vigorously resprouting with a variety of different shrubs.

Treatments and prescriptions described in this section account for a first round of treatment, however, re-occurring treatments are encouraged to achieve management goals over time; site specific treatment prescriptions may apply over time, but site conditions should be monitored to inform treatment maintenance intervals or to further develop prescriptions. The initial Upper China Grade and

North Escape Route treatments described in this section, as well as its maintenance treatments, may be implemented under a CalVTP PSA. Once the CalVTP PSA expires following significant changes to environmental conditions, alternative permitting should be considered for maintenance treatments, such as a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land; refer to the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section to guide CEQA compliance.

Treatment Prescription

Table 17: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Upper China Grade & North Escape Unit

Justification

The Upper China Grade and North Escape Route treatment areas are comprised of the upper ridge of the East Waddell watershed that constitutes the northern-most boundary of BBRSP when combined with the Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road Unit, which is the sixth priority treatment unit discussed below. Since this ridgeline nearly comprises the northern portion of BBRSP, it is a significant location that presents an opportunity to establish a shaded fuel break that can be used in PF vegetation management treatments as well as the ability to manage wildfire. The implementation of FHFR and HAZ treatments will reduce fuel continuity, density, and, subsequently, competition, ultimately promoting the growth of larger trees and developing a more resilient residual forest stand. This treatment area is also near other OGRW stands and establishing FDR/LTR treatments increases the landscape connectivity of OGRW stands nearby.

Table 18: Concepts & Principles, FMS Goals, and Climate Adaptation Strategies Supported by the Priority Treatments Located in the

Treatment Explanation

The original Johansen Unit was introduced in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Finding Report as part of the Upper China Grade and North Escape treatment Units, however, it has since been re-evaluated and areas have been identified for expansion through the implementation of various management actions.

Approximately 804.5 acres total comprise the Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road Unit, where approximately 86.8 acres constituted the original Johansen Unit (Map 10). The purpose of adding expansion unit acreage to this priority unit is to increase treatment connectivity by identifying strategic areas that are appropriate for additional management actions, such as various mechanical treatments outlined in the Forest Management Actions section. Treatments throughout the unit would include FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, and HAZ, all of which may be implemented through various overstory mechanical and manual treatments. The intent of implementing various management actions is to establish definitive treatment connectivity and demonstrate a mosaic of implementation techniques that all contribute to ecological restoration and promote biodiversity, large tree growth, and latesuccessional characteristics in second growth redwood. The Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road Unit is delineated into three management actions based on the accessibility for treatments and conditions of the forested landscape (Map 10).

6. Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road – FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, RS, HAZ

Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road Unit.

The upper portions of this unit along Johansen Road share very similar conditions as the Upper China Grade and North Escape Route treatment areas. Interestingly, the Upper Gazos Creek Road area predominantly burned at low and moderate severities and has a history of second growth redwood management under previous ownership in addition to prescribed fire application by State Parks in recent years. Whether this is relative to how the CZU Fire ignition points received weather and pushed the fire through this area or how other factors combined with the history of treatments, the area burned in a manner less intense generating positive disturbance results. Most trees up to and between 6–10-inches DBH, most hardwoods and many Douglas-fir under 18 inches DBH did not survive, but generally lower mortality rates were observed in respect to the rest of BBRSP. Understory regeneration of shrub species is lower where tree crowns were not consumed. This treatment area presents great opportunity for continued Sample, Treat, and Monitor (STM) process to determine how the different styles of management may have produced more resilient results in the CZU Fire.

Treatments and prescriptions described in this section account for a first round of treatment, however, re-occurring treatments are encouraged to achieve management goals over time; site specific treatment prescriptions may apply over time, but site conditions should be monitored to inform treatment maintenance intervals or to further develop prescriptions. The initial Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road treatments described in this section may be implemented under various CEQA compliant documents. The initial FDR/LTR treatments are most suitable for a SERP or CAL FIRE Exemption, whereas all other initial and maintenance treatments may be implemented under a CalVTP PSA. Once the CalVTP PSA expires following significant changes to environmental conditions, alternative permitting should be considered for maintenance treatments, such as a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land; refer to the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section to guide CEQA compliance and compare alternatives.

Treatment Prescription

Table 19: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road Unit

Justification

The Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road Unit is comprised of the upper ridge of the West Waddell watershed that, when combined with Upper China Grade and North Escape Route treatment areas, constitutes the northern-most boundary of BBRSP. The strategic placement of these treatment units greatly increases landscape-level continuity for treatments within BBRSP and to adjacent managed forestlands.

Prior to the acquisition of this forested land by State Parks, it was owned by the Gazos Creek Tree Farm. Under this ownership, various single-tree selection timber harvest rotations occurred in the mid-late 1900’s, resulting in a multi-aged stand structure. The existing stand structure presents opportunities to promote the growth and development of large trees and future late seral characteristics in redwoods and expand connectivity to existing old growth stands.

Under previous ownership, the entire expansion unit was managed via the use of ground-based equipment. This priority unit proposes the use of various mechanical FDR/LTR management techniques, including ground-based, skyline cable yarding, and aerial operations, to limit disturbance in locations where landscape conditions are less suitable for ground-based mechanized treatments. Demonstrating the implementation of skyline cable yarding or aerial operations supports the increase of landscape connectivity, ultimately promoting biological diversity and resilience on a larger footprint. In addition, these demonstrations will present opportunities for State Parks to expand forestland management to areas that are inaccessible to ground-based operations, resulting in more opportunities to create linkages between critical state park habitat types.

Año Nuevo State Park

The prioritized ANSP treatment areas below are specific to the forested areas of the property where assessments occurred (Map 11). The non-forested areas of ANSP are under a separate assessment conducted by Dr. Rob Cuthrell. Dr. Cuthrell’s work will result in nonforested management strategies that will likely hold priority for treatment in ANSP. The forested treatment areas could be considered in conjunction with non-forested recommendations and permitting and should be considered for their beneficial impacts to biodiversity and forest health.

Map 11 – Overview of the ANSP Prioritized Treatment Units (Map Not To Scale)

Table 20: Concepts & Principles, FMS Goals, and Climate Adaptation Strategies Supported by the Priority Treatments Located in the Chalks

Treatment Explanation

Approximately 22.6 acres are delineated for treatment in this unit (Map 12). Treatments should include a combination of FHFR, HAZ, and pile and burn or broadcast burning. FHFR and HAZ treatments should be focused on reducing dead Douglas-fir and shrub encroachment on the forest edge. This area burned very hot and experienced almost 100% tress stem mortality in most places. Since there is high mortality and predominantly all tree crowns were consumed, the understory regeneration is responding at its highest potential levels. Additionally, FHFR and HAZ should be implemented along roads and within the interior unit to reduce understory shrubs and remove dead biomass.

Treatments and prescriptions described in this section account for a first round of treatment, however, re-occurring treatments are encouraged to achieve management goals over time; site specific treatment prescriptions may apply over time, but site conditions should be monitored to inform treatment maintenance intervals or to further development prescriptions. The initial Chalks Mountain Fire Road treatments described in this section, as well as its maintenance treatments, may be implemented under a CalVTP PSA. Once the CalVTP PSA expires following significant changes to environmental conditions, alternative permitting should be considered for maintenance treatments, such as a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land; refer to the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section to guide CEQA compliance.

Treatment Prescription

Table 21: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Chalks Fire Road Unit

1. Chalks Mountain Fire Road – Grassland Restoration – FHFR, PF, HAZ

Mountain Fire Road Unit

Justification

The 1941 aerial imagery in Figure 2 portrays that the delineated treatment area, outlined in green, was comprised predominantly of grassland and shrubland. Since 1941, the treatment area has been overtaken by Douglas-fir that experienced high burn severities during the CZU Fire, leaving behind a dead-standing Douglas-fir forest and a dense understory of Ceanothus spp. Grassland ecosystems are decreasing in size and population from encroachment of shrub and conifer species, like Douglas-fir.

Douglas-fir trees of any size are less resilient to wildfire than redwoods, as can be interpreted from the FTP Live and Dead TPA in the Douglas-fir (DF) forest type, exhibiting approximately 100% mortality (Figure 3).

Restoring this area to its historic grassland would reduce a significant fuel load, increase biodiversity, and promote a species composition that is

Figure 2: 1941 Aerial Imagery (left) and 2009 Aerial Imagery (right) of Chalks Mountain Fire Road Treatment Area (Green)

Figure 3: Live and Dead TPA in DF on Upper Slopes with Higher Burn Severities–Conditions that Best Represent the Chalks Mountain Fire Road Treatment Areas

more resilient to wildfire, ultimately lowering the risk of carrying extreme fire behavior into neighboring forest stands.

Due to the severity of the fire in this treatment area, there is high mortality and, subsequently, a large quantity of biomass that should be removed. This removal can be costly and alternative methods of biomass processing should be considered to treat this area effectively and efficiently.

2. Old Woman’s Creek Ridge – FHFR, PF, HAZ

Table 22: Concepts & Principles, FMS Goals, and Climate Adaptation Strategies Supported by the Priority Treatments Located in the Old Woman’s Creek Ridge Unit.

Treatment Explanation

Approximately 57.9 acres are delineated for treatment in this unit (Map 13).

Treatments should include understory FHFR and HAZ that focuses on the removal of dead standing trees and reduces the understory fuel load. Pile burning should be considered as a tool to process biomass.

A high degree of tree mortality occurred in the forested stands east of Highway 1 on ANSP. Live trees in this area are predominately comprised of large oaks on the edge of the forestland that have grasslands nearby where fire severity was lower and coastal redwoods in drainages towards the east. The ridgeline contains a high proportion of mortality with incredible understory regeneration that either is or will be almost impossible to walk through in a few years.

Treatments described in this section account for a first round of treatment, however, re-occurring treatments are encouraged to achieve management goals over time; site specific treatment prescriptions may apply over time, but site conditions should be monitored to inform treatment maintenance intervals or to further development prescriptions. The initial Old Woman’s Creek Ridge treatments described in this section, as well as its maintenance treatments, may be implemented under a CalVTP PSA. Once the CalVTP PSA expires following significant changes to environmental conditions, alternative permitting should be considered for maintenance treatments, such as a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land; refer to the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section to guide CEQA compliance.

Treatment Prescription

Table 23: Site-Specific Priority Treatment Prescription for the Old Woman’s Creek Ridge Unit

Justification

The Old Women’s Creek Ridge is a forested ridgeline that connects Old Woman’s Creek Road to the eastern ANSP property boundary. Reducing the fuels along this ridge can establish a strategic location to potentially stop or slow future wildfire. In addition, implementation and maintenance of a shaded fuel break can create an opportunity to establish prescribed burn plots within the forested areas of ANSP. The reduction of fuels along the ridgeline will reduce competition, increase understory biodiversity, and promote a more resilient forest through the growth of larger diameter trees, ultimately creating an opportunity for landscape level continuity and future projects that can increase landscape connectivity of forestlands within ANSP, BBRSP, and BSP. The value of forest health fuel reduction treatments multiplies with greater connectivity to other managed lands.

ANSP has minimal forested ground suitable for FHFR treatments, although, forest conditions often exhibited conditions that were likely to exacerbate extreme fire conditions. Implementing treatments along this ridgeline creates more opportunity for further management beyond the ridgeline and ultimately lowers the risk of extreme fire behavior that could decimate the forested stands on both the northern and southern sides of the ridge.

Butano State Park

1. Approved CalVTP PSA/Addendum – FHFR, PF, HAZ

Generally, BSP experienced high severity fire where land was most exposed to the weather i.e., ridges and upper watersheds. In many cases, BSP burned at low to moderate severity where professional observations considered the level of consumption from the fire to be low. Tree mortality levels for all stems up to 6 inches DBH was still approximately 100% but varied quite a bit more for stems up to 12 inches DBH in low to moderate severities. In most cases, larger diameter trees were much less affected than in BSP except for the ridges and upper watersheds where mortality was very high

A CalVTP PSA/Addendum has been developed by the San Mateo Resource Conservation District, in which State Parks acts as the Lead Agency. The Butano State Park Forest Health Project PSA/Addendum10 was approved in the Fall of 2022 and does not expire until conditions change substantially. This PSA/Addendum is companioned with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District’s Forest Health and Fire Resilience Public Works Plan that provides a programmatic mechanism for Coastal Act compliance. This will require PSA/Addendum renewal through the California Coastal Commission on July 7, 2031, as outlined in the Special Conditions of the Notice of Impending Development11 .

The CalVTP PSA/Addendum is a CEQA process that has permitted a total of 2,103.6 acres, including designated mechanical treatment units, manual treatment units, and prescribed burn units (Map 14). The PSA/Addendum was developed following the CZU Fire to capture the post-fire conditions and design treatments to improve forest health and increase resilience to future wildfires.

Approximately 432.6 acres designated prioritized treatment units are established under a CAL FIRE CCI FHG in partnership with the San Mateo Resource Conservation District to be treated between 2022 and 2024 (Map 14).

10 The full approved Project Specific Analysis and Addendum to the CalVTP PEIR – Butano State Park Forest Health Project can be accessed online for reference.

11 The BSP Forest Health Project NOID Summary of Staff Recommendation developed by the California Coastal Commission Staff can be accessed online for reference.

It is recommended that State Parks continue to employ the approved PSA/Addendum treatment areas and associated treatment specifications outlined within the PSA/Addendum as funding becomes available. Prioritizing future treatment areas should consider the subwatershed RPL scores presented in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report that resulted from field investigations and the Investigation and Results & Discussion section from the FMS (Appendix F)

The FTP and RPL analyses were conducted concurrently with the development of treatment areas for BSP under the CalVTP PSA/Addendum treatment areas and provides a snapshot in time of post-fire conditions across the property and various forest types. The FTP and RPL analyses captured forest conditions that will continue to evolve as the forest stands continue through the various stages of post-fire succession and the dataset holds a high value for similar forest types across the CZU Fire footprint. Additional FTPs can be installed or existing FTPs can be revisited prior to and following treatments being implemented to further capture the forest’s succession overtime.

Map 14 – Overview of the Butano State Park Forest Health Project PSA/Addendum Treatment Areas. (Map Not To Scale)

General Treatments

This section outlines various general treatments that may occur throughout the forested areas of BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP.

Additional Field Verified Treatment Units

Treatment unit development utilizing the GIS analysis, RPL assessments, and field verification methodology described above resulted in an additional set of treatment areas accessible for ground-based mechanized treatments or manual treatments. The field verified treatment areas that are not included in the prioritized treatments total approximately 570.9 acres in BBRSP and are suitable for various prescriptions. Prior to project implementation, it is recommended that the treatment units are revisited to adjust the delineated project area and further develop site-specific treatment prescriptions as conditions change over time; opportunities for treatment area expansion should also be considered prior to implementation. Table 24 below briefly introduces the field verified treatment units and provides a foundation for appropriate treatment prescriptions (Map 15); the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section will guide which CEQA compliant documents may apply to the treatment units outlined below and includes discussion on initial and maintenance treatment coverage.

Following Map 15 below, Map 16 provides a 3-dimensional perspective of the priority treatment units, priority expansion units, and the additional field verified treatment units; when combined, the various treatment units create a continuous linkage of managed forestland on operable ground from BBRSP’s eastern property boundary to the northwestern property boundary. The application of prescribed fire can further increase the landscape-level connectivity, as described and depicted in the Prescribed Burn Units section.

Table 24: Additional Field Verified Treatment Areas Accessible for Ground-Based Equipment

Prescribed Burn Units

The BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP properties provide various opportunities to conduct prescribed burn treatments throughout the parks, including broadcast burning and pile and burn treatments. Prescribed burn treatments may be implemented as initial or maintenance treatments under various CEQA compliant pathways, as described in the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section. Table 25 outlines the broadcast burn units delineated within each park.

In July of 2023, State Parks Burn Boss and Senior Environmental Scientist, Tim Hyland, and ARC Forestry delineated approximately 10,036.2 acres of potential burn units throughout BBRSP and 342.9 acres in the forested area of ANSP. Burn unit development considerations included, but were not limited to unit and subunit acreage, existing control lines, potential for intermediate control lines, and proximity to inholdings. Burn unit sequencing is suggested to occur in a manner that prioritizes burning next to previously burned units; it is important to note that sequencing is not identified within the FMS and will be dependent on State Park’s determination of units that have conditions suitable for burning, State Parks resource availability, or other factors. Implementing prescribed fire has been and ongoing management tool in the parks over the years, most recently, in the spring-summer 2024 State Parks burned BBRSP Burn Unit 01 under an existing approved Vegetation Management Plan (Map 17)

Although one burn unit is delineated in the forested area of ANSP, it is not a high priority unit due to the lack of connectivity to other burn units. Aforementioned, management recommendations for the non-forested areas of ANSP will be included in Dr. Cuthrell’s report, including discussion on additional opportunities for prescribed burning throughout the non-forested areas of the park.

BSP has three burn units spanning over approximately 1,793.9 acres that are approved for implementation under the Butano State Park Forest Health Project PSA/Addendum and associated burn plans (Map 17).

It is assumed that burn unit boundaries may be adjusted or additional burn units may be developed over time based on updated forest and infrastructure conditions and updated or appended to the FMS.

Table 25: Prescribed Burn Unit Acreage Totals for BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP

Roadside Treatments

Generally, roadside treatments include the use of mechanized excavator-style equipment with a masticating boom attachment that can reach and masticate roadside vegetation and shrubs. Roadside treatments may occur, as feasible, along any existing permanent roads, fire roads, or seasonal roads throughout BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP at State Park’s discretion, where retreatment may occur as needed The intent of conducting roadside treatments is to reduce the vegetation density and fuel loading along roads or trails to improve ingress and egress visibility, maintain access for emergency vehicles, and develop linkages between managed areas as feasible. Roadside treatments may be implemented as initial or maintenance treatments under various CEQA compliant pathways, as described in the California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways section.

For the purpose of this FMS, a standard methodology may be applied to the major road corridors throughout the parks at State Park’s discretion. The standard methodology for roadside treatment area development consists of a 20 to 25-foot buffer from the outside edge of the road, where the distance from the edge of the road may be increased in areas where ground is accessible to ground-based equipment and decreased in areas that present limitations to treating roadside vegetation, such as high cutbanks or steep cliffs and hills It should also be noted that roadside treatments conducted on through-cut roads may not be feasible, which may greatly reduce the distance of treatable ground from the road edge or may require manual work to increase connectivity of roadside treatments; thorough GIS analysis and field verification is encouraged to evaluate limitations to roadside treatments.

Variations in available equipment capable of conducting roadside mastication may reduce or expand the roadside treatment buffer. A 20-foot buffer may accommodate most equipment, however, there are various excavator-style machines capable of reaching well beyond 20-feet.

Manual Treatment Area Expansion

Manual treatments should be considered in areas where ground-based equipment is not feasible due to slope limitations. Generally, manual treatments should be considered for expansion where slopes reach approximately 35-65% or in areas that pose other limitations to equipment accessibility, such as areas with exposed rock, sensitive resources, or fencing infrastructure In manual treatment area expansion units on slopes 35-65%, vegetation may be lopped and scattered or carried back to slopes less than 35% to be masticated, chipped, piled and burned, or processed under some other Forest Management Action. It is important to consider the distance which manual treatment crews would be carrying material to a chipper or other biomass processing mechanisms; for instance, adverse slopes where crews would carry material upslope warrant a shorter distance from

operable ground, such as up to approximately 100 feet, and favorable slopes may warrant a longer distance from operable ground, such as up to approximately 150 feet.

Opportunities for manual treatment expansion are not delineated as part of the FMS but should be considered in detail during permitting and implementation processes to further increase the connectivity of treatments.

California Environmental Quality Act Compliance Pathways

The proposed ecologically restorative treatment prescriptions and forest management actions described above may be implemented by completing appropriate and applicable CEQA documents, permits, or exemptions. For the purpose of this FMS, various permitting pathways are described below that may be used to implement the proposed treatments dependent on project goals, prescriptions, and forest management actions.

Two sets of treatment standards and protocols were developed to comply with respective permitting mechanisms that may be used and incorporated into the project design, regulatory compliance, and implementation of the recommended actions above (Appendix D). The treatment standards were developed with respect to the following types of permitting mechanisms, the CalVTP PSA and CAL FIRE permits. The treatment standards may be used to guide standards for alternative CEQA compliant permitting mechanisms not addressed in the FMS.

Project Permit Implementation Strategy

This section outlines four CEQA compliant permitting mechanisms that can facilitate the implementation of the proposed ecologically restorative treatments, including the California Vegetation Treatment Program (CalVTP) Project Specific Analysis (PSA) – a Programmatic Environmental Impact Report approved in 2020 (PEIR), the array of CEQA equivalent CAL FIRE Permits such as a Timber Harvest Plan (THP), Modified Timber Harvest Plan (MTHP), or CAL FIRE exemptions, and other exemptions, such as Statutory Exemptions written into law or Categorical Exemptions from CEQA. The FMS highlights these four permit pathways due to their applicability to the site conditions and management goals. However, an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) or a Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) could be developed with the FMS as a basis that would require additional preparation, or the Vegetation Management Program (VMP) may be used to develop a plan for projects that focus on prescribed fire. Table 26 outlines the forest management actions, prescription categories, and details of the four permitting mechanisms described in this section of the FMS.

Information from the FMS may be used to provide support information for consideration of cumulative impacts and may also be used as needed for other permitting efforts. State Parks will immediately prepare two CalVTP PSA’s. One PSA will cover BBRSP outside the

Coastal Zone and one PSA will cover BBRSP and ANSP in the Coastal Zone. BSP already has an approved CalVTP PSA over its ownership. CalVTP PSA’s have considered cumulative impacts since they operate within the bounds of the Cal VTP PEIR.

Table 26: Overview of the Implementation Strategies and Limitations of the CEQA Compliant Documents Discussed in the FMS

California Vegetation Treatment Program Project Specific Analysis

The CalVTP is a statewide vegetation treatment program proposed by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Board of Forestry) in 2019 that was designed to streamline CEQA review of landscape-level forest health fuels reduction treatments in California and was developed in response to California’s wildfire crisis. The CalVTP12 functions under a Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR) that analyzes the potential for impacts related to the implementation of the treatment activities and treatment types defined in the PEIR for 20.3 million acres within California that are designated as “treatable landscape”.

To implement the CalVTP, a lead agency must complete a Project Specific Analysis (PSA) that is certified by the Board of Forestry. To qualify for certification, a PSA should implement all applicable Standard Project Requirements and Mitigation Measures and analyze the site-specific treatments and resources to ensure that all potential impacts are within the scope of the PEIR, meaning that the findings within the PSA are consistent with the findings of the PEIR. In a case where a project would result in at least one new impact that is either less than significant, less than significant with mitigation incorporated, or potentially significant and/or substantially more severe significant impact, the PSA would be subject to adopting additional CEQA compliance such as a negative declaration, mitigated negative declaration, or EIR respectively.

According to CEQA Section 21166 and CEQA Guidelines Sections 15162, 15163, 15164, and 15168, an Addendum to an EIR, including PEIRs, should be prepared when changes or revisions to the project are proposed, or when the circumstances surrounding the project have changed and would not result in any new or substantially more severe significant environmental impacts that were covered in the certified PEIR. For instance, the Butano State Park Forest Health Project – Project Specific Analysis and Addendum to the CalVTP PEIR (Butano PSA) was prepared in October 2022 and proposed the inclusion of areas outside of the CalVTP treatable landscape in vegetative and landscape conditions that are essentially the same or substantially similar to those within the treatable landscape to increase connectivity of ecologically restorative treatments.

Like CEQA, the PSA does not expire unless conditions significantly change in the project area. A PSA may be amended to include evaluation of the new conditions or in some cases, depending on the significance of the changed conditions, a memorandum, an amendment, or minor clarification may also be prepared An additional advantage of the CalVTP is that, similar to the Butano PSA, State Parks may be the lead agency for their PSA.

As depicted in Table 26 (page 78), a CalVTP PSA can be used to implement initial and maintenance treatment projects with FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, HAZ, and RS prescription

12 For additional information regarding the CalVTP, please visit the CalVTP Homepage and StoryMap.

categories that can be achieved through the following proposed management actions: broadcast burning, pile burning, herbicide, manual treatments, ground-based mechanical treatments, chipping, masticating, and air curtain burning. The CalVTP does not allow for the sale of wood products to offset project costs. The PSA should disclose any plans for State Parks to donate wood products, such as chips, mulch, or firewood and analyze the potential impacts of biomass leaving the project site.

Coastal Zone Considerations

The Coastal Act of 1976 shares similar goals to State Parks in its coastal areas and the Coastal Commission has supported project actions taken by State Parks in the coastal zone most recently with Quiroste Valley restoration work and the Butano State Park PSA. Following these two actions, the CalVTP PSA process has become a newer more streamlined process under the Coastal Act than obtaining a Coastal Development Permit (CDP) through the adoption of a Public Works Plan and Coastal Vegetation Treatment Standards through the Resource Conservation Districts acting as a special district.

Essentially, the CalVTP Standard Project Requirements coupled with additional and specific treatment information, called the Coastal Vegetation Treatment Standards (Coastal VTS) must identify, among other key coastal act impact questions, how a project will not impact, but restore, Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas (ESHA). This permit process takes close coordination with Coastal Commission Staff to prepare a Notice of Impending Development (NOID) under the Public Works Plan through the Resource Conservation District for the proposed project area to be heard before the Board. These approvals are effective for 10 years and may be extended as opposed to a one-year approval for a CDP. Most notably, if appropriate environmental documents are prepared ahead of time, from the start of coastal staff contact, NOID’s have been approved on average within six months, a notable accomplishment.

CAL FIRE Permits

As a precursor to information provided regarding the use of CAL FIRE permits for proposed projects, State Parks is exempt from the Forest Practice Rules but as they are not exempt from CEQA, may use the Forest Practice Rules and the variety of different permitting options as a permitting process to comply with CEQA.

Timber Harvest Plan

A Timber Harvest Plan (THP) is a CAL FIRE permitting mechanism to harvest timber and implement forest management actions on non-federal lands. The purpose of a THP is to provide the information necessary for CAL FIRE to determine whether the proposed timber operations conform to the Forest Practice Rules and to function as an implementable guide for timber operations.

THPs must comply with all applicable Forest Practice Rules (FPRs)13 and are subject to CEQA, therefore, they must thoroughly analyze potential environmental impacts. THPs were ruled a functional equivalent to an EIR due to the extent of environmental impact analysis and review that is required. The FPRs are a set of regulations developed by the Board of Forestry to implement the provisions of the 1973 Z’berg-Nejedly Forest Practice Act while maintaining consistency with other applicable laws, such as CEQA, the Porter Cologne Water Quality Act, and the California Endangered Species Act.

THP development and review is guided by several principles of forest management including, but not limited to, achieving a balance of productivity and sustainability, maintaining functional wildlife habitat, retaining or recruiting late and diverse seral stage habitat components, and maintaining genetic diversity and soil productivity.

A RPF is required to prepare a THP in conformance with the FPRs and guiding principles in a manner that incorporates clear, enforceable language for CAL FIRE Director review and Licensed Timber Operator implementation. The THP review process consists of a first review to confirm that the THP is complete and to distribute the document to all reviewing agencies, a Pre-Harvest Inspection that occurs onsite with the RPF and reviewing agencies, a public comment period, and revision period to incorporate final recommendations prior to submission to the CAL FIRE Director. Once the CAL FIRE Director approves the THP, the operations are subject to periodic inspections by CAL FIRE Unit Forest Practice Inspectors to ensure compliance with the approved THP and all laws and regulations14 . The approved THP is implementable for 5 years with the potential for two, 1-year extensions.

Table 26 (page 78) depicts that a THP can be used to implement initial treatment projects with FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, HAZ, and RS prescription categories that can be achieved through the following proposed management actions: broadcast burn, pile burn, herbicide, manual treatments, ground-based mechanical treatments, skyline cable yarding, aerial operations, chipping, mastication, air curtain burning, carbonizers, and the commercialization of wood products. Maintenance treatments may occur within the effective period of the approved document and extensions, however, maintenance treatments beyond the life of the THP may require additional CEQA coverage.

Modified Timber Harvest Plan for Fuel Hazard Reduction

A Modified Timber Harvest Plan may be used for Fuel Hazard Reduction (MTHP-FHR) and is a more restrictive form of a THP with additional limitations on how and where operations may occur per 14 CCR 1051.3 of the FPRs. MTHP-FHRs are intended to support the treatments that spatially rearrange surface and ladder fuels and thins stands to reduce stand densities and increase spacing, vertically and horizontally. The removal of co-

13 The 2024 California Forest Practice Rules are available online for reference.

14 Additional information regarding the Timber Harvesting Plan Review Process can be accessed online.

dominant and dominant overstory trees is not supported with the MTHP-FHR. Like a THP, the MTHP-FHR must conform to the FPRs, be prepared by an RPF, and undergo a similar review process, however, dependent on the scope of the project, the review process may provide more flexibility for the necessity of a Pre-Harvest Inspection.

Table 26 (page 78) depicts that a MTHP-FHR can be used to implement initial treatment projects with FHFR, FDR/LTR, PF, HAZ, and RS prescription categories that can be achieved through the following proposed management actions: broadcast burn, pile burn, herbicide, manual treatments, ground-based mechanical treatments, chipping, mastication, air curtain burning, carbonizers, and the commercialization of wood products. Site-specific FDR/LTR treatment prescriptions must be cognizant of the limitations set forth to deter the removal of dominant and co-dominant trees in the overstory. Maintenance treatments may occur within the effective period of the approved document, however, maintenance treatments beyond the life of the MTHP-FHR may require additional CEQA coverage.

Vegetation Management Program

The Vegetation Management Program (VMP) is a CAL FIRE cost-sharing program focused on the use of prescribed fire, with some mechanical means to cut, pile, or burn vegetation, to address resource management issues, such as wildland fire fuel hazards, within the State Responsibility Area (SRA); the VMP serves as a CEQA compliant pathway for implementing vegetation management through the use of prescribed fire (CAL FIRE, 2024 and Christopherson, 2020). The VMP originates from and is guided by the Chaparral Management Program EIR of 1981, which was derived from Senate Bill 1704 (Mattos, 2019).

To implement a project under the VMP, State Parks must conduct a site visit with CAL FIRE to determine the project’s feasibility, then complete a project application that is approved by CAL FIRE. The following scoping and consultations should be completed to comply with the VMP: environmental checklist, cost summary, burn plan, maps, California Natural Diversity Database check, Archaeological and Cultural Resources Record Check, letters to geographically affiliated tribes, Archaeological Addendum, notifications to the Regional Water Quality Control Board and CDFW, air quality permit and smoke management plan, soil surveys and erosion hazard rating, fire model runs, incident Action Plan, Project Go-NoGo Checklist, and RM-75 Prescribed Burning Standard Agreement with the landowner (McDaniel, 2019, Mattos, 2019, and Christopherson, 2020. Under the VMP, either state agency, State Parks or CAL FIRE, may sign on to being the Lead Agency that takes responsibility for the project. Once approved, the VMP is valid for 10 years.

In some cases, additional CEQA documentation may be required as determined by the Initial Study Checklist within the CEQA Guidelines that outlines alternative documentation pathways, such as a Categorical Exemption that is filed with a Notice of Exemption, Negative Declaration, Mitigated Negative Declaration, or an Environmental Impact Report.

Alternative permits that may achieve similar goals to the VMP on a smaller scale but do not require CEQA include LE-5 and LE-7 permits (Mattos, 2019 and Christopherson, 2020).

Exemptions

Dependent on the scope of a project, it may qualify for an exemption that dismisses some of the obligations of CEQA, through a Statutory or Categorical Exemption, or of the FPRs, through a CAL FIRE Exemption. Notice of Exemptions are often filed alongside Statutory, Categorical, and CAL FIRE Exemptions to enact a 35-day statute of limitations, or a law that defines a period of time that allows the possibility of legal challenge. Without filing a Notice of Exemption, a 180-day statute of limitations is applied to projects, creating a larger window for legal challenge to occur.

The types of treatment prescription categories, forest management actions, and initial or maintenance treatment projects that may be implemented vary by exemption. This section outlines and defines the three exemption types and highlights applicable pathways; please note that alternative exemptions exist within these exemption types and may be considered for use to implement the proposed projects.

Statutory Exemptions are written into statute to be excluded from CEQA consideration and are delineated in PRC 21080 et seq. Essentially, Statutory Exemptions are written into statute, or law, then further defined by PRC’s that outline the bounds of projects and activities that apply under different types of Statutory Exemptions. A project may use a Statutory Exemption as long as it applies to its definition, regardless of potential environmental impacts. The exemption only applies to CEQA and all other applicable state, local, or federal laws must be considered (Office of Historic Preservation, n.d.).

For example, State Parks may consider a Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects (SERP), among others, to facilitate restoration projects through California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) review in support of the Cutting the Green Tape (CGT) Program. As the lead agency, State Parks would determine that project qualifies for the criteria and definition of the SERP as written in PRC 21080.56 to begin the process (California Department of Fish and Wildlife, n.d.). The SERP process involves a formal consultation with CDFW, optional site visits or site visits upon request, document development, and a 60-day concurrence review period by CDFW. A SERP provides the opportunity to offset costs to fund other restoration projects. As of spring 2024, a SERP is being used to implement the Lodge Road Demonstration Project, or Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Project, in BBRSP that was a recommended prioritized project outlined in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Finds Report (Appendix F).

Categorical Exemptions consist of categories of projects that are considered to not have potential environmental impacts or substantial adverse impacts to historical resources. Categorical Exemptions are defined in the CEQA Guidelines 14 CCR Section 15300-15331, meaning they are defined in a set of regulations adopted by state agencies that complies and further defines the California Environmental Quality Act. To determine use of a Categorical Exemption, the lead agency is required to determine that the project will not have substantial adverse change to the significance of a historic resource (Office of Historic Preservation, n.d.)

For example, a Class 4 Categorical Exemption for minor alteration to the land is an applicable and common exemption for vegetation management that could facilitate some of the proposed initial treatment projects or could be applied to cover maintenance treatment projects. 14 CCR 15304 defines a Class 4 Categorical Exemption as minor alterations to the condition of the land, water, and/or vegetation, excluding the removal of healthy, mature, scenic trees except for forestry or agricultural purposes.

CAL FIRE Exemptions are defined in the FPRs 14 CCR 1038, meaning that they are defined in the regulations adopted by the Board of Forestry to comply with and further define the Forest Practice Act written in statute.

There are several CAL FIRE exemptions that may be appropriate for State Parks to consider for the implementation of forest management actions, including but not limited to the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption (14 CCR 1038.3), the Harvesting of Dead, Dying, Diseased Trees (14 CCR 1038(b)), and the Drought Mortality/ Substantially Damaged Timberland (14 CCR 1038(d)) exemptions. CAL FIRE exemptions provide the opportunity to offset costs to fund other restoration projects.

A Forest Fire Prevention Exemption was considered as a pathway to implement the Lodge Road Demonstration Project in which State Parks and ARC Forestry held consultations with CAL FIRE to determine if it was an appropriate and applicable pathway for the recently burned redwood forest. As a result of onsite consultation with CAL FIRE, ARC Forestry developed a project description and description of current site conditions to aid in CAL FIRE’s decision to use the Forest Fire Prevention Exemption, which received permission for use (Appendix H). CAL FIRE may also facilitate emergency notices, such as a Fuel Hazard Reduction emergency, as defined in 14 CCR 1052.

Cost Offset Projects

Most ecologically restorative treatments within this plan will generate a level of vegetation biomass and woody debris that will require management, processing, or removal. In some

cases, it may be feasible to offset the costs of a project by trading some materials for additional ecologically restorative treatments, while other options include chipping and spreading material on site, disposal at a green waste facility, and limited log dispersal on the landscape.

Opportunities considered in this FMS recognize the value for material such as chips, second growth redwood, and Douglas-fir, etc. in conjunction with the costs associated in performing the proposed restorative treatments. For certain restorative practices proposed in this FMS, an opportunity may be present for State Parks to offset a portion of project costs from utilization of this material, while accomplishing the goals and objectives outlined within the FMS. Any potential for value in biomass that is removed from the site as a byproduct of projects that restore ecological function will be reinvested into restoration treatments, such as by expanding treatment footprints or supporting additional restoration efforts within the park.

More information on the targeted approach for forest management practices for these projects is detailed within this FMS; however, State Parks would only be considering cost offset for the purpose of achieving the habitat and resilience benefits.

Ecological Restoration Treatments: Are the proposed Ecological Restoration Treatment Activities considered routine maintenance?

Design and implement Ecological Restoration Treatment Activities to be consistent with existing routine maintenance. Are the proposed Ecological Restoration Treatment Activities expected to offset costs for other restoration projects?

Does the proposed project qualify for a Categorical or Statutory Exemption from CEQA?

Is the proposed project within the scope of the CalVTP PEIR?

Submit a Categorical Exemption OR Statuatory Exemption AND File a Notice of Exemption.

Does the proposed project qualify for a CAL FIRE Exemption from the FPRs or a Statutory Exemption from CEQA?

Prepare a THP OR Prepare a MTHP-FHR

Submit a CAL FIRE Exemption OR Statutory Exemption AND File a Notice of Exemption.

Figure 4: Flowchart for CEQA Compliant Document Decision-making, Where Final Document Pathways Are Outlined in Orange

Prepare a project-specific CEQA document OR

Revise the project to be consistent with the CalVTP PEIR.

Prepare a CalVTP PSA

Field Investigations & Monitoring Methods

The purpose of the Field Investigations and Monitoring Methods effort was to conduct a site-specific investigation of BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP following the CZU. It establishes a detailed set of information on ecosystem baseline conditions and creates a datum from which ecologically restorative treatments can be monitored or adjusted through adaptive management15 . In addition, it provides the basis for proposing treatment prescriptions within prioritized treatments units.

The resulting analysis presented in this section corroborates the in-field observations that were collected by the field investigation crews comprised of 5 Registered Professional Foresters, 4 Assistant Foresters, and 3 Forestry Technicians over a 11-month period. Initial results and hypotheses in this section should continue to be tested through adaptive management strategies and greater sampling intensities in representative systems on State Park lands.

Forest Trend Plots

The landscape-level field investigation conducted for the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report, located in Appendix F, resulted in the analysis of 264 Forest Trend Plots (FTPs) located throughout BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP between August 24, 2021, and June 22, 2022, following the 2020 CZU Fire. FTPs are 1/5th acre fixed plots placed on a 500’ x 500’ grid with lines travelling north and east to implement a systematic random sampling method. One FTP for every 50-150 acre subwatershed could be placed at the intersections of the north and east grid lines. Field investigation crews used a Stand Examination form via Survey123 to guide data collection at each plot. Stand Examinations evaluated all trees greater than 1-inch DBH, not including post-fire regeneration that measured 1-inch DBH at the time of data collection, within the fixed radius plot boundary to determine the DBH, living status, and species of each tree and heights on at least every fourth tree. The Stand Examination form also captured an ocular estimate of understory fuel loading, as represented by the percent floor coverage of each time-lag category (i.e. 1-hour fuels, 10hour fuels, 100-hour fuels, and 1000-hour fuels), and a list of understory vegetation present.

FTPs are not equivalent in sampling intensity to a detailed forest inventory, however, they provide an opportunity to measure post-fire trends across broad forest types, gain additional value when they are remeasured overtime to track forest stand changes, and create a Sample, Treat, and Monitor (STM) system for the purposes of adaptive management that can investigate proposed treatments at greater intensities as they are

15 Adaptive management is a dynamic approach to decision making in which the effects of management treatments or decisions are monitored, assessed, and/or researched to inform modifications in ongoing management to ensure objectives are met and measure the effectiveness of management actions (Helms, 1998, Gunderson, 2008, and Cornell University, n.d.).

implemented as part of the FMS The Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project is the first recommended forest density reduction project to implement the STM methodology with a sampling intensity of 14.6% across approximately 46.5 acres.

Lodge Road Monitoring

This STM adaptive management approach is being employed at Lodge Road. This STM effort has completed the first sampling stage by installing 39 FTPs on a 250’ x 250’ grid that overlaid the footprint of the Lodge Road Demonstration Project and future prescribed burn unit to evaluate the validity of forest trend plot monitoring results. Plots were installed approximately 3 years after the 2020 CZU Fire between June 28, 2023, and July 14, 2023. This monitoring effort resulted in a ~14.6% sample of 34 plots within the approximately 46.5-acre project footprint and 5 additional plots located within the prescribed burn footprint (Map 18). Following treatments, the 39 FTPs are intended to be monitored and reanalyzed following the implementation of treatment prescriptions.

The Lodge Road FTP sampling effort used the basis of the Stand Examination form used for the original 264 FTPs, however, the form was updated to improve data collection efficiency and to account for questions specific to Lodge Road, such as location of the plot in relation to planned prescriptions and treatments.

Data Stratification

The purpose of this section is to briefly review and describe the data stratification methods implemented during data analysis of the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTP dataset that were originally introduced in detail in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report This stratification method was also employed for the Lodge Road dataset.

To model current post-fire stand data, data was processed using the U.S. Forest Service’s Forest Vegetation Simulator (FVS), a forest growth simulation model capable of producing current and projected outputs for tree volumes, biomass, forest density, fire effects, and other desired outputs. The assessments discussed in this report consider the effects of the CZU Fire on forest mortality by density and volume, with reference to mortality distributions by species

FTP data was collected in the eight major forest types described in the Forest Types section of the FMS: OGRW, RW II, RW III, CHRW, CHDF, DF, HW, and MP. For analysis purposes, the FTP datasets were further stratified by plot position on slope (Upper Slopes and Lower Slopes) and burn severity (Lower Burn Severities and Higher Burn Severities). Ultimately, the purpose of analyzing the plot information regarding its position on the slope is to broadly capture the differences in stand structures that influence TPA, diameter, ladder fuel connectivity, and tree mortality related to wildfire Six strata resulted from this stratification strategy: Group A (Lower Slopes, Lower Burn Severities), Group B (Lower Slopes, Higher Burn Severities), Group C (Upper Slopes, Lower Burn Severities), Group D (Upper Slopes, Higher Burn Severities), Group E (Lower Slopes, Unburned), Group F (Upper Slopes, Unburned) (Table 27).

Lodge Road Data Stratification

The Lodge Road FTP dataset was stratified in alignment with the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTPs with the purpose of maintaining data consistencies for analysis and comparison. Groups A through D from Table 27 were captured in the Lodge Road field investigation and occur predominantly in second growth redwood dominant forest types and hardwood entirely within the CZU Fire footprint. It should be noted that the dominant forest type within the Lodge Road FTP dataset occurred within RW III, and most plots were located on lower slopes with higher burn severities, or Group B (Table 28).

