This report summarizes the management activities carried out on the Kelly Ranch Habitat Conservation Area (Preserve) by the Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM) during the fiscal year of October 1, 2006 to September 30, 2007. The tasks and objectives discussed below are those derived from the Kelly Ranch Habitat Conservation Area Management Plan, prepared by CNLM in November of 2002 (CNLM 2002).
The Preserve is located approximately two miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and lies at the east end of Agua Hedionda Lagoon (Figures 1 and 2). Roads near the Preserve include Cannon Road along the northern boundaries and Faraday Avenue near the eastern boundary. The Preserve (63 acres) is not one unit, but is comprised of multiple parcels varying in size from a few acres to about 15 acres that are located within the housing development of Kelly Ranch and surrounding communities. Most of the Preserve and adjacent land was formerly known as Evans Point. The Preserve was set aside to protect its habitat, coastal sage scrub and southern maritime chaparral, and the threatened coastal California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica).
Introduction and Summary
This work plan has been developed from the guidelines for goals and objectives set forth in the
Kelly Ranch Habitat Conservation Area (HCA) Management Plan dated April 2008 (CNLM
2008). The Management Plan includes management requirements as agreed to by the United
States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and California Department of Fish and Game
(CDFG), and additional management activities that the Center for Natural Lands Management
(CNLM) feels is appropriate to protect and maintain the natural resources in perpetuity. CNLM
holds a conservation easement (since February 2002) on the Kelly Ranch Habitat Conservation
Area (HCA) and performs or oversees the tasks identified in the management plan.
The purpose of this work plan is to identify the tasks and budget required to complete the
management activities for the upcoming fiscal year that will begin on October 1, 2010 and end
on September 30, 2011. Unless otherwise stated, all tasks will be performed by Preserve
Manager Patrick McConnell.
Summary of Tasks and Goals for the Fiscal Year:
- Replace, relocate (and install) signs and fix fencing as necessary
- Note all sensitive animal species observed
- Perform habitat assessment and continue population studies on Orcutt's hazardia (Hazardia
orcuttii)
- Perform habitat assessments on wart-stem lilac (Ceonothus verucossus) populations
- Map sensitive annual plant species
- Update the vegetation map for the HCA
- Remove natal grass (Melinis repens), Veldt grass (Ehrharta sp.), Saharan mustard (Brassica
tournefortii), Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus) and Pampas grass (Cortaderia selloana).
- Follow progress of restoration activities with Planning Systems, Inc.
- Patrol and conduct site enforcement on a regular basis
- Report conservation easement for compliance to conservation values
- Report and describe data collected and management actions taken on the HCA to the wildlife
agencies
- Provide an accounting of funds to be spent in the fiscal year
This report summarizes the management activities carried out on the Kelly Ranch Habitat Conservation Area (HCA) by the Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM) during the management year of 1 October 2007 to 30 September 2008. The tasks and objectives discussed below are those derived from the Kelly Ranch Habitat Conservation Area Management Plan, prepared by CNLM in April of 2008 (CNLM 2008) and the Kelly Ranch HCA 2007-2008 Annual Work Plan (CNLM 2007a).
INTRODUCTION
A. Purpose of Inclusion of the Preserve in Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan
The City of Carlsbad has an obligation to protect and enhance wildlife values under their
sub-area Habitat Management Plan (HMP) and implementing agreement (City of
Carlsbad, 2004). As part of the development permits of the Kelly Ranch Development in
Carlsbad, California, Kelly Land Company was required to secure and endow a natural
land management organization to manage the site's natural open space in perpetuity.
Kelly Land Company received development permits from various governmental
organizations, including the California Coastal Commission (CCC, 2001), City of
Carlsbad (Planning Commission, 2001), and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS,
2000), which stipulate conservation requirements and any future alterations to the natural
open space areas.
The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), California Department of Fish
and Game (CDFG), and other organizations, maintain that merely setting lands aside and
preventing development is not sufficient to preserve and protect biological integrity.
Identifying the critical ecological processes and elements that need protection, then
planning, budgeting and funding for sustaining these processes and elements in
perpetuity, is the essence of long-term land protection. The Center for Natural Lands
Management (CNLM or Center) accepted management responsibility for the Kelly Ranch
Habitat Conservation Area (HCA or Preserve) through a Management and Funding
Agreement dated November 15, 2001. To further protect the conservation values on the
Preserve, and to provide for third-party beneficiaries, a conservation easement (CE) in
favor of CNLM was also conveyed. On February 1, 2002, both roles—that of Preserve
management and CE compliance monitoring—were funded through an endowment.
B. Kelly Ranch Habitat Conservation Area Background
The Preserve was set aside to protect some of the last remaining stands of habitat left in
Carlsbad, and to create additional open space to connect adjacent dedicated open space in
the vicinity, such as Macario Canyon to the south and Batiquitos Lagoon to the west.
The limits of the HCA (Figures 1 and 2) have been approved by the USFWS and the
CDFG with the primary goal of protecting habitat of the federally listed coastal
California gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica californica), as well as other sensitive plant
and wildlife species, and sensitive veget
Introduction
The Kelly Ranch Habitat Conservation Area (Preserve) is an 63 acre open space set aside by the
Kelly Land Company as mitigation for impacts to natural habitat as part of the Kelly Ranch
development. The limits of the Preserve (Figures 1-3) have been approved by the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) with the
primary goal of protecting habitat of the federally listed coastal California gnatcatcher, as well as
other sensitive plant and wildlife species, and sensitive vegetation communities.
As part of the open space conservation agreements of the Kelly Ranch property, Kelly Land
Company was required to name and endow a natural land management organization to manage the
sites resources in perpetuity. The USFWS, CDFG and other wildlife agencies and organizations
have determined that merely setting lands aside and preventing development is not sufficient to
preserve and protect biological integrity. Identifying the critical processes and elements that need
protection, then planning, budgeting and funding for sustaining these processes and elements in
perpetuity is the essence of long-term land protection. The Center for Natural Lands Management
was given the management responsibility to the Preserve and received title and an endowment in
March of 2002.
This document is to provide a comprehensive, cost-effective management plan that states the
information, management and funding requirements necessary to ensure an ecologically
sustainable conservation area. The plan will outline the Preserve's resources and characteristics
and will provide a brief overview of general tenets of conservation biology for natural areas
management as it applies to this Preserve. The plan follows guidelines and management practices
deemed acceptable by the Center for Natural Lands Management. This plan will also suffice as
the first year annual work plan for the Preserve.
