HomeMy WebLinkAbout; Coastal Sage Scrub Field Study Results Golf Course; Coastal Sage Field Study Results Golf Course; 1998-11-24& ASSOCIATES, INC.
Engineering, Planning, Corporate Office: 760.942.5147
Environmental Sciences and 605 Tliird Street Fax 760.632.0164
Management Services Encinitas, California 92024
24 November 1998 1923-02
John Cahill
Municipal Project Manager
City of Carlsbad
2075 Las Palmas Drive
Carlsbad, CaHfornia 92009
Subject: Carlsbad Golf Course - Results of Field Survey to Determine Disturbance
of Coastal Sage Scrub Habitat
Dear Mr. Cahill:
Last week we conducted a field survey of the Carlsbad Golf Course property to determine areas where
recent discing affected scrub habitat. The survey was conducted over a three-day period and covered
aU areas of the site south of Macario Canyon where we observed that impacts could have occurred,
i.e., the areas where there was evidence of discing. Areas of impact to a shrub community were
mapped on a 1"=300' color aerial photograph flown by Aerial Fotobank (March 7, 1998). All
disturbance polygons were transferred to a 1"=300' paper plot of a flown digital topographic base
provided by P&D Consultants. Polygons were then digitized in AutoCAD and acreages determined
using GIS {Figure 1).
An area was determined to be scrub disturbed by the discing and mapped as such if the area had
visible traces of native shrubs present in the disced debris. Shrubs that constituted the native cover
in these disturbed areas included CaUfornia sagebrush {Artemisia californica), coyote brush {Baccharis
filularis), flat-top buckwheat {Eriogonum fasciculatuni), mule fat {Baccharis salicifolia), lemonadeberry
{Rhus integrifolia; branches only, no whole plants); deerweed {Lotus scoparius), cudweed aster {Lessingia
fdaginifolia; none observed apparently were the rare variety Corethrogyne filaginifolia var. Unifolia), and
coAst goldenhush. {Isocoma veneta). An .area was determined to be:
• impacted coastal sage scrub if the shrub density appeared to be greater than 25%;
• impacted disturbed coastal sage scrub if the shrub density appeared to be between 5
and 25%;
• impacted mule fat scrub if mule fat {Baccharis salicifolia) was present..
AU other disced areas appeared to be annual grassland or recent faUow agricultural areas, with the
exception of one smaU area,(less than 0.25 acre) that may have been native (VaUey needlegrass)
grassland.
Mr. John Cahill
Re: Carlsbad Golf Course -.Results of Field Survey to Determine Disturbance of CSS Habitat
We estimate that a total of 7.8 acres of "natural habitat" was disced, including:
• 2.3 acres of coastal sage scrub along the ridgeUne south of CoUege Boulevard;
• 5.5 acres of disturbed coastal sage scrub scattered across the site on both sides of
CoUege Boulevard; and
• a trace amount (iei, 0.04 acre) of mule fat scrub just east of Hidden VaUey Road.
The enclosed Figure 1 depicts the locations of these habitat patches.
In many cases, particularly the smaUer patches, the habitat appeared to be very thinly covered with
native plants before disturbance, possibly, owing to other discing events within the last few years.
The patches along the ridgeUne south of CoUege Boulevard appeared to be fairly heavily covered with
native shrubs.
This concludes our report on the impacts of the discing of the site. ;Should you have any questions
or comments, please caU me.
Very truly yours,
DUDEK & ASSOCIATES, INC.
larold A. Wier •
Botanist, Biological Sciences Manager
Enclosure
&.\SSOCIATES
1923-02
ciifTM. c..,."ii" November 24,1998