Table 27: Plot Stratification Breakdown by Forest Type for BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTPs

Investigation Results & Discussion

The purpose of the Investigation Results & Discussion section is to provide quantitative and qualitative support for restorative treatments in the FMS based on:

• A Summary of Key findings from the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Following the CZU Lightning Complex Fire

• Old growth mortality estimates resulting from the CZU Fire

• The Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration analysis

• Critical climate considerations, including evidence of fire patterns, wildfire frequency, forest type conversion and its relationship to solar radiation

• Carbon storage as a co-benefit to resilience developed through forest growth and forest structure

A Summary of Key Findings from the Prioritized Recommendations & Key Findings Following the CZU Lightning Complex

The Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report introduced a set of post-fire mortality trends that occurred within various forest types and burn severity stratifications, resulting from data analysis of the 264 FTPs. The key findings are as follows:

➢ Fewer trees per acre (TPA) and larger diameter trees suggest increased tree resilience to wildfire.

➢ High TPA in smaller diameter trees (less than or equal to 12-inches) suggest increased susceptibility to tree mortality, including tree mortality in a component of larger diameter trees.

➢ Higher severity burns experience increased tree mortality across all forest types and all diameters. These areas, among other burn severities, include a significant regenerative basal sprouting response from coastal coppice sprouting species.

As discussed within the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report, located in Appendix F, the summary of data trends provides a rationale for actively managing forests, which is that in the face of more frequent fires, there is a need to increase forest stands’ resilience to wildfire and reduce the risk of higher burn severities. To achieve increased stand resilience to wildfire, the post-fire mortality data in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report suggests that treatments need to be implemented that

Table 28: Plot Stratification Breakdown by Forest Type for Lodge Road FTPs

promote the growth of larger diameter trees, reduce forest stand densities, and reduce the connectivity of ladder fuels into overstory canopies.

Summary Discussion on Wildfire and Tree Stem Mortality

From the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report, Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8, display the live and dead trees per acre (TPA) to compare mortality trends by burn severity in each forest type in plots located on lower slopes. Group A (Lower Slopes, Lower Burn Severities) will be referred to as “Group A (Low S, Low B)” and Group B (Lower Slopes, Higher Burn Severities) will be referred to as “Group B (Low S, High B)”.

Dense understories, as represented by high TPA in the less than or equal to 12-inch DBH classes, experienced high percent mortality in both Group A (Low S, Low B) and Group B (Low S, High B), indicating that concentrations of high TPA appear more susceptible to high mortality rates regardless of burn severity, as demonstrated by the major forest types (Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8).

Group B (Low S, High B) plots have approximately 90-100% TPA mortality in the less than or equal to 12-inch diameter classes and approximately 50% TPA mortality in the 12-24-inch, diameter classes, including a component of large diameter trees above 24 inches, in all forest types, indicating that higher burn severities appear to have a greater effect on the TPA mortality of all diameter classes than lower burn severities (Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8). A decrease in stand resilience in Group B (Low S, High B) plots, as suggested by high mortality rates, suggest that higher burn severities may also increase a stand’s susceptibility to forest type conversion, especially in the face of more frequent wildfires – further supporting the need to reduce the risk of higher burn severities regardless of forest type.

Additionally, in higher burn severities, there is approximately 100% TPA mortality of trees less than or equal to 6 inches DBH, where there is the highest concentration of TPA (Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8). A high TPA of smaller diameter trees creates connectivity into the overstory canopies, contributing to higher TPA mortality rates across all diameters. Comparatively, where there are fewer TPA, as seen in the larger diameter classes, or greater than 18inches DBH, there is a lower TPA mortality rate, due to lack of connectivity across all diameters (Figures 5, 6, 7, and 8). These trends suggest there is a correlation between fewer TPA, larger diameter trees, and lower TPA mortality rates. Inversely, this trend suggests a correlation between more TPA, smaller diameter trees, and higher TPA mortality rates.

Figure 5: Comparison of mortality trends in the RW III Forest Type. Group A (above) and Group B (below). Green (Live), Red (Dead).

Figure 6: Comparison of mortality trends in the OGRW Forest Type. Group A (above) and Group B (below). Green (Live), Red (Dead).

Figure 7: Comparison of mortality trends in the CHRW Forest Type Group A (above) and Group B (below) depicting Green (Live) and Red (Dead) from FTP data collected within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP.

BBRSP, BSP, ANSP – Forest Management Strategy 94

8: Comparison of mortality trends in the HW Forest Type Group A (above) and Group B (below depicting Green (Live), Red (Dead) from FTP data collected within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP.

2024

Figure

Conclusion of the Summary of Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Following the CZU Lightning Complex

To achieve increased stand resilience to wildfire, the post-fire mortality data in this document suggests that treatments need to be implemented that promote the growth of larger diameter trees, reduce forest stand densities, and reduce the connectivity of ladder fuels into overstory canopies. Treatment activities should employ mechanized equipment, handwork, prescribed burning, and strategic and limited use of herbicide on invasive species.

The data summarized above was collected in 264 FTPs throughout BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP. Aforementioned, FTPs are not equivalent in sampling intensity to a detailed forest inventory, but they provide an opportunity to measure post-fire trends across broad forest types and gain additional value when they are remeasured overtime to track forest stand changes. The post-fire tree mortality data presented in this report corroborates the in-field observations that were collected by the field investigation crews comprised of 5 Registered Professional Foresters, 4 Assistant Foresters, and 3 Forestry Technicians over a 10-month period.

Professional observations and FTP data suggest that smaller diameter trees are most susceptible to fire-induced mortality suggesting that fires act as a natural process to reduce understory density, competition, and ladder fuel connectivity. It appears that the lack of frequent, low-severity fires and disturbance regimes has resulted in an accumulation of ladder fuels that carried fire into the canopies of larger diameter trees, increasing their susceptibility to post-fire damage and mortality in all forest types, including redwood dominated forests and the loss of valued old growth trees and marbled murrelet habitat. This suggests there is a need to reduce ladder fuels to increase stand resilience.

Additionally, reducing forest densities in mid-range diameter trees on previously clearcut park land will create greater spacing between overstory trees, further reducing fuel connectivity, and reduce competition, allocating more available resources to the retained larger trees and, subsequently, increasing annual growth of the larger trees. This kind of forest treatment will promote the growth of second growth redwood stands to develop old growth characteristics and increased landscape connectivity with existing old growthstands, increasing overall stand resilience to wildfire as supported by Save the Redwoods League in 2018, which suggests that restoration is needed to improve ecosystems services and encourage the next generation of old growth forests on public land (STRL, 2018).

The foresters conducting field investigations observed high accumulations of regenerative resprouting and understory shrubs, particularly Ceanothus spp.¸ that aggressively occupied available space and reached maximum heights of approximately 8 feet in some locations by June 2022. In areas of high mortality, dense accumulations of Ceanothus spp. and other shrubs paired with the forthcoming accumulation of downed dead standing trees

exacerbates the risk of extreme fire behavior by establishing the conditions to burn again at high intensity in the near future. “Wildfire can both promote and erode resilience to future disturbances in fire adapted ecosystems. Through a combination of past fire exclusion and climate change, fire patterns and successional trajectories are shifting with potentially negative consequences for forest resilience. In particular, high severity short interval reburns can lead to permanent transitions from forested to persistent nonforested ecosystems” (Steel et. al. 2021).

Although carbon is currently being stored in the dead standing trees, it will likely be released in the next fire due to the increased fuel loads that will continue to develop as a result of the CZU Fire. This event has created a continuity of fuels across vegetative canopies, establishing a cycle that promotes vegetation system succession where there are high mortality rates and increased carbon release. The inverse of this is that in a stand with fewer larger trees that are more resilient to wildfire, carbon would have a much higher likelihood of remaining stored. These observations bolster the need to promote the growth of larger trees through the reduction of understory density and mid-range diameter connectivity.

Subjecting forest stands to repeated high severity fires causes stands to convert to different vegetation types over time. Without a proactive forest management strategy, future extreme fire behavior in conjunction with changing climate patterns will pose a significant threat to old growth, large diameter forests, and their associated habitat, similar to the impacts giant sequoias are experiencing: “Between 2020 and 2021, three major fires, the SQF (Sequoia Kings Fire) Complex, the Windy Fire, and the KNP (King’s Canyon National Park) Complex, are estimated to have killed as many as 14,000 large giant sequoias, or 19 percent of all giant sequoias in their range” (Department of the Interior 2023).

Old

Growth Mortality Estimates Resulting from the CZU Fire

Old growth (OGRW) stands are present throughout the heart of BBRSP where old growth redwoods and Douglas-fir are top recreational attractions (Map 19). In these locations, OGRW stands sit along the gradual slopes at the base of the steep drainages and experienced a range of burn severities from the CZU Fire. Many OGRW stands in proximity to the former headquarters area burned at low to moderate severities, however, pockets of moderate-high to high burn severities were not uncommon in these OGRW areas. Higher burn severities in OGRW occurred where vegetation transitioned from one major forest type to another often from lower slopes to higher slopes, e.g. redwood to hardwood or redwood to Douglas-fir.

Map 19 – Map of the Old Growth and Canopy Heights Greater Than 180’ Throughout BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP. (Map Not To Scale)

To capture an overall estimate of post-fire mortality in old growth stands, all 35 OGRW FTP’s were analyzed for tree stem mortality together. This estimate analyzes mortality on trees greater than 40-inches in diameter, however, it should be noted that some second growth redwood trees may be represented in the greater than 40-inch diameter classes. In general, DBH classes were broken into three main groups: an overall group for greater than 40-inch DBH class, then a 40–80-inch DBH class, and a greater than 80-inch DBH class (Figures 9 and 10).

Figure 9 depicts the proportion of live (green) to dead (red) trees per acre by diameter class in all burned OGRW FTPs. The OGRW FTPs exhibit alignment with the aforementioned stand-level findings, in which the plots depict a high proportion of mortality in smaller diameter trees where concentrations of trees per acre are highest and demonstrate that some level of canopy connectivity between diameter classes appears to have increased the mortality of large diameter trees, including old growth trees.

Figure 10 exhibits approximately two distinct cohorts in the larger diameter classes, approximately 40-80-inches, and greater than approximately 80-inches, indicating that tree volume is predominantly allocated amongst the larger diameter classes.

Further analysis of the live and dead basal area, or cross-sectional area of a tree measured at DBH, of all burned OGRW plots suggests that the majority of living volume capable of storing significantly more carbon, a co-benefit of ecosystem management, than the rest of the stand is distributed predominantly among trees greater than 24-inches DBH, where it is greatest in the 50-inch or greater diameter classes.

The data summarized in Table 9 and Table 10 portrays the average OGRW tree stem mortality of diameters greater than 40-inches DBH drawn from 14 plots in lower burn severities and 21 plots in higher burn severities, similar to stratifications used in FTP’s Tree stems were considered dead if the above ground portion of the main stem exhibited cambial death, meaning there was no branch sprouting, bole sprouting, or live residual

Figure 9: Live and Dead TPA in all burned OGRW FTPs within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. Blue lines outline the 40-inch and 80-inch diameter classes.

Figure 10: Live and Dead BA in all burned OGRW FTPs within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. Blue lines outline the 40-inch and 80-inch diameter classes.

leaves or needles. At the time of the FTP field investigation, forest regeneration including the resprouting of limbs, tree boles, and basal sprouting on redwoods was well underway.

Table 29: TPA Mortality of Redwoods and Douglas-fir trees in OGRW FTPs in Lower Burn Severities

Table 30: TPA Mortality of Redwoods and Douglas-fir trees in OGRW FTPs in Higher Burn Severities

Trend data suggests that high fire severity, slope position, and ladder fuel connectivity caused increased mortality in OGRW.

The Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Analysis

The Lodge Road area burned at moderate high to high severity throughout the stand with complete crown consumption of most redwood canopy except one area that was more open with larger trees. The hardwood stands experienced predominately 100% tree stem mortality and the entire area is vigorously sprouting with ceanothus, hardwoods and redwood regeneration.

The understory is becoming so thick in this regenerative phase that currently, most traversing is done by pushing hard through the understory, crawling over the top of it, or

on hands and knees under it The regenerative crown sprouting of redwood appears healthy but includes significant damage to the cambium evident throughout the stand observing various swelling, oozing of a yellowish material, and bark separation. Although the recovery of vigorous tree growth is slowed, it is a positive attribute for developing complex structural formation on trees for sensitive species such as marbled murrelets and a variety of bats as the timeline unfolds with the planned restoration of this stand to larger trees over time increasing landscape connectivity to existing old growth stands.

Lodge Road Data Analysis

The intent of the FMS is to Sample, Treat, and Monitor (STM) i.e., sample conditions prior to treatment in specific project areas and different forest types as projects are considered for implementation. The outcome is not only to sample and monitor pre and post treatments but to consider the accuracy of FTP information across different forest types from the prioritized recommendations document. Lodge Road is the first recommended forest density reduction project to implement the STM methodology with a sampling intensity of 14.6% across 46.5 acres.

The Lodge Road project footprint is comprised of redwood dominant forest types including RW III, RW II, CHRW, and HW. Of these 39 plots installed in Lodge Road, 27 occurred in RW III, 2 in RW II, 4 in CHRW, 1 CHDF, and 5 in HW. Most treatments are proposed in the RW III and HW forest types. For the purposes of this analysis RW III, with the greatest number of plots and covering most of the treatment area, will be considered for the STM approach and will also be compared with RW III across the parks to consider the value of the parkwide data set for RW III. RW II, CHRW, and CHDF will be considered for STM analysis on other treatment projects as prioritized. The HW stand burned at high severity with 100% mortality which matches up accurately with other HW stands that burned at high severity that also show approximately 100% mortality, predominantly alleviating the need to compare with FTP data sets for HW. RW III data for Lodge Road was run through FVS to present data in the same format as the prioritized recommendation document.

Lodge Road Treatment Prescription

The Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration project prescribes FDR/LTR, FHFR, and HAZ tree prescriptions identified under Treatment Prescriptions and targets the removal of trees less than or equal to 12-inches DBH (represented by trees to the left of the orange line in Figure 11), removing a high proportion of dead ladder fuels, and varying levels of redwood removal between 12 and ~24-inches DBH (represented predominantly by trees between the orange and blue lines in Figure11), targeting greater spacing between midrange diameter trees while reducing competition for available resources and promoting the growth of the residual larger and healthy trees in the stand. The stand will also be broadcast burned following treatments.

Lodge Road Compared to BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP Tree Mortality in RW III by Trees Per Acre

This section analyzes the number of trees per acre (TPA), a number representing the density of a stand, and mortality trends by diameter class. In this analysis, trees were considered dead if the above ground portion of the main stem exhibited cambial death, meaning there was no branch sprouting, bole sprouting, or live residual leaves or needles.

Figure 12 and Figure 13 depict the proportion of live and dead trees per acre within 2-inch diameter classes between Lodge Road RW III and park-wide RW III (BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP).

Despite the differing Y-axis scales, representing trees per acre, there appears to be a consistently high proportion of live to dead trees in the less than or equal to 12-inch diameter classes, indicating that concentrations of high TPA appear more susceptible to high mortality rates regardless of burn severity, demonstrated by the Lodge Road FTP dataset and the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTP dataset from the prioritized recommendations document.

Increasing diameter classes, such as the 12-24-inch diameter classes, exhibit a higher ratio of live to dead, which continues as diameter is increased, indicating an increased resilience where there are larger diameters and fewer trees per acre. Ultimately, these trends suggest there is a correlation between fewer TPA, larger diameter trees, and lower TPA mortality rates. Inversely, this trend suggests a correlation between more TPA, smaller diameter trees, and higher TPA mortality rates for RW III at Lodge Road and for RW III park wide.

Figure 11: Lodge Road FTPs Live (green) and Dead TPA (red). The orange line outlines the 12-inch diameter class and blue line outlines the 24-inch diameter class.

Lodge Road Compared to BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP Tree Mortality in RW III by Basal Area

This section analyzes volumetric mortality trends between Lodge Road RW III and park wide RW III through Basal Area (BA) by burn severities. BA is the cross-sectional area of a tree measured at DBH in square feet and can be used to infer stand density, volume, and growth. This section considers how basal area impacts stand resilience.

To reiterate, in this analysis, trees were considered dead if the above ground portion of the main stem exhibited cambial death, meaning there was no branch sprouting, bole sprouting, or live residual leaves or needles.

Figure 12: Lodge Road FTPs Live (green) and Dead TPA (red). The orange line outlines the 12-inch diameter class and blue line outlines the 24-inch diameter class.

Figure 13: BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTPs RW III Live (green) and Dead (red) TPA.

Presently, the Lodge Road RW III stand has a basal area distribution similar to that of the RW III stands located throughout BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. Figure 14 and Figure 15 exhibit a comparison of RW III BA showing the majority of BA is concentrated in diameters above 24 inches in both data sets, with some BA distributed in larger tree diameters. It is important to note that when compared to the trees per acre graphs in Figures 12 and 13 above, where there are the most trees per acre, there is the least basal area.

In comparison, Figure 16 depicts the basal area distribution within OGRW stands throughout BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP also located in low slope high severity locations. It is clear in the OGRW stand that most of the basal area is distributed to the largest trees, where there is an upward trend as displayed in Figure 16. Following this upward trend is an associated increase in the proportion of live to dead trees in the stand, suggesting a greater resilience as tree diameter increases.

Figure 14: Lodge Road FTPs Live and Dead BA. The orange line outlines the 12-inch diameter class and blue line outlines the 24-inch diameter class.

Figure 15: BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTPs BA distribution in RW III (Group B).

The purpose of removing select redwoods between 12 and 24-inches DBH at Lodge Road is to promote the growth of the trees greater than 24-inches DBH, ultimately moving the basal area distribution to the right over time, or to the larger diameter classes, promoting more resilient stand conditions to promote the development of larger diameter trees with increased spacing to increase landscape connectivity with adjacent OGRW stands

As discussed in the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report, in dense stands of second growth redwood, available resources are thinly distributed among more TPA, resulting in less annual growth potential per tree, whereas, in more well-spaced stands, like OGRW, available resources are allocated to fewer TPA, resulting in greater annual growth. Additionally, greater annual growth on larger trees can be correlated to increased tree and ecosystem resilience, especially to wildfire and climatic shifts. It is likely that the OGRW stands experienced a history of disturbance that reduced the competition of smaller diameter trees, such as more frequent fire, resulting in the concentration of growth on larger individual trees over time.

Forest Trend Plot Data Statistics

The following box and whisker plots depict the variability observed among RW III plots situated in low positions on slopes within the sampled stands between Lodge Road and FTP plot data collected across BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP. Lodge Road had 25 RW III plots located in higher burn severity, while only one plot was in lower severity burn BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP FTP RW III had 11 plots in lower burn severity while 8 were in higher burn severity. Tree data from these plots are categorized into eight 6-inch DBH classes ranging from 1 to 48 inches. Graphs were generated for each stand, detailing data for pre-fire live tree estimates, as well as post-fire mortality.

Figure 16: BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTPs BA distribution in OGRW (Group B)

Box and whisker plots provide a comprehensive visualization of the distribution of data points, breaking them down into four quartiles where each quartile represents 25% of the data. The box segment of the plot, known as the interquartile range, depicts the values encompassing 50% of the data. Whiskers extend from the box to indicate the maximum and minimum values while still encompassing 25% of the data on each side. Within the box, a line representing the median divides the data into two equal parts (ESRI, n.d.). Additionally, the mean of each DBH class is denoted by x's on the following graphs. Any outliers within the data are depicted outside the whiskers, highlighting exceptional values.

Figure 17: A Depicted Box and Whisker Plot (ESRI, n.d.)

In both pre-fire live stands, the smaller diameter classes (1-6 inches and 6-12 inches) vary greatly from each other (Figure 18 and Figure 19). In addition, Lodge Road demonstrates a higher live tree TPA in mid-large diameter classes compared to BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP (park wide). Most likely, the reduced number of seedlings at Lodge Road is relative to the amount of mid-range diameter trees expected in an uncut second growth redwood stand (higher TPA in the 12–30-inch DBH classes) where trees are suppressing understory regeneration. Whereas the park wide RW III has a history of forest management like the historic Gazos Creek Tree Farm which also has a history of prescribed fire. The park wide data likely suggests that reduced dominance in the overstory from management and prescribed burning in some areas allowed for greater regeneration in the understory16 . Ultimately, it appears that there is a relative correlation between the two data sets indicating that, excluding stand management histories, the data sets share stand structure similarities and likely insights into the resulting impacts of fire severity on forest stand structure.

16 Of note, in the A Summary of Key Findings from the Prioritized Recommendations & Key Findings Following the CZU Lightning Complex the level of mortality in RW III stands increased in all forest type stands as fire severity increased; see Appendix F

Figure 18: Pre-fire live tree estimates for Lodge Road DBH vs. TPA

Figure 19: Pre-fire live tree estimates for BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP DBH vs. TPA

The stand structures in Figures 20 and 21 experienced increased mortality vs. stands that were more open with larger trees. Comparing post-fire mortality, the data provides evidence supporting that most trees less than 12 inches DBH did not survive the CZU in RW III. In addition, the data also suggests that more mid-range diameter trees died at Lodge Road vs. park wide where less mid-range diameter trees were identified per acre suggesting greater spacing may lead to reduced tree mortality.

Figure 20: Post-fire live tree estimates for Lodge Road DBH vs. TPA.

Figure 21: Post-fire live tree estimates for BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP DBH vs. TPA.

Forest Trend Plot Discussion

When comparing the pre-fire live tree estimates within the forest stands, a notable difference arises in the consistency of TPA medians across mid-range DBH in Lodge Road data compared to FTP data. While Lodge Road data shows a more consistent TPA median across mid-range DBH, FTP data exhibits downward trends in TPA medians within the same DBH classes. This discrepancy can be attributed to the historical forest management practices in the area. In the early 1900s, the Santa Cruz Mountains experienced widespread clear-cutting of redwoods for the reconstruction of San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. Subsequently, some landowners continued active timber management practices, while others allowed forests to regenerate naturally. The location where forest trend plots were taken, previously known as Gazos Creek Tree Farm, employed single tree selective harvesting techniques. This management approach targeted trees in the middiameter range of 18-36 inches DBH for removal, thereby reducing TPA as DBH class increased. In contrast, Lodge Road data reflects a lack of management focused on the midDBH range, allowing trees to grow gradually and maintaining consistent TPA per diameter class.

Regarding post-fire mortality, Lodge Road data suggests higher mortality in the mid-range DBH compared to FTP data. This variation can be attributed to the stratification of plot data into high burn and low burn severity groups. Lodge Road data primarily consists of plots in high burn severity, with only one plot in low burn severity, whereas FTP data includes a more balanced distribution between low and high burn severity plots. Notably, Lodge Road data lacks identification of large trees (60-70" DBH) present in FTP data, suggesting differences in stand structure between the two datasets. Lodge Road stands exhibit a higher proportion of mid-range DBH trees and no large DBH individuals, likely due to the lack of restorative thinning techniques such as FDR/LTR. These differences in burn severity stratification and stand structure may explain the variations in post-fire mortality data between Lodge Road and BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTP datasets.

Despite some differences, the shape of the graphed data suggests a level of relative accuracy between Lodge Road's higher sample intensity data and FTP data across BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP in RW III. RW III FTP data demonstrates consistency across this forest vegetation type within these parks, as evidenced by similar trends in TPA medians and low variability across DBH classes. This consistency underscores the importance of continuing efforts in applying the Sample, Treat, and Monitor (STM) model to evaluate the value of parkwide FTP data.

Lodge Road Radial Tree Cores

Radial tree cores were extracted from 34 redwoods within Lodge Road FTPs by using an 18” Haglof increment borer17. General field dendrochronological analysis is performed to estimate disturbance history and growth rates.

Figure 22 and Figure 23 display two radial tree cores, where each black pen line contains 10 annual growth rings, representing 10 years of time; the top of these images is the outermost annual growth rings, or most recent growth rings, located closest to the bark.

Figure 22 is a core from a 40-inch redwood located in a dominant canopy position that exhibits steady growth, as depicted by the well-spaced 10-year marks. On the other hand, Figure 23 is a core from a 29-inch redwood that exhibits slowing growth in recent decades, as depicted by narrowing sets of 10-year increments. Removal of trees less than 24-inches will promote the growth of larger diameter classes, along with other residual cohorts. Comparison of Figure 22 and Figure 23 suggests rationale to target removal of mid-range diameter redwoods in the Lodge Road stand.

In second growth redwood stands, the dominant tree crowns, such as those of trees in the 40-inch or greater diameter classes, can maintain steadier growth rates as crowns reestablish following the CZU to conduct photosynthesis and capture fog, including well-established roots to support the uptake of water and nutrients. Comparatively, trees that make up the intermediate or understory canopy levels have increased competition due to forest densities for sunlight, water and nutrients, including greater damage from the CZU fire due to tree and stem connectivity. The result was increased mortality and tree stem damage that could have been reduced if forest densities were decreased.

Once the dominant trees within the stand begin to slow in growth following the initial treatment, it may be appropriate to selectively remove some redwood trees greater than 24-inches to restore growth potential in the larger remaining trees, supporting the development of late seral habitat characteristics. In general, large old growth redwoods predominantly occupy ~24 – 36 stems per acre in the Santa Cruz

Figure 22: Radial Core, RA09, 40” RW 168’

Figure 23: Radial Tree Core; RB03, 29” RW 140’

Mountains (Culver, J (RPF #2674), Vaughan, B. (RPF #2685), and Bissell, M. (RPF #2615), personal communication, December 2021). Currently Lodge Road exhibit trees per acre of ~200-300.

Use of Tree Growth Patterns to Inform Large-Tree Restoration

Wood is stronger with tighter growth rings and has more time to build tannins that will increase longevity and resistance to disturbances. Analysis of these growth rings can inform restoration and management treatments designed to promote large trees through density reduction of mid-range diameter trees. The purpose of this section is to provide examples of redwood tree growth as exhibited by annual growth rings to suggest where there may be opportunities for large tree restoration and portray the benefits of density reduction in mid-range diameters.

Figure 24 illustrates three tree cores from the Santa Cruz Mountains. The black ball point pen hash marks along each tree core representing 10-year increments. The bottom portion of the photo in this figure showing lighter color wood on the tree cores (sapwood) shows the most recent growth on each tree.

17 Tree age can be estimated by counting annual rings when records are unavailable. An increment borer extracts a small, pencil-sized piece of wood, or core sample, from the trunk of the tree. A mini-auger is drilled by hand from the bark to the center (pith) of the tree. The resulting core sample extracted from the hole displays the tree’s annual rings (or increments of growth) at that point in the tree.

Figure 24: Three Different Redwood Tree Increment Cores from the Santa Cruz Mountains

Ruler Tree Core – A ~212-year-old tree core exhibiting very slow tree growth rates prior to the clear cut around the turn of the century. This tree went through a period of solid growth following the clear cut and then slowed again after about 40 years, after which the area was harvested, and the tree again grew very quickly until present day (Figure 24).

Blue Pen Tree Core – A ~133-year-old tree that most likely sprouted following the clear cut. This tree grew very fast for 70-80 years then its growth slowed considerably in the last 50 or so years. This tree is located among many other trees competing for resources (Figure 24).

Sharpie® Tree Core – A ~100-year-old tree in a stand of second-growth redwoods. The tree sprouted sometime after the clear cut then following another 40-year period of slow growth, the area was harvested and then grew very quickly until present day (similar to the Ruler Tree Core) (Figure 24).

While each acre of forest often has similar amounts of available water and nutrients that vary from year to year, tree growth per acre is somewhat constant and relative across the forest. The determining factor of how fast a redwood tree grows is predominantly about position among the other trees in the grove and how much canopy it develops to carry out the photosynthetic process. The result is either more or less contributions to a tree’s size each year depending on these broadly defined factors.

With the goal of growing larger trees and ultimately redeveloping old-growth forests, consideration not only needs to be given to treating ladder fuels and tree density in the understory to reduce the severity of wildfire but, also incremental tree growth rates and creating separation between larger diameter trees. It is true that you could simply let these stands “naturally” develop over time letting disturbances such as wildfire take its course but, relative changes in climate, shifting vegetation types, and recent high severity wildfire events with very high mortality rates, including the loss of many old-growth Douglas-fir, suggests that this would be unwise.

Creating separation between mid-range diameter redwoods and considering what redwoods are the best candidates for becoming replacement old growth trees should be carefully considered by periodically increment boring redwood trees to examine growth prior to treatments.

Managing for Large Tree Restoration (LTR) through consideration of a Proposed Optimum Growth is intended to suggest that treatments for FDR/LTR should be guided by the tree ring growth of trees relative to their position in the grove, tree crowns, and surrounding landscape.

Slower growth generates more tannins over time. Tannins are known to act as a natural flame retardant and protect trees against disease, fungi, and insects. In addition, slower

growth creates tighter growth rings which increases structural integrity making the trees stronger. These two factors are controlled by how fast trees grow and are important considerations when thinking about the development of large trees and ultimately old growth that are more resilient to wildfire, storm damage, and climate change.

Critical Climate Considerations

Various elements and influences of climate should be considered, in addition to FTP data, to inform ecological history and the application of appropriate ecologically restorative treatments and adaptation strategies. This section discusses four critical climate considerations, including evidence of fire patterns, wildfire frequency, forest type conversion, and solar radiation

Evidence of Fire Patterns

Evidence of fire history within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP is fairly rich and plays an important role in supporting continued prescribed burning throughout these park ecosystems.

An 18” Haglof increment corer was used to core approximately 279 conifer trees across the 264 FTPs to perform a general field dendrochronological analysis (Figure 25). Radial tree cores are used to confirm disturbance history dates, such as fire or harvest history. Fire scars on a radial tree core are usually identified by an annual tree ring that is comprised of charcoal or having black coloration and possible wood deterioration (Figure 26). However, it is possible that radial tree cores may not capture charcoal or discoloration from fire if the fire did not burn the bark thoroughly. Instead, a release of growth, or abrupt increase in annual growth ring size, may be indicative of such a disturbance as seen in Figure 27 and 28, but is also not always present following disturbance.

Figure 26 depicts a radial tree core from a 77-inch old growth redwood tree. Each black line on the core contains 10 annual growth rings, representing 10 years of time; the bottom of this image is the outermost annual growth rings, or most recent growth rings, located closest to the bark. For scale, the most recent 200 years account for 6.1 inches in length (Figure 26). Counting back from the core’s extraction date at the bottom of the image, approximately 336 years ago, in 1686, the most recent fire scar appears and is preceded by an additional fire scar approximately 10 years prior, in 1676. It should be noted that this fire event was identified in other watersheds on BBRSP and BSP.

Figure 25: ARC Forestry Crew Extracting a Radial Tree Core Sample in WW_9, a RW II Forest

Figure 26: Increment Core #1 in EW_43 Showing Fire History

Under optimal circumstances, more than one representative tree per plot would be cored to confirm approximate dates and potentially gather additional information. For instance, in subwatershed EW_43, two trees were cored, one old growth redwood within the plot as seen in Figure 26, and an additional old growth redwood in close proximity to the plot boundary as seen in Figure 27. The tree cored in Figure 27 did not have a fire scar, instead it showed a small release event around the year 1671 as identified by the red arrow (Table 31). It is possible that the 1671 and 1676 dates represent the same historic fire event and that there may be manual error in counting tree rings, which may be why the dates do not align exactly. Table 31 intends to show all confirmed fire scars and their approximate dates and the potential relationship with other historic release events across the landscape, including release events within 1-2 years of the fire scar dates, except in the subwatershed EW_43 scenario above. The lack of consistent fire scars in all trees suggests a history of smaller lower intensity fires.

The red arrow in Figure 28 depicts a comprehensible example of a release event that occurred in a 40-inch redwood located next to a cut stump in subwatershed GC_3.

Like the radial tree cores in Figure 26 and Figure 27, each black pen mark on the core counts 10 annual growth rings. The red arrow in Figure 28 marks a point that the annual growth rings significantly increased in size,

Table 31: Fire Scar Dates & Corresponding Release Event Dates in BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP

Figure 28: Radial Growth Core in GC_3

Figure 27: Radial Growth Increment Core #2 in EW_43

marking a time that this tree had more available resources to increase its annual growth; the release event was estimated to occur in the year 1965. Another subwatershed, GO_2 produced a verified fire scar in a Douglas-fir increment core that same year (1965) and several other subwatersheds across the three parks have release events with similar dates (Table 31). This suggests that the release event in Figure 24 may be related to the Lincoln Fire (~1962) and/or a harvesting event.

Fire history and fire return intervals (FRI) appear similar to previous studies conducted within the Santa Cruz Mountains (Table 31). A master’s theses conducted by Gregory Jones and a similar study conducted by Scott L. Stephens and Danny L. Fry describe fire scars observed in neighboring major watersheds that appear to align with the estimated fire scar dates listed in Table 31, such as the 1670s-1680s as far away as Huddart County Park, ~13 miles North and Big Creek, ~9 miles to the South (Jones, 2014 and Stephens and Fry, 2005). Discussions with other foresters throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains provided similar accounts of evidence of a fire that occurred around this time based on known stand ages of old growth (M. Duffy (RPF #2770), personal communication, 2021). Based on collected data and comparison to similar fire-dating studies in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it appears that there may have been a large-scale high severity fire between the 1670’s and 1680’s prior to European contact that may be similar to the CZU.

Ecologically restorative treatments that can offset anthropogenic influences and climate trends will support future prescribed burning efforts increasing ecosystem resilience when the next large fire returns.

Also of interest, subwatershed EW_9 has FRIs of approximately 62, 34, and 10 years, while other subwatershed radial tree cores have up to 100 years between fire scars, as seen in Table 5.

Evidence of fire history in the Santa Cruz Mountains is well established; however, FRIs in the region’s coast redwood forests vary significantly. This study was only able to capture a glimpse of the fire history that has occurred in BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP and more comprehensive information on its spatial and temporal scales is warranted. That being said, the collected data suggests a mosaic pattern of smaller-scale, more frequent fires that occurred across the landscape following the 1670’s fire and prior to the 2020 CZU Fire.

Figure 29: Redwood in Pescadero Creek County Park - Evidence of Canopy Reinvention

Figure 30: Overhead Canopy Photo Taken from Plot Center in EW_16

Aside from dendrochronological methodology, evidence of fire across the landscape may appear in the form of physical exterior indicators, such as fire spikes18, burned bark, hollowed basal cavities, or large residual old growth limbs encompassed by new growth limbs. Figure 29 is an example of a redwood tree that has experienced a historic high severity fire that likely killed most of the original limbs’ cambium19, causing the limbs to self-prune; one remnant limb, as indicated by the red arrow, likely survived the first fire where the cambium surrounding the limb was not killed and it was able to produce new needles to continue the photosynthetic processes. Eventually this tree was surrounded by the growth of new limbs that formed from sprouting along the tree bole, like the bole sprouts seen in Figure 30. Figure 30 is an example of a high severity RW III plot where the redwood limbs appear to have cambial death due to the lack of branch sprouting. It is likely that limbs lacking branch sprouting on the trees in Figure 30 will self-prune and bole sprouts will become new limbs, eventually resembling the tree canopy in Figure 29.

Summary of the evidence of fire patterns in BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP:

➢ Comparing this study with similar fire history studies in the Santa Cruz Mountains suggests that there may have been a large-scale high severity fire between the 1670’s and 1680’s that has since been followed by a mosaic pattern of smaller-scale fires up until the CZU Fire in 2020.

➢ Redwoods with vigorously sprouting tree boles will most likely turn those sprouts into new tree limbs thereby new tree crowns.

The evidence of fire patterns analyzed above confirms that fire has occurred in BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP prior to European contact to present day and should be expected to occur over time in perpetuity. The certainty that fires will continue to occur in these parks demonstrates the value in managing these forestlands to be better prepared and more resilient to future fires, regardless of fire severity and scale.

Wildfire Frequency

As stated in the Prioritized Recommendations & Key Findings Report, “In areas of high mortality, the rapid growth of regenerative sprouts, Ceanothus spp. and other shrubs, paired with the inevitable accumulation of downed dead-standing trees exacerbates the risk of extreme fire conditions and is seemingly setting the stage to burn again. Subjecting forest stands to repeated high severity fires will cause the stands to convert to different vegetation types over time (Steel et. al., 2021). Without proactive forest restoration

18 A fire spike refers to a tree, usually a smaller diameter, that likely died in a previous fire and has since been intombed by a larger tree, in which only the top of the intombed tree spikes out of the bole of the larger tree and exhibits branch-like characteristics, usually in a more upright angle.

19 Cambium is a cellular plant tissue from which phloem, xylem, or cork grows by division, resulting (in woody plants) in secondary thickening.

treatments, upcoming extreme fire behavior paired with changing climate will be a threat to old growth forests.”

An example of this effect occurred where the 2009 Lockheed Fire and 2020 CZU Fire footprints overlapped. CAL FIRE’s early infrared analysis of the CZU Fire footprint exhibits clear indication of the Lockheed Fire footprint, that burned approximately 11 years prior, in August of 2009 (Figure 31). Figure 31 illustrates the burn severity map of the Lockheed Fire next to an aerial image of the CZU Fire footprint, where the Lockheed Fire footprint is delineated in red and exhibits a consolidated area of significant amounts of field verified white ash compared to the remainder of the CZU Fire footprint. White ash in the footprint of the Lockheed Fire is evidence of area that burned very intensely with a resulting high degree of burn severity.

Figure 31: Comparison of the 2009 Lockheed Fire (left) and the approximate Footprint of the Lockheed Fire delineated in bold red within the 2020 CZU Fire footrpint in delineated in fine red (right).

In 2009, the Lockheed Fire predominately burned at moderate-high severities in the drainages and high severities along the ridges and upper slopes (Figure 31). Then, in 2020, the Lockheed Fire footprint burned again at moderate-high and high severities during the CZU Fire; the high severities were greatly influenced by the accumulation of dead and downed trees and prolific understory regeneration that increased fuel loads, promoting an environment more conducive to carrying fire laterally and less vertically in the forest stand.

Many areas in moderate-high to high severity areas of the CZU Fire are on track for a similar regeneration pattern, priming the landscape for a potentially lateral fast-moving intense fire in the next few decades that may burn similarly to the Lockheed Fire reburn.

Based on the reburn at Lockheed and work completed by Steel et. al., fire on upper slope topography that often results in higher burn severities, coupled with more frequent burning, can influence an increased rate of conversion in vegetation transition zones out of the redwoods and into Douglas-fir and hardwood forest types. The Lockheed Fire provides an example of where vegetation changes are most likely to occur (Figure 31-areas of white ash) with more frequent fire and act as an additional driver for the FMS to develop strategic treatment areas near vegetation transition zones on a landscape scale.

Forest Type Conversion

Climatic shifts towards drier, hotter climates, more frequent wildfire, drought, and disease, and survivability of the stand following these events, are likely the main contributing factors for forest types to convert into drier forest types, chaparral, or grassland (Guiterman et al., 2022). Conversely, if climatic shifts move towards cooler and wetter climates forest type conversion could stabilize and shift the other direction towards forests with greater densities and more shaded environments. Recognizing that these systems are in constant flux (Falk et al., 2022) due to disturbance, or a lack thereof, it is hard for the human eye to see since transitions can take a period longer than one person’s life.

Climatic shifts towards hotter drier climates, more frequent wildfire, drought, and disease, FTP field investigations relative to burn severity and tree mortality, and results from increased wildfire activity in the Santa Cruz Mountains suggest that the potential for forest type conversion to drier vegetation types is a moderately likely future (EcoAdapt 2021 and Falk et al., 2022).

It can be expected that type conversion will be more likely to occur in areas more frequently burned by high severity wildfire exposing the Earth to increased solar radiation and decreased evapotranspiration (Duveiller et al., 2018). Based on FTP data, these areas are essentially the forest type transition zones from redwood to Douglas-fir and redwood to hardwood on the mid to upper slopes and ridges where tree mortality was the highest. More sheltered areas along watercourses and deep ravines will likely transition less quickly. Speculatively, a picture of the future of what this climatic trend might be is similar to Big

Sur, California, where although considerably steeper than the Santa Cruz Mountains, redwoods are mostly confined to the bottoms of ravines.

It was noted during field investigations that these forest type transition zones, where the fire burned the hottest, likely pushed more intense fires into redwood forest types increasing tree stem mortality in upper slope forest type transition zones as suggested by FTP data, another reason to consider focusing treatments in vegetation transition zones.

The resulting FTP analysis of the 32 burned FTPs in the HW forest type, which summarizes plot data from 25 plots in higher burn severities and 7 plots in lower burn severities, suggests nearly 100% mortality of trees less than 6-inches DBH, where there is approximately 70-80 trees per acre, and an average of less than two trees per acre surviving in diameter classes greater than 6-inches, where the number of trees per acre is reduced to approximately 20 trees or less per diameter class based on Figure 32 and Figure 33. Figure 33 depicts the species composition of surviving trees, indicating that of the less than 2 trees per acre in diameters less than 22-inches, the surviving species is a mix of tanoak (TO) and redwood (RW), and of the less than 1 tree per acre surviving in diameters greater than 22-inches, the surviving species largely consists of redwoods. In the hardwood forest type, mortality is predominantly distributed among the dominant hardwood species, such as tanoak, live oak (LO), madrone (MA), and golden chinquapin (GC), where there is very little redwood mortality relative to the other species.

This stand-level analysis is in alignment with the findings of the stratified BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTP dataset, which introduced the following: The high percent TPA mortality suggests a correlation between the absence of a significant component of mid-range to large diameter redwood and a stand’s lower resilience to wildfire. In the face of more frequent

Figure 33: Live TPA Species Distribution of all burned hardwood plots in BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTPs.

Figure 32: Live and Dead TPA for all burned hardwood plots in BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTPs.

Figure 34: Dead TPA Species Distribution of all burned hardwood plots in BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP FTPs.

wildfire, forest stands that are less resilient to higher burn severities are subsequently more susceptible to forest type conversion.

It can be expected that forest type conversion may first occur where HW forest types burn with increased fire frequency. In turn, the edges of adjacent forest or vegetation types such as redwoods in these transition zones with hardwoods, that also have high forest densities, will likely be first in forest type conversion to forest or vegetation types more conducive to drier and hotter climates.

Solar Radiation

Solar radiation refers to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun (U.S. Department of Energy, n.d.). The amount of solar radiation that contacts the Earth’s surface is affected by topography and surface features, including trees and vegetation.

The potential amount of solar radiation in a given location at a given time will not change, but the amount of solar irradiance20 will depend on how insulated21 the area is. For instance, an area with greater tree or shrub canopy cover will be more insulated and the surface of the Earth will receive a lower amount of solar radiation. If that area’s canopy cover is reduced, then the amount of solar radiation received by the Earth’s surface increases due to having less insulation.

Areas with less insulation, such as a forest stand that burned at high severity resulting in reduced canopy cover or a forest where broad leaf trees are completely removed, will have a higher potential for increases in temperature resulting in warming local climates (Duveiller et al., 2018). Due to the multidirectional, topographical nature of valleys and drainages, deep canyons receive less solar radiation to the Earth’s surface and can also exhibit greater insulation where canopy and vegetative cover is more abundant.

Understanding where higher amounts of solar radiation are expected and that temperature and wildfire are expected to increase, as stated in the Santa Cruz County Climate Action and Adaptation Plan indicating that the number of extreme heat days above 90⁰ F will increase from 3 days to 19 days with a 20% increase in wildfire frequency (County of Santa Cruz, 2022), suggests that less insulated areas will be impacted more significantly by changing climate especially where wildfire frequency and fire severity increase. Essentially, where FTP data shows areas of high forest mortality, insulation is decreased due to loss of canopy cover.

20 Solar irradiance, or insolation, is the amount of solar energy per unit area arriving on a surface at a particular angle; the incident solar radiation onto some object where measurements (watts per square meter [W/m2] in SI units) are influenced by absorption and reflection (Alternative Energy Tutorials, n.d. and Energy Education, n.d.).

21 Insulation, in this scenario, is used to describe barriers to solar radiation, or something that prevents the passage of solar energy. An example of this is a beach umbrella that is used to block rays from the sun, similar to how a vegetative cover prevents some passage of solar radiation to the Earth’s surface.

Areas of more significant solar radiation coupled with predicted temperature and wildfire frequency increases suggests that ecologically restorative treatments should be prioritized in these locations to promote increased insulation i.e., forest density reduction and more frequent low intensity prescribed fire to reduce fuel connectivity and competition, allowing tree canopies to redevelop and increase insulation, while ultimately making the forest less likely to experience future high severity fire that would result in canopy reduction. As outlined in the Wildfire Frequency section, the significance of the Lockheed Fire reburn 11 years later suggests that this type of repeated high severity wildfire activity, without restorative treatments, will most likely increase forest conversion over time in part due to a prolonged decrease in insulation.

Locations of increased solar radiation, including areas of decreased canopy cover resulting from high tree mortality as shown by FTP data, when paired with predicted increased temperature and wildfire frequency, appear more susceptible to forest conversion than areas more insulated from solar radiation that exhibited lower tree mortality from the CZU Fire.

The following solar radiation images were created in ArcGIS Pro using Spatial Analyst. The model generates an upward-looking hemispherical view from the ground into the sky based on Digital Elevation Models (DEM) data and does not consider canopy or vegetative cover. The resulting model displays the average solar radiation for a one-year period, depicting where increased watt hours per square meter generally occur in Big Basin’s Lodge Road and Historic Headquarters (Figures 35 and 36, page 122 and 123)

To preface the figures on the pages below, higher watt hours per square meter, as depicted by the spectrum of orange and red colors in Figures 35 and 36, represent areas with greater capacity for solar radiation to be received by the Earth’s surface, where the actual amount of solar radiation is influenced by insulation, such as canopy or vegetative cover. There is added value to this model when considering that post-fire canopy and vegetative cover in higher burn severities have decreased insulation, resulting in increased levels of solar radiation that actually reach the Earth’s surface Therefore, forest and vegetative management should consider areas that indicate a greater capacity for solar radiation.

Figure 35 below shows a snapshot of the footprint of the Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Demonstration Project, which shows high levels of solar radiation, represented by the spectrum of orange and red coloration. The project footprint and surrounding areas exhibit significant tree mortality resulting from the CZU Fire, suggesting a decrease in insulation from the forest canopy and an increase in the amount of solar radiation potential that may be received by the Earth’s surface.

Figure 36 below shows BBRSP Historic Headquarters and Highway 236 treatment units, an area that resulted in significant tree mortality in most small and many mid-range diameter trees including some larger trees, especially Douglas-fir, following the CZU Fire. When solar radiation is added to the treatment area’s footprint, it shows where increased watt hours per square meter can be expected due to a decrease in insulation following the fire i.e., where there is greater potential for increased forest type conversion.

Figure 35: Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience Demonstration Project Area (Outline in Black) and Solar Radiation (Watt Hours Per Square Meter WH/m2)

Ecologically restorative treatments such as forest density reduction, treating dead dying and diseased trees, understory treatments that include prescribed fire to increase tree spacing and develop larger trees and tree crowns overtime can promote an increase in insulation, restoring canopy cover and habitat conditions. The outcome will be increasing landscape connectivity among old growth stands overtime and creating critical linkages between systems while targeting a composite whole.

In most cases, proposed prioritized treatments match up well with areas of high solar radiation. Identifying areas of the park that are more likely to be impacted by solar radiation should continue to be a key component in identifying prioritized treatment units supported by management concepts, principles, and goals, FTP and STM data, and the Conditions and Criteria from the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Finds Report (Appendix F).

Figure 36: Big Basin Headquarters and Lower 236 Project Area (Outlined in Black) and Solar Radiation (Watt hours per square meter WH/m2)

Carbon Storage as a Co-Benefit to the Forest Management Strategy

The CZU Fire marked a significant event in the Santa Cruz Mountains, standing as one of the region's largest and most severe wildfires in recent history. Firsthand accounts recognized the immediate impact to the ecosystem and the restorative treatment actions needed to manage the future of these forests in changing climates.

State Parks considers system processes and natural phenomenon part of the natural condition of the landscape and that they are critical in maintaining and sustaining vegetation structure and community dynamics, wildlife habitats, and wildlife population health which is a main goal of the FMS. Ecological outcomes of this plan target a healthy forest where the effects of fire suppression and historic clearcut logging have been remediated, second growth forests are accelerated towards old growth characteristics, landscape connectivity between managed land is increased, healthy waterways and riparian vegetation are maintained, and fire-regimes are reestablished Data suggests that actions taken to achieve these system goals may result in increases in future carbon storage and stability. Appendix E considers FTP data in OGRW to analyze potential changes in future carbon storage following the CZU Fire.

Summary of Key Findings

This section summarizes the key findings that resulted from the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report and FMS Field Investigations Results & Discussions.

Mortality Trends

➢ Fewer trees per acre (TPA) and larger diameter trees suggest increased tree resilience to wildfire.

➢ High TPA in smaller diameter trees (less than or equal to 12-inches) suggest increased susceptibility to tree mortality, including tree mortality in a component of larger diameter trees.

➢ Higher severity burns experience increased tree mortality across all forest types and all diameters. These areas, among other burn severities, include a significant regenerative basal sprouting response from coastal coppice sprouting species.

Old Growth Redwood

➢ Trend data suggests that high fire severity, slope position, and ladder fuel connectivity caused increased mortality in OGRW.

Lodge Road Wildfire Resilience and Large Tree Restoration Project

➢ Greater annual growth on larger trees can be correlated to increased tree and ecosystem resilience, especially to wildfire and climatic shifts. In dense stands of second growth redwood, available resources are thinly distributed among more TPA, resulting in less annual growth potential per tree, whereas, in more wellspaced stands, like OGRW, available resources are allocated to fewer TPA, resulting in greater annual growth.

➢ Managing for Large Tree Restoration (LTR) through consideration of a Proposed Optimum Growth is intended to suggest that treatments for FDR/LTR should be guided by the tree ring growth of trees relative to their position in the grove, tree crowns, and surrounding landscape.

➢ Despite some differences, the shape of the graphed data suggests a level of relative accuracy between Lodge Road's higher sample intensity data and FTP data across BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP in RW III. RW III FTP data demonstrates consistency across this forest vegetation type within these parks, as evidenced by similar trends in TPA medians and low variability across DBH classes. This consistency underscores the importance of continuing efforts in applying the Sample, Treat, and Monitor model to evaluate the value of parkwide FTP data.

Fire Patterns

➢ Comparing this study with similar fire history studies in the Santa Cruz Mountains suggests that there may have been a large-scale high severity fire between the 1670’s and 1680’s that has since been followed by a mosaic pattern of smaller-scale fires up until the CZU Fire in 2020.

Forest Type Conversion

➢ Climatic shifts towards hotter drier climates, more frequent wildfire, drought, and disease, FTP field investigations relative to burn severity and tree mortality, and results from increased wildfire activity in the Santa Cruz Mountains suggest that the potential for forest type conversion to drier vegetation types is a moderately likely future (EcoAdapt 2021 and Falk et al., 2022).

➢ It can be expected that forest type conversion may first occur where HW forest types burn with increased fire frequency. In turn, the edges of adjacent forest or vegetation types such as redwoods in these transition zones with hardwoods, that also have high forest densities, will likely be first in forest type conversion to forest or vegetation types more conducive to drier and hotter climates.

Solar Radiation

➢ Locations of increased solar radiation, including areas of high tree mortality as shown by FTP data, when paired with predicted increased temperature and wildfire frequency, appear more susceptible to forest conversion than areas more insulated from solar radiation that exhibited lower tree mortality from the CZU Fire.

Investigation Results & Discussion Conclusion

➢ Primarily due to anthropogenic and climatic influences over the last 100 years, forest densities, including surface fuels, were highly concentrated at the time of the CZU Fire where fire behavior resulted in significant damage and tree stem mortality in forest ecosystems. Stated by CAL FIRE Unit Chief Ian Larkin on the morning of Thursday, August 22nd, 2020 (4 days after the CZU Fire started with multiple lightning strikes across the region), “Last night the CZU Fire burned approximately 44,000 acres in 9-12 hours.” This was a high severity fire event on a scale not seen in the Santa Cruz Mountains in several hundred years or more.

➢ Although the impact to the forest ecosystem was significant, disturbance is part of the natural phenomenon of forests. The CZU Fire added significant complexity to the forest. The staggering regeneration is now expressing itself in an exponential manner, i.e., snag development, additional structure to old growth trees, downed woody debris, large wood contribution to the stream systems, nutrient additions to the soil and watersheds, exuberant understory development of nitrogen fixing plants, increased amounts of sensitive plant communities, hardwood and conifer

basal and stem regeneration, and cleansing of forested areas where some tree disease was prevalent.

➢ To increase stand resilience to wildfire and climatic shifts, the initial guidance document, Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Following the CZU Lightning Complex, and the FMS Field Investigation Results supports:

o Strategically placing prioritized treatments of understory vegetation and small diameter trees to decrease the connectivity of ladder fuels into overstory canopies in areas where climatic shifts are expected to be accelerated. These treatments will also reduce competition for available sunlight, water, and nutrients, promoting the health and vigor of the residual stand while supporting diversity and landscape connectivity, among other goals identified in the FMS. These treatments should be completed through a variety of treatment activities such as mechanical, manual, prescribed fire, and strategic and limited use of herbicide on invasive species where necessary.

o Reducing forest densities in mid-range and select large diameter trees over time promotes the re-allocation of available resources to the residual larger trees, facilitating greater spacing and wildfire resilience. By promoting a more stable and resilient future for forest stands in the face of climate change, the larger residual trees that form those stands allow for landscapelevel linkages between existing old growth stands, effectively expanding habitat for marbled murrelet, and other old growth dependent species.

Section III

Background for Permit Development

The purpose of including Section III, the Background for Permit Development section, is to increase the efficiency of permit development by providing general background information that is often needed to successfully complete the permits and CEQA documents outlined in the FMS. This section will set the stage for general information on site-specific conditions.

Property Information

The Property Information section will provide an overview of general property information that may be applied to permit development. Property information will include location description, coordinates, planning watersheds, coastal zone information, legal descriptions, property descriptions and history, and current management documents.

Location

The BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties are located in the Santa Cruz Mountains nestled between Butano Ridge, Ben Lomond Mountain, and the coast west of Highway 35, or Skyline Boulevard and approximately 45 miles south of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. As depicted in Map 20, the three parks are located in proximity to each other, subsequently sharing similar natural and cultural resources (BBRSP General Plan and EIR, 2013) BSP and ANSP span over approximately 4,540 acres and 4,329 acres respectively within San Mateo County, located to the northeast and east of BBRSP, respectively. BBRSP falls within the jurisdiction of both San Mateo County and Santa Cruz County, where it spans over approximately 18,000 acres.

BBRSP can be accessed from the east via Highway 9 and Highway 236 near Boulder Creek, California and from the west along the coast via Highway 1 a few miles north of Davenport, California. Highway 1 also provides access to ANSP, which is located north of BBRSP’s Highway 1 access, and to BSP via Pescadero Road and Cloverdale Road from the town of Pescadero to the north or via Gazos Creek Road and Cloverdale Road from the south from Highway 1.

Neighboring landowners consist of private landowners and residences, timberland owners, and non-profit landownerships, such as Save the Redwoods League and Sempervirens Fund. BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP are also in proximity to Castle Rock State Park and Portola Redwoods State Park and various other public land, such as San Mateo County Parks and Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection established three Forest District boundaries to aid in regulating forest practices. When applying the Forest Practice Rules, projects within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP should consider the definitions and be consistent with the rules of the Southern Subdistrict of the Coast Forest District and applicable counties (CAL FIRE Forest Districts, 2021) The FPRs define the Southern Subdistrict of the Coast Forest District as the timberlands in the Counties of Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco and Marin situated within the boundaries of the Coast Forest District.

ANSP and the western portions of BBRSP and BSP fall within the Coastal Zone, which is in California Coastal Commission jurisdiction (Map 21). For projects located within the Coastal

Map 20 – Property Vicinity Map (Map Not To Scale)

Zone, additional outreach and documentation may be required to fulfill Coastal Act compliance.

Map 21 – California Coastal Zone Overlap with Property Boundaries (Map Not To Scale)

Table 35: Outlines location details for each park, including coordinates, Cal Water 2.2 Planning Watersheds (Map 22), and Coastal Zone information.

Property Legal Description

This section displays the property legal descriptions and 7.5’ Quadrangle Maps that may be used to further describe the locations of BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. Property legal descriptions are the precise location, or footprint, of a property as used in property line surveying, deeds, property transfer, county assessments, and are used to measure the size of real property (Blueprint, n.d.) Project maps may also reference legal descriptions, especially those that are provided to agencies or tribes during consultations.

County Accessor Parcel Numbers (APNs) are not included in this FMS due to the amount of parcels that lie within each property boundary; APNs are available online by County and should be referenced as needed for each project.

Map 22 – Map of the Cal Water 2.2 Planning Watersheds Within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP (Map Not To Scale)

Property Descriptions

BBRSP, the oldest State Park in California, is a recreational park noted for its old growth Coast Redwood Forest and the biodiversity it encapsulates in the upland mountains to the coastline. The property is comprised of a myriad of ecosystems, vegetative communities, and wildlife species. The coastal area is defined by a network of coastal bluffs, marine terraces, sandy beaches, and marshes that are home to coastal scrub communities, grasslands, native Monterey Pine Forest (Pinus radiata), and wetland species. The inland area consists of a system of meandering freshwater creeks, steep terrain, and prominent ridges that encompass an assortment of redwoods, Douglas-fir, oak woodlands, grasslands, and chaparral communities. Large old growth redwoods and Douglas-fir are defined by their late seral characteristics, such as large limbs, broken tops, and basal cavities that are an attraction to the public and wildlife alike. Following the CZU Fire, BBRSP is witnessing the ecological succession of species that consists of a resurgence of vegetative species that were stored in soil seed banks, coastal coppice sprouting species regeneration, and appears to be some migration of species to more suitable habitat conditions.

BBRSP, originally called California Redwood Park, was established in 1902, prior to the development of the State Park System, with the purpose of preserving old growth redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains during extensive logging efforts, referred to as the lumber boom, that occurred in the late 19th and early 20th century (Payne, n.d.). The original park footprint spanned approximately 2,500 acres and totaled 3,800 acres by 1904 when the park opened to the public (BBRSP General Plan and EIR, 2013). Since its inception, the park has acquired a total of 18,224 acres through purchase and donation.

Table 36: Legal Description for BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP

Present day, recreation within BBRSP is largely concentrated in the heart of the old growth redwoods stand and along the coastline, where large surf and strong winds foster desirable conditions for ocean sports and spectators. Inland recreation was halted following the CZU Fire, but promptly began the Reimagining Big Basin process and resumed limited public access near the park’s original Headquarters (Vision Statement and Summary, n.d.).

BSP encompasses much of the upper Little Butano Creek watershed, where the chaparral ridges, mixed conifer stands, and rugged terrain drain into Little Butano Creek prior to its confluence with Butano Creek. Old growth redwood forest stands can be found scattered in the heart of the park along the main Little Butano Creek drainage and on the northern bounds of the park, where the property dissolves into the South Fork of Butano Creek. Second growth redwood and Douglas-fir stands are prevalent throughout the park, of note, several areas that were historically grassland or hardwood stands have been overtaken by Douglas-fir encroachment in the absence of frequent low intensity disturbance. Upland ridges are comprised of a mix of chaparral communities and mixed conifer stands.

California State Parks acquired the first 320 acres of land in 1956 and established BSP, formerly called “The Butano”, in 1957 with the original purpose of protecting coast redwoods (CDPR BSP Cultural History, n.d. and Butano State Park Homepage, n.d.).

Additional acres were deeded over time that were previously homesteads. As the state acquired more land within the Little Butano Creek canyon, plans to establish campground infrastructure and trails were set forth.

BSP currently has a network of trails accessible to the public that traverse through the lowest points in the canyon, where old growth and second growth redwoods interweave, to the highest ridges in the park that overlook the canyon, providing an expansive view of the Pacific Ocean. Following the CZU Fire, the park has re-opened many trails to the public and is improving campground infrastructure to increase visitor access.

ANSP bisects Highway 1, splitting the park into two areas of interest, the inland side and the coastal side. The inland side of ANSP exhibits native grassland and coastal scrub ecosystems that merge into the mountainous forests consisting of a mix of second growth coast redwoods and Douglas-fir dominant stands that comprise the approximately 1,214 acres of forested land within the park. The Quiroste Valley, named after a group of Ohlone people that lived in the area and located in the grassland and coastal scrub flats, is a cultural preserve established to preserve pre-historic cultural resources and restore native vegetation through the implementation of indigenous stewardship, cultural burning, and traditional cultural knowledge with the Amah Mutsun Land Trust (CDPR ANSP Cultural History, n.d. and Coastside State Parks Association, 2016) The coastal side of ANSP is comprised of sandy dunes and beaches, wetland marshes, coastal prairie, with wind rows of planted Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa).

The ANSP property was established in 1985 following a history of agricultural uses, such as ranching, dairies, and row crop farming. Parcel acquisition began as early as 1968 as ranches were granted or purchased by the state.

Recreational attractions vary on either side of Highway 1. The coastal areas are most noted as a network of coastal bluff and dune trails guide visitors to the various coastal wilderness experiences that the park provides. Each year, the beaches of ANSP are used by about 10,000 elephant seals to breed, birth, and molt. Recreation within the inland portion of the park consists of a trail that begins in the Whitehouse Creek canyon and traverses through forested ecosystems that connect to BBRSP, ultimately ending on the ridges, called the Chalks, that overlook the Pacific Ocean and the western portions of BBRSP. The CZU Fire impacted the forested trail system greatly and is not currently accessible to the public.

The Santa Cruz Mountains, and particularly BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP, have a rich cultural history that is described in greater detail in Appendix C.

Landowners

BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP are owned by the California Department of Parks and Recreation, or California State Parks, and are managed by the Santa Cruz District. California State Parks mission is: “To provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high-quality outdoor recreation” (CDPR About Us, n.d.).

The State of California was granted its first area of land in 1862, which was soon after turned over to the federal government to become what is modern-day Yosemite National Park. The logging boom that struck in the late 19th century to early 20th century influenced conservation efforts and the purchase of the first parcels of land in BBRSP. With BBRSP being established in 1902, over 100-years of various management practices have been implemented within these parks to promote California State Park’s mission.

Since the early 1970’s, the Santa Cruz District has implemented numerous prescribed burns and various forms of understory vegetation and tree management to re-introduce more frequent low-intensity disturbance on the landscape to promote biodiversity and increase the resilience of the ecosystem. Across the state, shifts in modern climate have influenced catastrophic wildfire and weather events, such as the CZU Fire. These events have highlighted the need to increase the scale of such management practices and to implement restorative treatments that promote the health and resilience of forest stands. This FMS outlines various proposed site-specific management strategies, such as understory vegetation treatments, overstory treatments, and increased scale for prescribed burning, to achieve management goals including the climate adaptation goals, park-wide vegetation and forest goals and old growth redwood goals outlined in the Management Goals section.

Existing Plans & Reports

The California State Parks Santa Cruz District has accumulated various site-specific reports and plans that pertain to the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties. A list of the existing plans and reports related to or influencing forest management within these parks is listed below beginning with the most recent publication.

The document types include plans, reports, CEQA documents, or permits. CEQA documents and permits represent documents that are compliant with CEQA or the FPRs, meaning that they include substantial environmental impact analysis and have completed adequate agency notification to authorize the implementation of the planned project(s).

Table 37: Displays the existing plans and reports in order from most recent publication to oldest publication. This table is intended to be updated over time to stay current. Report Title Report

Facilities Management Plan Target2025 BBRSP Plan BSP ANSP

Forest Management Strategy 8/2/2024 BBRSP Plan BSP ANSP

Priority Recommended Actions and Key Findings Report – Following the CZU Fire 2/1/2023 BBRSP Report BSP ANSP

Butano State Park Forest Health Project – CalVTP PSA 10/1/2022 BSP CEQA Document/Plan

Avoidance Measure Recommendations for Marbled Murrelets in the Santa Cruz Mountains Following the CZU Lightning Complex 8/1/2022 BBRSP BSP Report

Big Basin China Grade Vegetation Management Plan & NOE 1/15/2014 BBRSP CEQA Document/Plan

Big Basin Redwoods State Park – Final General Plan and Environmental Impact Report 5/1/2013 BBRSP CEQA Document/Plan

Vegetation Management Statement 4/1/2010 BBRSP Plan

Año Nuevo State Park – Final General Plan and Environmental Impact Report 10/1/2008 BSP CEQA Document/Plan

Butano State Park – Final General Plan and Environmental Impact Report 10/1/2008 BSP CEQA Document/Plan

Potential for Property Acquisition

Although the State Parks System does not make a practice of purchasing properties, often properties acquired by other organizations or properties under general private ownership are granted or donated to State Parks over time This section acknowledges that lands acquired by State Parks may be appended to the FMS. The FMS is intended to be a living, breathing document that can be amended in perpetuity. Properties that become part of BBRSP, BSP, ANSP may be incorporated into the FMS, adjacent or not, with the knowledge that they will be operated under the same management concepts, principles, goals, and treatment activities within the FMS; Appendix I serves as a placeholder to append any applicable existing management plans, reports, or documents to the FMS.

Current Conditions

Natural and recreational resources within the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties were greatly impacted by the 2020 CZU Fire that resulted in devastating loss or deterioration of habitat, the accumulation of dead and regenerative fuels, increased susceptibility for sediment input to watercourses, and destruction of facilities and infrastructure. This section will provide an overview of the current conditions of the resources of the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties, including discussion on climate patterns, forest conditions, topography, geology, hydrology, and park infrastructure. As conditions continue to evolve, the FMS may be amended to update discussions on existing conditions.

Climate

Climatic trends influence forest stand conditions, subsequently impacting a stand’s resilience to climate-related events such as extended drought, severe wildfire, pests and disease, and heavy rains and high winds. Climate is directly influenced by the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Broadly, in the carbon cycle, carbon is removed from the atmosphere when it is used by plants and living organisms or stored in soils, the ocean, and fossil fuels (Riebeek, 2011). In return, carbon is released back into the atmosphere as part of various processes, such as plant respiration, decomposition of living organisms, and wildfire or burning fossil fuels, ultimately fostering a cyclical loop (NOAA, n.d.).

Understanding current and future climate trends creates opportunities to apply adaptive management and promote changes in forest stand structure that are more resilient to anticipated climate-related events.

BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP can be characterized by the hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters that defines the Mediterranean climate (Britannica, 2023). The Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, developed based on formulas that consider vegetation zones, major climate zones, and temperature classes, similarly classifies these properties as Csb climates, indicating a temperate climate with warm, dry summers (Kottek et al., 2006 and Jerue, n.d.)

The following sections will evaluate the site-specific temperature and precipitation trends that characterize the climate within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP and will discuss the history of fire in the area.

Temperature

Being situated in close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, seasonal temperatures within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP are moderately regulated as a marine fog layer accompanies summer mornings, exhibiting cool conditions before the fog layer dissipates (Martin, 1998).

The town of Pescadero, in closest proximity to BSP, ANSP, and the western portion of BBRSP, has a mean annual temperature of approximately 55.8⁰F. Summer high temperatures reach approximately 62.4⁰F on average and winter low temperatures are approximately 49.9⁰F (Pescadero Climate, n.d.). Similarly, the average annual temperature in the town of Boulder Creek, located in close proximity to the eastern and southeastern portion of BBRSP, is approximately 55⁰F, where summer high temperatures are approximately 62⁰F on average and winter low temperatures are approximately 49.6⁰F on average (Boulder Creek Climate, n.d.)

It is important to note that the vast expanse of the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties, both geographically and topographically, presents a high degree of variability in temperature at any given location. For instance, the ridges located in the eastern portion of BBRSP have experienced high summer temperatures nearing 90-100⁰F, which is often not representative of the temperatures in the steep, forested drainages of the park.

Precipitation

Rainfall in this region is most common between November and March, generally with the most rainfall occurring in February. The average annual rainfall for Boulder Creek is 49.7 inches, taken from 93 years of data from the San Lorenzo Valley Water District in Boulder Creek (SLVWD, n.d.) Interestingly, the highest for Boulder Creek from this data set is the winter of 1889-90 with 124.26 inches, whereas the lowest year from this record was 202021 with 17.14 inches. An incredibly wide range of rainfall for an area over the past 93 years The town of Pescadero on the coast side of the three parks experiences only 22.9 inches of average rainfall but often sees flooding relative to the amount of rainfall that happens in the mountains behind it, many acres of which are made up from State Park lands.

In recent history, the San Mateo County and Santa Cruz County regions have experienced reoccurring drought conditions, often followed by periods of high precipitation that trace back to the early 19th century (NOAA NIDIS, n.d.). A pro-longed period of drought occurred from 2012 to 2017, which peaked in severity in 2014 when it was classified as exceptional drought, the fourth and highest drought classification. Following the year 2020, these counties experienced another array of abnormally dry conditions that escalated into extreme drought, the third level classification, prior to being met with a high rainfall season

in the winter of 2022-2023. Historic patterns of prolonged exceptional or extreme drought conditions occurred in the mid-1920’s, early-1930’s, the late-1970’s, and the late-1980’s to mid-1990’s. Notable exceptional or extreme wet periods occurred in the early-1940’s, mid1980’s, and late-1990’s, including in January of 1982, the Santa Cruz Mountains experienced a storm event that resulted in over 25 inches of rainfall in 72 hours (ABC 7 News, 2023).

During the dry season, the Pacific Ocean provides a marine fog layer that accompanies the warm summer days as it settles in the topographical depressions and drainages. The marine layer moisture collects on coastal redwoods and is released to the ground as fog drip (American Meteorological Society, 2012). Fog drip contributes to soil moisture during the dry summer months and can simulate a light rain.

Fire History

Fire’s role in the ecosystem predates anthropogenic interaction with the landscape where lightning-ignited wildfires were a familiar part of the Earth’s history (NOAA NWS Lightning History, n.d.). Moisture, atmospheric instability, and movement, such as a frontal system, are the naturally occurring conditions needed to formulate the thunderstorms responsible for pre-anthropogenic fire return intervals (FRI) (NOAA NWS Understanding Lightning, n.d.). The introduction of native peoples on the landscape brought anthropogenic ignitions, including the intentional ignition of fire as a tool to manage and maintain an abundance of culturally significant crops and vegetation and to promote habitat for wildlife species, among other purposes (NPS, 2023) European settlement in the late 1700’s through the 19th century triggered opposing views on fire’s role in the ecosystem as fires threatened and destroyed towns, livelihoods, and surrounding natural resources. A series of forest fires in 1910 referred to as the “Big Blow Up” instituted a policy of total fire suppression (Forest History Society, n.d.). This nearly 100-year suppression era in the United States focused efforts on preventing fires, including controlled fire, and suppressing fire as quickly as possible, ultimately devaluing the ecological benefits fire presented in the wilderness and reducing the scale of fires on the landscape.

Local fire history varies greatly, however, evidence of fire patterns in the Santa Cruz Mountains has been captured and analyzed in several studies. Dendrochronological data collected from approximately 279 conifers in BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP as part of the Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report was compared to a Master’s Theses conducted by Gregory Jones and another study conducted by Scott L. Stephens and Danny L. Fry in neighboring watersheds of the Santa Cruz Mountains (Jones, 2014 and Stephens and Fry, 2005); this comparison identifies that there may have been a have been a largescale high severity fire between the 1670’s and 1680’s prior to European contact (Appendix F and the Evidence of Fire Patterns section). Additionally, analysis of the radial tree core data collected across the 264 FTPs in BBRSP, BSP, and ASNP suggests evidence of fire history in coast redwoods that varies significantly, where one plot’s radial tree core suggests fire

return intervals (FRI) of approximately 62, 34, and 10 years while several other plots have up to approximately 100 years between fire scars, suggesting a mosaic pattern of smallerscale, more frequent fires that occurred across the landscape following the 1670’s fire and prior to the 2020 CZU Fire (Appendix F and the Evidence of Fire Patterns section).

The earliest available CAL FIRE, Fire and Resource Assessment Program (FRAP) data exhibiting the extent of wildfire boundaries for this region suggests that two fires ignited within park boundaries in 1962, the Hanna Property Fire and the Lincoln Hill Fire (FRAP, n.d.). The Hanna Property Fire spanned over approximately 242 acres in what is now the eastern-most section of the BSP property, and the Lincoln Hill Fire occurred in the middle of the Old Woman’s Creek watershed, where it spanned approximately 3,235 acres into portions of southern BSP, northern ANSP, and western BBRSP. In 1980, there is record of an approximately 377-acre fire in BBRSP near Pine Mountain that is recorded as “Big Basin #7”. Furthermore, isolated parcels of BBRSP located in the Scotts Creek watershed experienced the northern extent of the 2009 Lockheed Fire, which covered 7,783 acres inland of Davenport resulting from anthropogenic ignition Another significant fire that is part of Santa Cruz Mountains’ modern history is the Martin Fire of 2008 which resulted in the destruction of 11 structures, occurring outside of park boundaries. The next wildfire to sweep through the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties was the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire. The CZU Fire raged through approximately 86,553 acres of land in the Santa Cruz Mountains destroying 911 homes, including re-burning the Hanna Property Fire, Lincoln Hill Fire, Big Basin #7, the Lockheed Fire, and the Martin Fire.

As stated in the Evidence of Fire Patterns section analyzed above confirms that fire has occurred in BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP prior to European contact to present day and should be expected to occur over time in perpetuity. The certainty that fires will continue to occur in these parks demonstrates the value in managing these forestlands to be better prepared and more resilient to future fires, regardless of fire severity and scale.

Prescribed fire, in the form of broadcast burning and pile burning, has been employed by State Parks for many years as a way of re-introducing more frequent fire to the landscape to increase biodiversity, improve habitat, and increase ecosystem resilience. BBRSP has a rich history of prescribed broadcast burns, with sequentially connected burn units occurring in the East and West Waddell watersheds. The northern portion of the East Waddell watershed was ignited east to west, beginning south of China Grade at the Highway 236 intersection in 1978 and continuing west in 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, and 2016 (Figure 37). This burn plot sequence carried connectivity into the West Waddell, predominately burning between Middle Ridge Road, Gazos Creek Road, and Johanssen Road in 2000, 2001, 2007, 2011, and 2012 (Figure 37). Additional burn units were ignited in the East Waddell watershed along Lodge Road and Roger’s Road, using the East Ridge Road as plot boundaries in 1981, 1986, 1996, and 1998 (Figure 37). These prescribed burns range from approximately 62 acres to 447 acres in size per burn unit. It is common for prescribed burn units to be reburned several years later, in fact, portions of the 1996 burn unit were reburned in 2015, the Lodge Road burn plot burned in 1981 and again in 1986, and

Figure 37: Prescribed Burn Units in BBRSP from 1978 to 2016.

additional burn units are currently permitted under a Vegetation Management Plan to reburn a similar footprint to the 1978, 1994, 1996, and 1997 units.

ANSP’s history of prescribed burning is predominately focused in the non-forested areas of the property, generally occurring in the native grasslands along the coast and within the Quiroste Valley Preserve and consisting of broadcast burns or pile burning. A coastal grassland broadcast burn plot located between Highway 1 and the bluffs at Whitehouse Creek is burned regularly.

In BSP, approximately 1,793.9 acres were approved for prescribed burning under the certified Butano State Park Forest Health Project PSA and associated burn plans, that detail the subunits and control lines used for each of the three major burn units. To date, the park has a history of burning, predominantly through the use of burn piles.

Forest

The FMS and related Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report focus management recommendations and post-fire analysis within the forested areas of BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. It should be noted that the non-forested, western portion of ANSP was not included during field analysis or management recommendations due to the area being the focus of a separate planning document that is in development by Dr. Cuthrell. The purpose of this section is to outline various definitions regarding the forest resources present in BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP, such as forest types, vegetation communities and alliances, and existing stand conditions, and to document the potential and existing pests, pathogens, diseases, and invasives that may occur within the parks.

Forest Types

Eight dominant forest type designations were established for the purposes of field investigations during forest trend monitoring following the CZU Fire and stratifying data predominantly for FTP and STM analysis only, (Table 38, E) The forest types are designated by their dominant vegetation type and second growth redwood stands were further designated by their site quality classification, which is a measurement of a stand’s productivity potential based on the heights of its dominant and codominant trees at 100 years old. Determining the dominant vegetation was done by estimating the percentage occupied by each species, as defined in Table 38

Forest type

OGRW

RW II

RW III

CHRW

CHDF

Description

Contiguous Old Growth Redwood stand that may also have old growth Douglas-fir components

Redwood Site II - occupied by 75% second growth redowood with the capability of growing a redwood tree 155-179 feet tall in 100 years

Redwood Site III - occupied by 75% second growth redwood with the capability of growing a redwood tree 130-154 feet tall in 100 years

Conifer-Hardwood, Redwood Dominant - over 50% and less than 75% redwood, the remainder being hardwood or Douglas-fir

Conifer-Hardwood Douglas-fir Dominant - over 50% and less than 75% Douglas-fir, the remainder being hardwood or redwood

HW Hardwood - greater than 50% hardwoods

DF Douglas-fir greater than 75% Douglas-fir

MP Monterey Pine - greater than 50% Monterey Pine

It should be noted that additional forest types are present throughout the three parks, such as knobcone pine dominant vegetation communities, that were not included in the focused forest trend monitoring efforts due to having non-forested components and characteristics or due to having a limited sample size within the parks.

Vegetation Communities & Alliances

Forested and vegetated areas within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP have been further defined by the Manual of California Vegetation, which provides a statewide standard for vegetation classification22. The manual used field surveying, mapping, and analysis to describe and refine the vegetative patterns throughout the state. The vegetation communities and alliances described in the Manual of Vegetation were used in San Mateo and Santa Cruz County fine-scale vegetation mapping (Tukman Geospatial, 2019 & 2020), which was ultimately used as map layer during forest trend monitoring field investigations.

The fine-scale vegetation GIS data was clipped to the park boundaries to provide an overview of the vegetation types that exist in BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP (Map 23, Tables 39, 40, and 41)

22 The California Native Plant Society’s Manual of Vegetation can be referenced online.

Table 38: Forest Types Used for Forest Trent Plot and Sample, Treat, and Monitor Analysis

Table 39: List of the vegetation communities and alliances that occur within BBRSP (continues onto the next page)

BBRSP Vegetation Communities and Alliances

Abbreviation Alliance Classification Lifeform

ACMA Acer macrophyllum Mapping Unit Deciduous Hardwood

ADFA Adenostoma fasciculatum Alliance Shrub

AECA Aesculus californica Alliance Deciduous Hardwood

ALRU Acer macrophyllum – Alnus rubra Alliance Riparian Forest

AMARSH

Arid West Interior Freshwater Marsh Group Freshwater Herbaceous Wetland

ARCA Artemisia californica – (Salvia leucophylla) Alliance Shrub

ARCH/ARNU

Arctostaphylos (nummularia, sensitiva) – Chrysolepis chrysophylla Alliance Shrub

ARCR Arctostaphylos (crustacea, tomentosa) Alliance Shrub

ARME Arbutus menziesii Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

BAPI Baccharis pilularis Alliance Shrub

CETH Ceanothus thrysiflorus Alliance Shrub

DUNE Pacific Coastal Beach & Dune Mapping Unit Herbaceous

ERST

Eriophyllum staechadifolium –Erigeron glaucus – Eriogonum latifolium Alliance Herbaceous

FOFRAG Forest Fragment Forest

FRCA Frangula californica ssp. californica – Baccharis pilularis / Scrophularia californica Association Shrub

GASH

Gaultheria shallon – Rubus (ursinus) Alliance Shrub

GRASS Californian Annual & Perennial Grassland Mapping Unit Herbaceous

HEMA Hesperocyparis macrocarpa Ruderal Semi-Natural Association Pine/Cypress

NODE Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

ORCH Orchard or Grove Orchard or Grove

PIAT Pinus attenuata Alliance Conifer

BBRSP Vegetation Communities and Alliances

Abbreviation

Alliance Classification Lifeform

PIMU Pinus muricata – Pinus radiata Alliance Conifer

POTR Populus trichocarpa Alliance Riparian Forest

PSME Pseudotsuga menziesii –Notholithocarpus densiflorus / Vaccinium ovatum Association Conifer

QUAG Quercus agrifolia Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

QUCH Quercus chrysolepis (tree) Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

QUPA Quercus wislizeni – Quercus parvula (tree) Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

QUWI Quercus wislizeni – Quercus chrysolepis (shrub) Alliance Shrub

SAGO Salix gooddingii – Salix laevigata Alliance Riparian Forest

SALA Salix lasiolepis Alliance Riparian Shrub

SESE Sequoia sempervirens Alliance Conifer

ShFrg Shrub Fragment Shrub

TODI Toxicodendron diversilobum –(Baccharis pilularis) Association Shrub

UMCA Umbellularia californica Mapping Unit Evergreen Hardwood

VMARGR Vancouverian Lowland Marsh, Wet Meadow & Shrubland Group Freshwater Herbaceous Wetland

Table 40: List of the vegetation communities and alliances that occur within BSP (continues onto the next page).

BSP

Abbreviation

Vegetation Communities and Alliances

Alliance Classification Lifeform

ACMA Acer macrophyllum Mapping Unit Deciduous Hardwood

ALRU Acer macrophyllum – Alnus rubra Alliance Riparian Forest

ARCR Arctostaphylos (crustacea, tomentosa) Alliance Shrub

ARNU Arctostaphylos (nummularia, 145ttenuate) – Chrysolepis chrysophylla Alliance Shrub

BAPI Baccharis pilularis Alliance Shrub

CATH Ceanothus thyrsiflorus Alliance Shrub

COSE Cornus sericea – Salix (lasiolepis, exigua) Association Riparian Forest

EUC Eucalyptus (globulus, camaldulensis) Provisional Semi-Natural Association Non-native Forest

ForFrg Forest Fragment Forest

BSP Vegetation Communities and Alliances

Abbreviation Alliance Classification Lifeform

FRCA Frangula californica ssp. Californica – Baccharis pilularis / Scrophularia californica Association Shrub

GASH Gaultheria shallon – Rubus (ursinus) Alliance Shrub

GRASS Californian Annual & Perennial Grassland Mapping Unit Herbaceous

NODE Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

PIAT Pinus 146ttenuate Alliance Conifer

PSME Pseudotsuga menziesii –Notholithocarpus densiflorus / Vaccinium ovatum Association Conifer

QUAG Quercus agrifolia Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

QUWI Quercus wislizeni – Quercus chrysolepis (shrub) Alliance Shrub

SALA Salix lasiolepis Alliance Riparian Forest

SALU Salix lucida ssp. Lasiandra Association Riparian Forest

SCRUB Mesic Coastal Scrub Mapping Unit Shrub

SESE Sequoia sempervirens Alliance Forest ShFrg Shrub Fragment Shrub

TODI Toxicodendron diversilobum –(Baccharis pilularis) Association Shrub

UMCA Umbellularia californica Mapping Unit Forest

VMARSH Vancouverian Freshwater Wet Meadow & Marsh Group Freshwater Herbaceous Wetland

Table 41: List of the vegetation communities and alliances that occur within ANSP (continues onto the next pages)

ANSP

Vegetation Communities and Alliances

Abbreviation Alliance Classification Lifeform

ACMA Acer macrophyllum Mapping Unit Deciduous Hardwood

AECA Aesculus californica Alliance Deciduous Hardwood

ALRU Acer macrophyllum – Alnus rubra Alliance Riparian Forest

AMAR Ammophila arenaria SemiNatural Alliance Non-native Herbaceous

ANSP Vegetation Communities and Alliances

Abbreviation Alliance Classification Lifeform

AMARSH Arid West Freshwater Emergent Marsh Group Freshwater Herbaceous Wetland

ARCR Arctostaphylos (crustacea, tomentosa) Alliance Shrub

ARPY Artemisia pycnocephala Association Shrub

BAPI Baccharis pilularis Alliance Shrub

CAED

Cakile (edentula, maritima) Provisional Semi-Natural Alliance Tidal Wetland

CATH Ceanothus thyrsiflorus Alliance Shrub

COMA Conium maculatum –Foeniculum vulgare SemiNatural Alliance Non-native Herbaceous

DUNE Pacific Coastal Beach & Dune Mapping Unit Herbaceous

ERST Eriophyllum staechadifolium –Erigeron glaucus – Eriogonum latifolium Alliance Herbaceous

EUC

Eucalyptus (globulus, camaldulensis) Provisional Semi-Natural Association Non-native Forest

ForFrg Forest Fragment Forest

FRCA Frangula californica ssp. californica – Baccharis pilularis / Scrophularia californica Association Shrub

GASH Gaultheria shallon – Rubus (ursinus) Alliance Shrub

GRASS Californian Annual & Perennial Grassland Mapping Unit Herbaceous

HEMA Hesperocyparis macrocarpa Ruderal Provisional SemiNatural Association Conifer

LUAR Lupinus arboreus Alliance Shrub

LUCH Lupinus chamissonis –Ericameria ericoides Alliance Shrub

NNH Non-native Herbaceous Herbaceous

NODE Notholithocarpus densiflorus Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

PIAT Pinus attenuata Alliance Conifer

PIMU Pinus muricata – Pinus radiata Alliance Conifer

PIRA

Pinus radiata Plantation Provisional Semi-Natural Association Non-native Forest

ANSP Vegetation Communities and Alliances

Abbreviation Alliance Classification Lifeform

PSME Pseudotsuga menziesii –Notholithocarpus densiflorus / Vaccinium ovatum Association Conifer

QUAG Quercus agrifolia Alliance Evergreen Hardwood

RUSP Rubus spectabilis – Morella californica Alliance Shrub

SALA Salix lasiolepis Alliance Riparian Forest

SALU Salix lucida ssp. lasiandra Association Riparian Forest

SCRUB Mesic Coastal Scrub Mapping Unit Shrub

SESE Sequoia sempervirens Alliance Conifer ShFrg Shrub Fragment Shrub

TODI Toxicodendron diversilobum –(Baccharis pilularis) Association Shrub

UMCA Umbellularia californica Mapping Unit Evergreen Hardwood

VMARSH Vancouverian Freshwater Wet Meadow & Marsh Group Freshwater Herbaceous Wetland

Forest Stand Conditions

Forest stand conditions vary throughout the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties, where stand conditions post-fire exhibit an array of successional characteristics Pre-fire, old growth redwood stands exhibited well-spaced old growth redwoods that dominated the overstory, overtopping mid-range diameter redwoods and tanoaks that comprise the intermediate canopy level and established a closed canopy for the native understory plants. Where the CZU Fire burned at higher severities in old growth redwood stands, there is an accumulation of large, downed trees and broken tops intermixed with dense Ceanothus spp. and regeneration from coastal coppice sprouting species, such as redwood, tanoak, madrone, and huckleberry (Vaccinium ovatum)

Beyond the old growth, the dense second growth redwood and Douglas-fir stands located on the outer perimeters and wilderness area of BBRSP and throughout BSP and ANSP consist of a similar regenerative response. Extensive logging that occurred in the late 1800’s to mid-1900’s throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains in combination with an absence of frequent, low-intensity disturbance regimes has directly influenced overly dense forest stands that exhibit a high degree of competition for available resources among the intermediate, suppressed, and understory canopy levels It is under these circumstances that impaired forest conditions and continuous horizontal and vertical fuel loading were promoted prior to the CZU Fire. Current successional stages foster conditions conducive to

increased understory fuel loading as dead and dying trees accumulate on the forest floor, intermixed with impenetrable understory regeneration and partially incinerated woody debris.

The implementation of forest management, ranging from understory-focused treatments to overstory stand treatments, will reduce the continuity of fuels and increase the vigor of the residual stand, ultimately restoring healthy forest ecosystem conditions.

Pathogens, Pests, & Disease

Douglas-fir Root Rot

Annosus root disease is caused by an infection of the fungus Heterobasidion annosum (H. annosum), previously named Fomes annosus, and is commonly referred to as root rot or butt rot (USDA, 2000). This root disease is responsible for group killing in conifers, such as pines or Douglas-fir. Airborne spores are released from conks and germinate in fresh wounds, usually at the base of a tree or in cavities of stumps where it then spreads through the contact of root systems. Infected living trees often have basal conks in or near the duff layer that appear light gray to brown on the upper surface and creamy white to light brown on the porous underside. Popcorn conks, or tiny conks, are occasionally found growing under bark or on roots. Tree crown symptoms include shortened needles, needle retainment at the tips of branches, and chlorotic discoloration, all of which are generally expressed from the bottom and inside of the crown up and outward. Stunted or reduced growth is common in infected trees. Management strategies vary by host species; general management of annosus root disease is dependent on early detection and evaluation of infected trees. In recreational areas, early detection and removal of infected trees can reduce hazards caused by deterioration and may improve chances of prevention in residual trees. In pines and true fir, the USFS recommends that freshly cut stumps get treated with Sporax, a borax fungicide. BBRSP and BSP have areas of Douglas-fir stands that may be susceptible to H. annosum

Pacific Madrone Root Rot

Mature Pacific madrone tree roots are susceptible to infection of two fungi, Phytophthora cactorum (P. cactorum) and Pytophthora cinnamomi (P. cinnamomi), responsible for root rot and the development of cankers at the base of the tree and along the tree trunk. P. cactorum is most common in the Pacific Northwest, whereas P. cinnamomi requires warmer temperatures and is more common throughout California (WSU, n.d.). Both pathogenic fungi, like P.ramorum, require water to survive as spores in soils and running water or rain splash to spread, often infecting wounds or roots. Infected trees exhibit discolored, or dark brown to black, bark and/or sapwood and crowns display upper foliage loss and abnormally small leaves with curled margins or wilting. Where possible, mitigation for this disease can be implemented by reducing irrigation to madrones, avoiding concentrations of mulch at the base of susceptible trees, and pruning branch and twig cankers during initial establishment. Pruning should occur in dry conditions to avoid or lessen the chance of transmission between individual madrones.

Phellinus (Fomes) pini – Douglas-fir

Conifers along the Pacific Coast are susceptible to infection of the fungus Phellinus (Fomes) pini (P. pini), that is responsible for causing red ring rot. P. pini had been placed in several genera since the 1800’s, subsequently giving it many taxonomic names, and is commonly recognized as Fomes pini (USDA, 2011). This fungus is commonly hosted in conifers like Douglas-fir, pines, larch, hemlocks, and true firs and primarily has the greatest impact on older forest stands. P. pini spores are carried by wind and germinate in wounds and on branch stubs. Trees infected with P. pini often exhibit exterior hoof-shaped to bracket-like perennial conks that are dull gray to brownish black on the upper surface with a light margin and a rich brown underside, often referred to as a cinnamon color. Interior heartwood decay appears red to purple initially, then develops small pockets of white mycelium decay as it advances. Typically, the more conks that appear on a tree suggests increasing interior decay. Management practices for this disease include removing trees with conks and amounts of rot that may render them hazardous in recreational areas, avoid wounding trees, and salvage infected trees prior to excessive interior decay occurs. P. pini may persist for a short period of time in slash, however, it does not rely on nourishment from decaying organic matter. In BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP, this disease is most likely to impact mature Douglas-fir stands.

Pitch Canker

A disease caused by the pathogenic fungus Fusarium circinatum; Pitch canker occurs primarily in pine trees but is also known to infect Douglas-fir in Northern California. Monterey pine is the most widely affected host of this disease and seedling infection is possible through the presence of inoculum on seeds, soil, or ground litter. Primary symptoms of pitch canker involve girdling of branches, exposed roots, and main stems, wilting of stems and branches, foliar dieback, and chlorosis in needles and fascicles. Cyclical mortality is possible as a result of pitch canker, but studies show even heavily affected individuals may recover completely from an infestation and develop resistance to the disease over time, warranting a conservative approach to the removal of infected species (Bonello et al., 2001). Fire is an effective, two-fold process as it can eliminate the inoculum of the pathogen on soil and litter surfaces and promote the natural regeneration of the Monterey pine forest (Gordon et al., 2001). Mitigations23 to avoid the spread of the disease may include, but are not limited to, avoiding the movement of material from infested areas to non-infested areas and sanitation of hand tools, boots, and mechanized equipment.

Sudden Oak Death

The pathogen, Phytophthora ramorum (P. ramorum), which causes the disease Sudden Oak Death (SOD), infects coastal forests throughout California and Oregon and kills susceptible species including tanoak, coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), California black oak (Quercus kelloggii), Shreve oak (Quercus parvula var. shrevei), canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis), and madrone saplings. Non-oak foliar host species that may occur within the project area

23 Further information regarding the management of pitch canker can be found at the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program Website.

include, but are not limited to, California bay laurel (Umbellularia californica) and Pacific madrone. Identification of the disease and infected individuals is paramount to preventing or minimizing the spread of the pathogen (UCANR, 2010). In areas where infection is not apparent or confirmed, foliar or bark samples may be analyzed by trained specialists to confirm the presence of P. ramorum. All hand equipment and field gear, including boots, should be sanitized and heavy equipment should be hosed off prior to operations or when departing from areas where the spread of SOD is possible. The California Oak Mortality Task Force website contains additional information regarding diagnosis, treatment, and disposal measures for vegetation infected with SOD (Suden Oak Death, n.d.). SOD is present within San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties, including adjacent drainages, and only small amounts have been observed in BBRSP and BSP.

Invasive Species

Cape Ivy

Cape Ivy (Delairea odorata) is a perennial vine that occupies over 500,000 acres in California, primarily occurring in coastal forests from Del Norte County to San Diego County. The invasive was introduced in California in the 1950s as an ornamental species. Cape ivy readily smothers other vegetation in its proximity, forming a solid cover over neighboring plants and blocking sunlight out. Large portions of cape ivy can easily take over plant and animal habitats and are especially problematic in riparian areas (Cal IPC Delairea odorata, n.d.). Cape ivy contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids such as retronecine that are known to be toxic to some insects and wildlife. Due to its shallow root system, cape ivy can contribute to substantial stream bank erosion when riparian areas are infested and colonized by the plant. Non-chemical control includes pulling, however, removal of cape ivy is difficult due to fragmenting of plant parts when pulled and its ability to grow from any remaining fragment of the invasive (DiTamaso et al., 2013). Roots and stems must be pulled from the ground by hand or with mini-rakes or hoes. Management is timing-based, as the plant produces rapid growth from February to June and experiences some dieback due to lack of constant water during July to October. Chemical control may include the use of glyphosate (Roundup), triclopyr (Garlon 4), or clopyralid (Transline).

False Slender Brome

False slender brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), a perennial bunchgrass, is known to occur within San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, predominately along roadsides and trails found in forests and upland prairies (Cal IPC Brachypodium sylvaticum, n.d.). This species outcompetes native grassland and understory vegetation due to its tolerance of shade, sun, dry, and moist conditions. False slender brome predominately reproduces by seed and its seedbank is only viable for approximately one year (DiTamaso et al., 2013). Nonchemical control methods predominantly include hand pulling and mechanical pulling under moist or loose soil conditions. The entire root system needs to be removed to effectively control the species and limit resprouting. Chemical control methods may include the use of fluazifop (Fusilade), sethoxydim (Poast), glyphosate (Roundup, Accord XRT II,

etc.), and hexazinone (Velpar L). Application methods, timing, and efficiency vary by chemical agent.

Forget-Me-Not

Forget-me-not (Myosotis latifolia) is an herb commonly found in coniferous and riparian areas along the northern and central California coast and was initially introduced as an ornamental species due to its pale blue to pink flowers (Cal IPC Myosotis latifolia, n.d.). This species outcompetes understory plants with its creeping roots and coiled racemes. Forgetme-nots reproduce vegetatively from creeping roots and by seed, which are long-lived and capable of establishing a seed bank viable for many years. Non-chemical control includes hand pulling to fully remove all roots to prevent resprouting (DiTamaso et al., 2013).

Chemical control may include the use of dicamba (Banvel, Clarity), fluroxypyr (Vista XRT), picloram (Tordon 22K), glyphosate (Roundup, Accord, XRTII, etc.), and metsulfuron (Escort).

Application methods, timing, and efficiency vary by chemical agent.

French broom

French broom (Genista monspessulana) is a problematic invasive species due to its ignitability, ability to carry fire into tree canopies, shading out seedlings, and replacing the native plants and forage species. This species has a large seed bank and re-sprouts readily from the root after cutting, freezing, and fire (Cal IPC Genista monspessulana, n.d.). Nonchemical treatments include pulling French broom to remove the entire plant including its roots to eliminate resprouting. Chemical treatments may include the use of glyphosate (Roundup and Roundup Pro Max), imazapyr (Arsenal, Chopper, Habitat, Stalker, and Polaris), and triclopyr (Garlon 3A and Garlon 4) (DiTamaso et al., 2013) Application methods may vary between chemicals; however, cut stump and basal bark application immediately following the cut are common practice. The removal of this species is a priority due to its increased fire hazard and adverse impacts to habitat and aesthetics.

Jubata Grass

Jubata grass (Cortaderia jubata), a large perennial grass, was introduced as an ornamental species and for erosion control along the California coast and coast ranges (Cal IPC Cortaderia jubata, n.d). This species is quick to establish in bare soils, favoring dunes, bluffs, disturbed areas, and inland areas moderated by marine fog. Large plumes produce up to 100,000 seeds that develop without fertilization and are readily dispersed by wind. Non-chemical methods to control pampas grass include pulling, cutting, disking, heavily mulching bare soils, or planting desired species (DiTamaso et al., 2013). During removal, the entire root crown must be removed to prevent resprouting and care should be taken to dispose of mature plumes in a manner that limits seed dispersal and in locations that they are not capable of resprouting. Chemical methods of removal include spot treatments of glyphosate and/or imazapyr in low concentrations during the late summer or fall.

Tufted Wallaby Grass

Tufted wallaby grass (Rytidosperma caespitosum), a perennial grass, favors grasslands and dunes in the central and south coast ranges of California (Cal IPC Rytidosperma caespitosum, n.d. This species is capable of growing more than 2 feet tall and readily disperses by wind, mammals, or machinery due to having bristly seeds. Management and control methodology research for tufted wallaby grass is developing. To avoid the spread of this species, it should not be mowed or chipped and equipment should be cleaned of debris prior to moving to uninfected areas. Informational resources should be checked for updates on management and control methods for tufted wallaby grass if it is found in a project area.

Yellow Starthistle

Yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) is a tall, spiny winter annual that inhabits open hills, grasslands, woodlands, fields, roadsides, and especially rangelands (Cal IPC Centaurea solstitialis, n.d). This species occupies approximately 12 million acres in California. This species reproduces by seed that germinates following the first fall rains with occasional germination occurring in winter and spring. Non-chemical treatments include hand removal, mowing, cultivation, or grazing with care given to remove the entire above-ground stem to reduce opportunities for resprouting (DiTamaso et al., 2013). Prescribed burning is effective when conducted during the early flowering stage, prior to producing viable seed. Biological agents established to control yellow starthistle include seed-head weevils, flower weevils, hairy weevils, seed-head flies, peacock flies, and false peacock flies, all of which attack the flower heads and produce larvae within the seed heads. Chemical control may include the use of aminopyralid (Milestone), clopyralid (Transline), clopyralid with 2,4-D (Curtail), dicamba (Banvel, Clarity), picloram (Tordon 22K), triclopyr (Garlon 3A, Galon 4 Ultra), glyphosate (Roundup, Accord XRT II, etc.), imazapyr (Arsenal, Habitat, Stalker, Chopper, Polaris), sulfometuron (Oust), and hexazinone (Velpar L). Application methods, timing, and efficiency vary by chemical agent.

Topography

Topography across BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP is dynamic varying from rugged mountains, steep slopes, narrow ravines, flat marine terraces and coastal dunes. The substantial changes in topography throughout the three parks supports a dynamic array of ecotones across each property.

Of the three parks, BBRSP has the greatest ranges in elevation, starting at sea level at Waddell Beach and reaching a maximum elevation at 2359’ on China Grade. The eastern portion of BBRSP has varying terrain, comprised of relatively flat slopes located in proximity to the base of drainages intermixed with quickrising ridges (Figure 38) The presence of flat slopes in the eastern portion of BBRSP supports the infrastructure that is in place and establishes opportunity for variable forest management techniques.

Contrastingly, the Western Waddell Wilderness Area is predominantly comprised of steep slopes, favoring access by foot (Figure 39). BBRSP is comprised greatly of ridgelines that run north to south, while the Western Waddell watershed exhibits a concentration of northfacing slopes in heart of the Wilderness Area located along the upper portions of West Waddell Creek that runs west to east. The western-most watersheds in BBRSP have predominantly south, southeast, and east facing slopes, where the north, northwest, and west facing slopes rise rapidly.

Figure 38: 3-Dimensional View of the Topography of the East Waddell Watershed, Viewpoint from Eagle Rock Facing Northwest

The topography of BSP is defined by the presence of Little Butano Creek and its tributaries, sculpting the valley that characterizes the park. Little Butano Creek's mouth is situated on the west side at the lowest elevation of 219 feet, while the valley extends in an east/west orientation, reaching its highest point at Butano Peak (1713 feet). At the top of the Little Butano Creek watershed, the park extends further east along a ridge. Gazo's Creek delineates the southern end of the park, with the property following it for approximately 3 miles. The dominant ridgelines within BSP run southwest to northeast and northwest to southeast, providing a balanced mix of northern and southern facing slopes.

ANSP's topography varies from flat marine terraces and windblown sand dunes along the coastline in the southern section of the park. The northeast portion features ridges and valleys that eventually merge with BSP along Gazos Creek. The park's inland extent is limited, primarily running along the toe slopes of ridges perpendicular to the coast, comprised of a mix of northern and southern facing slopes. The forested areas of ANSP are predominately comprised of south, southeast, and east facing slopes. Numerous watercourses flow from narrow canyons to wider channels throughout the area.

Geology

The landscape that comprises BBRSP, ANSP and BSP are an ever-changing result of faulting and folding of rocks and rock formations from the San Andreas Fault Complex, combined with exposure to other elements, such as wind, waves, rain, and fires.

Figure 39: 3-Dimensional View of the Topography of the West and East Waddell Watersheds, Viewpoint from the Waddell Creek Fork Facing Northeast

The Santa Cruz Mountains24 and the San Francisco Peninsula25 have a history of seismic activity due to the San Andreas Fault, an active right-lateral strike slip fault that forms the plate boundary between the Pacific plate and North American plate (Brabb, 1997 and Jennings & Burnett, 1961). On October 17, 1989, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake measured on the Richter scale shook Santa Cruz and the San Francisco Bay Area. This earthquake was named the Loma Prieta Earthquake due to the epicenter being located near Loma Prieta Peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains (CGS, n.d.). Preceding the Loma Prieta Earthquake was the April 18, 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. This earthquake was catastrophic at 7.9 on the moment magnitude scale26, pre-Richter scale, destroying 80% of San Francisco and leading to a three-day fire (USGS, n.d.).

In addition to earthquakes, landslides and slumps are common mass movements in the Santa Cruz Mountains due to the combination of heavy winter rain events and commonly steep slopes. Mass movement events, earthquakes, and other natural forces offset rocks, often exposing rocks and occasionally fossils. Sedimentary rocks such as sandstone, mudstone, and shale comprise most of the Santa Cruz Mountains, however, these rocks are not commonly observed in outcrops because they are subject to weathering. The sedimentary rocks are dated to be between 60 million years and 2 million years old and formed as sediment covered the seafloor, which spanned many areas above sea-level present-day, and was compressed, hardened, and uplifted over time. Below the sedimentary rock lays a much older granitic basement rock which formed about 100 million to 80 million years ago from molten rock miles below the Earth’s surface (Santa Cruz Museum, n.d.). Granite can be observed outside of the parks along Ben Lomond Mountain and several other locations throughout the Santa Cruz Mountains.

BBRSP and BSP showcase folds and accommodating faults. Prominent among these geological features are the Big Basin Syncline and the Johansen and Butano Anticline, which run at a northwest/southeast strike. These features collectively respond to compressional stress, resulting in the vertical uplift or folding of rocks In BBRSP, the Zayante Fault stretches from the southeast to the western part of the park and the northern terminus of the Ben Lomond Fault is located within BBRSP just south of the kiosk near the park entrance by Berry Creek Falls; both faults accommodate movement along the San Andreas Fault. As a result of all the activity along these faults combined with uplifting movement of rocks overtime, the mountain sides are steep in these parks. Sedimentary rock formations that are found in both BBRSP and BSP include Butano Sandstone and members of the San Lorenzo Formation, including shale and mudstone. The Butano sandstone was formed in the Eocene period, or 56 million to 33.9 million years ago, while

24 The Santa Cruz County Geologic Map is available online for reference.

25 The San Francisco Geologic Map is available online for reference.

26 The moment magnitude scale measures the distance a fault moves and the force required to move it; estimates are similar to the Richter scale (Michigan Tech, n.d.).

the San Lorenzo Formation was formed in both the Oligocene, or 33.9 million to 23 million years ago, and Eocene periods.

ANSP’s geology is mildly different than its neighboring parks. The Monterey Formation forms the wave resistant point, which is a combination of deep marine sediments with silica from the skeletal remains of one cell sea creatures (CDPR ANSP Geology, n.d.). The Monterey Formation has been uplifted by the San Gregorio Fault Zone which divides the park, located on the eastern side of Highway 1 with a north/northwest strike, which aided in the formation of the present-day marine terrace. The northeast side of the park is comparable to BBRSP and BSP where steep mountains with narrow canyons engraved in sedimentary material comprised the forested landscape. Sand dunes have formed in the northwest portion of the park as a result of the prevailing northwest winds. The iconic Año Nuevo Island was attached to the mainland in 1603, but since then, wave action has worked its course separating the two.

The Monterey Formation, found in ANSP, originated as clay and silt deep beneath the ocean approximately 12-13 million years ago. As sediments settled, plants and animals in the surrounding environment died and were subsequently buried. This geological formation has effectively preserved fossils. Microfossils and fossilized shells are widespread throughout the island. Notably, ANSP has an abundance of finely preserved crab fossils, a rarity in other locations. Unique to ANSP are fossils of large, soft-bodied seaweed and kelp, which are less commonly found elsewhere (Haasl & Pyenson, n.d.). Additionally, the discovery of larger marine mammals, such as whale and dolphin fossils, further contributes to the rich paleontological record of the area.

Soils

The Santa Cruz Mountains, encompassing BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP, exhibit diverse soil compositions across their expansive landscapes as defined by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA WSS, n.d).

BBRSP predominantly features three distinct soil complexes: the Lompico Felton complex, Maymen-Rock outcrop complex, and the Sur-Catelli complex. The Lompico Felton complex, situated on mountain backslopes with slopes ranging from 30-75%, is well-drained, characterized by a loam and clay loam profile resting on bedrock around 37 inches in depth. The Maymen-Rock outcrop complex, a shallow soil on steep slopes, transitions into unweathered bedrock at approximately 14 inches deep and is found along mountains and ridges. The Sur-Catelli complex, positioned on backslopes, is a stony, sandy loam for 35 inches before reaching unweathered bedrock, featuring good drainage on steep slopes.

ANSP boasts the greatest soil variability among the three parks, with approximately 12% of the soil being sand dune. Active aeolian27 dune sand covers 6.1% of the park, while and

27 Aeolian is a geologic term that refers to characteristics resulting from wind.

additional 6.2% is stabilized. Additionally, approximately 16.6% of ANSP is Butano loam “very steep” , which is commonly located on the backslope of mountains that are very steep (~45-75%), with a profile that includes loam, silt loam, clay loam, channery silty clay loam, and bedrock at the bottom. Butano Loam is well drained with high runoff.

BSP has two predominant soil types that dominate the park. Butano loam “very steep”, also present in ANSP, constitutes approximately 39.5% of the total soil and is found on mountain backslopes (~45-75%). This soil type, originating from siliceous shale, exhibits a well-drained profile with high runoff. Another prevalent soil, Hugo and Josephine sandy loam “very steep” (~40-75%), makes up approximately 22.9% of the park's mountainous backslopes. The typical soil profile includes sandy loam near the surface, transitioning to gravelly sandy loam from 8-45 inches, and weathered bedrock beyond 49 inches.

Hydrology

Streams, Wetlands, Ponds, and Estuaries

Class I Streams

According to the Forest Practice rules,14 CCR Chapter 4, 916.5, Class I streams are watercourses that provide domestic uses of water, including springs, and/or are always or seasonally fish bearing including habitat to sustain migration and spawning. Waddell Creek in BBRSP is a Class I watercourse that flows approximately 11 miles from the heart of the Santa Cruz Mountains to the mouth that drains into the Pacific Ocean at Waddell State Beach. ANSP’s boundary is oriented in the north south direction along the coastline, many Class I watercourses pass through the park eventually making it to the Pacific Ocean. Notable creeks within ANSP include Gazos Creek, Whitehouse Creek, and Old Woman’s Creek. In BSP, Little Butano Creek flows for approximately 4 miles until it passes through the park boundary to the west.

Class I watercourses exhibit a sinuous flow path characterized by alternating rifles, runs, and pools. The presence of large woody debris in these watercourses plays a crucial role in creating pools, offering structural elements for various fish species. The dense forest canopies that envelop the creeks contribute to shading, effectively reducing water temperatures during periods of direct sunlight. Along the banks, hydrophilic species, such as the giant chain fern (Woodwardia fimbriata) thrive in this environment where water is consistently present.

Class II Streams

Watercourses designated as Class II are those streams that offer habitat for aquatic life other than fish, and either have fish consistently or seasonally present within 1,000 feet downstream. Class II streams are found throughout all three of the parks and commonly contribute to the annual flow of water to Class I watercourses. These stream channels have characteristics of incised channels, with adjacent hydrophilic species. The sediment size

alters through pools ranging from sand to cobbles. Larger pools and bottom structure provide habitat for macroinvertebrates, which may flow downstream feeding fish species.

Class III Streams

Drainages that are seasonal or intermittent that have the ability to transport sediment under high flow condition are considered Class III streams. These streams flow after precipitation events and do not host aquatic life year-round. Class III’s are common throughout all three parks and are found near upper elevations near the watershed boundaries. These streams commonly have shallow, narrow channels with a bottom that is a mosaic of soil, sand, and small pebbles.

Wetlands

Herbaceous wetlands within BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP constitute a relatively small percentage of the park compared to other vegetation types. In BBRSP, the wetlands are situated near the mouth of Waddell Creek and the adjacent estuary, covering approximately 10.71 acres. ANSP features herbaceous wetlands totaling approximately 24.9 acres, commonly found throughout the marine terrace in the southwestern part of the park near ponds or watercourses. In BSP, a wet meadow mid-slope on the south side of the valley, near the current ranch house along Butano Fire Road, has been shrinking due to Douglas-fir encroachment. This meadow, spanning approximately 2.17 acres, underwent restoration in 2023 to reduce the presence of Douglas-fir trees and promote the growth of herbaceous species. Another herbaceous wetland, measuring approximately 2.4 acres, is located on the western edge of BSP between Cloverdale Road and Butano Fire Trail, north of the park's main entrance.

Ponds

Across the Santa Cruz Mountains, naturally occurring ponds are rare. In BBRSP, the Sempervirens Reservoir is situated along Sempervirens Creek, a tributary of East Waddell Creek in the Waddell Creek Watershed. Found in the northeast portion of BBRSP, the reservoir has a volume of 3.23 acre-feet28 . ANSP features a total water volume of 17.15 acre-feet distributed across four different ponds. The largest pond, with a volume of 9.94 acre-feet, is located north of Highway 1 in the middle of the park. Notably, these ponds share a commonality – they are linearly aligned in a north to south strike along the San Gregorio Fault. This alignment suggests the possibility that these ponds are sag ponds, formed by depressions along the fault that have subsequently filled with water. Although these ponds are located in naturally forming geologic features, they have been historically enhanced by agriculturalists under previous land management.

28 An acre-foot is a volume equal to about 1,233 cubic meters

Estuaries

Estuaries within BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP are limited, yet they serve as essential habitats for a diverse array of species. The hydrodynamics of estuaries are multifaceted, shaped by the interplay of tidal influx, wave action, and river flow, which transport suspended sediments. These dynamic forces not only shape the physical landscape but also influence the chemical composition of the environment. Fluctuations in salinity levels within brackish water can pose challenges to physiological functions and alter osmoregulation processes.

Within BBRSP, the Waddell Creek Watershed traverses the coastal mountain terrain, eventually emptying into the Pacific Ocean, forming the park's only estuarine environment, although it’s the largest among the three parks. ANSP boasts numerous watercourses that meander through its expanse before meeting their terminus in the Pacific Ocean. However, many of these creeks contend with wave action, often impeding their flow with sand buildup for much of the year. Nonetheless, certain mouths of watercourses, such as those near the Gazos Creek, Año Nuevo Creek, Whitehouse Creek, Cascade Creek, and Green Oaks Creek, exhibit characteristics of estuarine ecosystems. The boundaries of BSP are set approximately two miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, limiting the potential for the existence of estuarine environments within its confines.

Watershed and Stream Conditions

BBRSP almost fully encompasses Waddell Creek Watershed but still covers small portions of land within the upper portions of Scotts Creek Watershed, San Lorenzo River Watershed. Waddell Creek Watershed drains 15,232 acres (23.8 miles2) and the longest flow path through the watershed is 11 miles (USGS Stream Stats, n.d.) Two major forks West Waddell Creek and East Waddell Creek shape the watershed. A seasonal lagoon forms behind a wave-shaped sandbar during summer and fall. Anadromous fish such as steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and endangered coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kitsutch) are present within Waddell Creek although are limited on upstream movement because of falls located on the east fork approximately 0.8 km upstream from the convergence of the west and east forks (Titus et al., 2002).

Map 24 – Map of the Major Hydrological Resources within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP (Map Not To Scale)

ANSP runs north south bisecting many watersheds as they flow west to the Pacific Ocean. This includes portions of Gazos Creek Watershed, Whitehouse Creek Watershed, and Cascade Creek watershed. Historically, steelhead trout and coho salmon were present in the Gazos Creek drainage. It was reported that the stream bed had suitable gravels for spawning salmonids.

BSP encompasses nearly all of Little Butano Creek, a main tributary of Butano Creek, while other portions of the park flow into Butano Creek, Gazos Creek, and Arroyo de los Frijoles. The Butano Creek Watershed is approximately 13,504 acres (21.1 miles2) while only approximately 1,920 acres (3 miles2) drain through the park, flowing approximately 4 miles. Butano Creek and Pescadero Creek converge just before flowing into the Pacific Ocean in a coastal estuary habitat. Anadromous fish such as steelhead trout and endangered coho salmon are present within the Butano Pescadero estuary but are more likely to travel up stream in creeks within the Pescadero Watershed due to the course gravel streambeds compared to fine gravel, sand and silt sized sediment commonly found in stream beds within the Butano Creek Watershed Little Butano Creek, within BSP, provides limited but good quality spawning habitat for anadromous fish species. Habitat is excellent in these reaches and supports a population of rainbow trout (Environmental Science Associates, 2004).

Throughout all three parks, sedimentation poses a challenge to water quality across the watersheds. Runoff from roads and stream crossings has been identified as a major contributor to sedimentation influenced by legacy effects of historic clearcut logging. Although forest management activities surround the park, intensified regulations and best practices have significantly reduced the sedimentation in watercourses. Natural processes also contribute to the sedimentation issues, as the Santa Cruz Mountains are composed of highly erodible sedimentary rock; large precipitation events coupled with the rock’s low weather resistance contribute to mass wasting events.

Property Infrastructure

Infrastructure within the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties has been developed, redefined, and reimagined over time and in response to environmental catastrophes that have damaged or destroyed infrastructure. For instance, the CZU Fire presented an opportunity to conceptualize the possibility of new locations for facilities. This section will provide a general description of existing infrastructure within the BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP properties. The information below should be updated overtime and should be amended to reflect final plans that are in the Facilities Management Plan, which should be the primary source of information regarding facilities and infrastructure in the parks following the CZU Fire.

Roads

BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP consist of a network of roads that provide public ingress, egress and access to adjacent landownerships or remote areas of the parks. Generally, existing road networks consist of permanent roads capable of being used year-round, such as paved roads, and seasonal roads, which are not designated for year-round use that would include unpaved fire roads Throughout the parks, road maintenance may fall on the responsibility of State Parks, Cal Trans, County, or CAL FIRE; roadside vegetation may be managed by State Parks within State Park parcels as needed and per the FMS.

BBRSP’s main ingress and egress is Highway 236, which provides access to the eastern portion of the park from two locations along Highway 9 in Boulder Creek. Highway 236 is the primary route accessible by public vehicle, however, it connects to various major roads used by emergency vehicles and park staff, including but not limited to: China Grade, Sky

Map 25 – Map of the Major Roads and Routes within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP (Map Not To Scale)

Meadow Road, North Escape Road, Gazos Creek Road, Hihn Hammond Road, and Little Basin Road. The western portion of BBRSP is accessible along Highway 1, which provides ingress and egress via the Skyline to the Sea Trail/Road. Whitehouse Canyon Road, Old Woman’s Creek Road, and Chalks Mountain Fire Road are alternative access emergency and staff access points to the western portion of BBRSP. Various seasonal fire roads interweave the rugged terrain of the park, establishing critical connections for management throughout BBRSP and providing recreational access for pedestrians, equestrians, and bicyclists (Map 24)

BSP’s primary ingress and egress occurs via Butano State Park Road located along Cloverdale Road. The Butano Fire Trail is a seasonal road that provides access into the park to emergency vehicles and staff and follows the spans the extent of the park’s northern boundary and connects with Olmo Fire Road, an interior fire road. Gazos Creek Road, which connects to Highway 1 and Cloverdale Road, provides access to the Gazos Mountain Camp located in the southeastern portion of BSP.

ANSP is bisected by Highway 1, which provides access to both the inland portion of the park via Whitehouse Canyon Road, Gazos Creek Road, and Chalks Mountain Fire Road and access to the coastal portion of the park via New Years Creek Road or various seasonal roads.

Trails

Following the CZU Fire, networks of foot trails were altered throughout BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP. State Parks is actively re-opening or re-constructing trails for public use alongside the development of the Facilities Management Plan; the re-establishment of trails will occur over time, sequenced in a prioritized manner. This section will describe the general types of trail system found throughout the parks. Park visitors can stay current on trail closures through park websites.

BBRSP consists of various pedestrian and equestrian trails that connect to fire roads, providing the public additional access throughout the park. Generally, trail systems span the area of the park, connecting the coastal ecosystems of Waddell Creek to redwood dominated drainages and the highest peaks and ridges to the eastern areas of the park.

BSP pedestrian trails provide ample access throughout the variable terrain of the park, spanning from the visitor center to the uppermost ridge along Butano Fire Road, which is one of many locations where the pedestrian trails intersect with fire roads.

ANSP is predominantly comprised of coastal trails that provide access in viewing the coastal preserve, elephant seals while in season, and access to Cove Beach. Prior to the CZU Fire, the inland portion of the park, was comprised of one forested trail accessible via Whitehouse Canyon Road, called the Whitehouse Ridge Trail.

Recreation Facilities

Similar to the roads and trails within BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP, various recreational facilities were damaged or destroyed during the CZU Fire. The Facilities Management Plan29 will present plans for facility construction and re-construction throughout the parks. This section will provide an overview of the facilities that are presently open to the public.

Presently, BBRSP offers public facilities located near the former Headquarters, which consist of interpretive exhibits, and in the western portion of the park located at Rancho Del Oso. Rancho Del Oso is comprised of a Nature and History Center, a Welcome Center, and walk-in campsites.

The major publicly accessible facilities in BSP include a picnic area in proximity to Little Butano Creek and a visitor center with interpretive exhibits. Ben Reis Campground is a drive-in campground with 21 sites that is not currently open to the public but has plans to re-open. Similarly, a backcountry hike-in campground is planned for reconstruction.

ANSP’s major facilities are located within the coastal portion of the park and include the Marine Education Center, historic Horse Barn, picnic areas, and a staging area for interpretive exhibits. Both the Marine Education Center and historic Horse Barn offer historical exhibits, among various educational displays.

29 General information, planning objectives, and the Basis of Design Document for the Facilities Management Plan are available online for reference.

Closing Statement

The Forest Management Strategy (FMS) functions as a guide to implement forest management actions that restore a more resilient forest ecosystem in the face of modern anthropogenic and climatic influences and aids in the development of environmental documents and permits. As an evaluation of ecosystem conditions and strategic planning document for Big Basin Redwoods State Park (BBRSP), Butano State Park (BSP), and Año Nuevo State Park (ANSP), the FMS provides detailed regulatory requirements for different permitting strategies to aid in project planning, environmental documentation and analysis, and implementation. The FMS is designed to perpetuate amenability to maintain alignment with environmental and regulatory changes and identify additional appropriate restorative management efforts that may result from adaptive management or ongoing monitoring. It is intended that the FMS will be amended over time to accommodate different management actions, strategies, treatment units, and property updates. Appendix I serves as a placeholder for information regarding properties that may be acquired in the future.

Various forest management actions are presented in the FMS for consideration of use throughout a set of prioritized treatment units (~2,019 acres), and general treatments, including additional field verified treatment units (~913 acres) and prescribed burn units (~12,173 acres). It should be recognized that the prioritized treatments are only the first step in a long-term FMS to conduct ecologically restorative treatments across the three parks. The thorough discussion of key Forest Trend Plot data findings and evaluation of climate adaptation considerations support the implementation of the treatments presented in this FMS.

To implement the proposed ecologically restorative treatments in BBRSP and ANSP, State Parks will need to obtain applicable vegetation and forest management permits that obtain CEQA compliance, such as a CalVTP Project Specific Analysis similar to the Butano State Park Forest Health Project PSA/Addendum, a Timber Harvest Plan, a Modified Timber Harvest Plan for Fuel Hazard Reduction, or alternative permitting mechanisms, such as Exemptions or others, as discussed in the Project Permit Implementation Strategy section.

The implementation of forest management treatments should consider that forest restoration is a long-term process that requires dedication to a focused and strategic effort – it took over 100 years for this forest system to develop its existing impairments and it will likely take this amount of time, or more, to restore the ecosystem’s optimum function and health. We appreciate the opportunity to provide State Parks, in partnership with Save the Redwoods League, the Forest Management Strategy.

Steve R. Auten, RPF #2734

Kranich, RPF #3249

Shelby

List of Preparers

Auten Resource Consulting

Shelby Kranich – Registered Professional Forester #3249, Manager of Forest Resilience Strategy – Project Lead, Lead Author, Field Investigation Lead, Data Processing & Management, Data Analysis, Map Development & GIS Analysis

Steve R. Auten – Registered Professional Forester #2734, Owner – Lead Forester, Contributing Author, Field Investigation Lead, Data Analysis, Editor

Charlie Hillis – Assistant Forester II – Contributing Author, Projection Modeling, Data Processing, Analysis & Management, Lodge Road Field Investigations Team, GIS Analysis, CNDDB Search, Editor

Riley McFarland – Senior Associate Forester – Contributing Author, Field Investigation Lead, Data Processing, Editor

David Van Lennep – Registered Professional Forester #2591, Chief Operations Forester – Senior Forester, Field Investigation Lead, Data Analysis

Chloe Knowd – Associate Forester – Field Investigation Lead

Heath Hooper – Assistant Forester I – Lodge Road Field Investigations Team

Joseph Dubeau – Assistant Forester I – Field Investigation Team, GIS Analysis

Daniel Auten – Forestry Technician – Field Investigation Team

Nolan Hayes – Forestry Technician – Field Investigation Team

Javier Jenkins-Sorensen – Forestry Technician – Field Investigation Team

Consulting Foresters

Joe Culver – Coastal Forestry, Registered Professional Forester #2674 - Field Investigation Lead, Review of Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report

Bill Vaughan – Vaughan Forestry, Registered Professional Forester #2685 - Field Investigation Lead, Review of Prioritized Recommended Actions & Key Findings Report

Alex Birkhofer – Vaughan Forestry, Assistant Forester – Field Investigation Lead

Kristy Peterson – Hamey Woods, Registered Professional Forester # 3183 – Field Investigation Team

Clare Lacey – Hamey Woods, Assistant Forester – Field Investigation Team

California State Parks – Santa Cruz District

Chris Spohrer – State Park Santa Cruz District Superintendent – Forest Strategy Planning, CZU Fire Personal Account Author

Tim Hyland – Natural Resource Program Manager – Forest Strategy Planning Lead, Field Investigation Team, Review, CZU Fire Personal Account Author

Portia Halbert – Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) – Forest Strategy Planning, Review, CZU Fire Personal Account Author

Tim Reilly – Environmental Scientist – Field Investigation Team, Forest Strategy Planning, CZU Fire Personal Account Author

Hudson Northrop – Environmental Scientist – Forest Strategy Planning, Lodge Road Field Investigations Team, Review

Michael Grone, PhD – Senior State Archaeologist and Tribal Liaison – Appendix C Author

Juan Villarino – Park Maintenance Chief II – CZU Fire Personal Account Author

Will Fourt – Parks California, Senior Project Planner – Forest Strategy Planning, Review

Graeme Tanaka – Forestry Technician – Lodge Road Field Investigations Team

Theo Vachon-Fischer – Forestry Aide – Lodge Road Field Investigations Team

Ryan Diller – Environmental Scientist – Field Investigation Team, Forest Strategy Planning

Ashley Weil – Staff Services Analyst – Field Investigation Team, Forest Strategy Planning

Dmitrik Berlanga – Forestry Aide – Field Investigation Team

California State Parks – Natural Resource Division

Angie Lottes – Environmental Program Manager, Statewide and Coastal Programs – Climate Adaptations Planning

Ron Melcer, PhD – Environmental Program Manager – Climate Adaptations Planning, Review

Melissa Patten – Environmental Scientist – Climate Adaptations Planning, Review

Juliana Vidal – Big Basin GIS Climate Fellow – Climate Adaptations Planning

Save The Redwoods League

Ben Blom – Director of Stewardship and Restoration – Forest Strategy Planning, Field Investigations Team, Review

Daniel Schmidt – Institutional Grant Officer – Forest Strategy Planning

Anthony Castaños – Land Stewardship Manager – Field Investigation Team

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Appendix A: Maps

List of Maps

Map 1 – Forest Management Strategy Property Overview Map

Map 2 – CZU Fire Severity Within BBRSP, ANSP, and BSP

Map 3 – FMS Treatment Unit Overview Map

Map 4 – BBRSP Priority Treatment Unit Primary Prescription Categories Overview

Map 5 – BBRSP Priority Treatment Unit – Historic Headquarters & Lower 236

Map 6 – BBRSP Priority Treatment Unit – Lodge Road Demo

Map 7 – BBRSP Priority Treatment Unit – Sky Meadow

Map 8 – BBRSP Priority Treatment Unit – Little Basin Campground & Western Little Basin

Map 9 – BBRSP Priority Treatment Unit – Upper China Grade & North Escape Route

Map 10 – BBRSP Priority Treatment Unit – Johansen & Upper Gazos Creek Road

Map 11 – ANSP Priority Treatment Units Overview Map

Map 12 – ANSP Priority Treatment Unit – Chalks Mountain Fire Road

Map 13 – ANSP Priority Treatment Unit – Old Woman’s Creek Ridge

Map 14 – BSP Forest Health Project (CalVTP PSA/Addendum) Treatment Areas

Map 15 – BBRSP Additional Field Verified Treatment Units

Map 16 – BBRSP Treatment Unit Overview – 3D Map

Map 17 – Prescribed Burn Units

Map 18 – Lodge Road Demonstration Project – Forest Trend Plots

Map 19 – Old Growth & Canopy Heights Greater Than 180’

Map 20 – Property Vicinity Map

Map 21 – California Coastal Zone Overlap with Property Boundaries

Map 22 – Cal Water 2.2 Planning Watersheds

Map 23 – Vegetation Communities and Alliances

Map 24 – Major Hydrological Resources in BBRSP, BSP, and ANSP

Map 25 – Major State Parks Roads and Routes