special conservation management plan

DRAFT FOR REVIEW BY SANTA CLARA COUNTY STAFF

Conservation Program and Associated Guidelines for the

Special Conservation Areas Stanford University

December 2001


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 BACKGROUND

2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIAL CONSERVATION AREAS

2.1 Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area 2.2 Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area 2.3 Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area 2.4 I-280 Seismic/Slope Special Conservation Area

3.0 EXISTING RESOURCES

3.1 Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area Annual Grassland Oak Woodland Cultural Resources

3.2 Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area Riparian Woodland Other Vegetation Types Cultural Resources

3.3 Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area Species of Special Conservation Interest Cultural Resources

3.4 I-280 Seismic/Slope Special Conservation Area Cultural Resources

4.0 EXISTING USES IN SPECIAL CONSERVATION AREAS

4.1 Academic Activities 4.2 Golf Course 4.3 KZSU Radio Station and Other Antennas 4.4 Reservoirs 4.5 Water Diversions 4.6 Utilities 4. 7 Public Roads 4.8 Paved Private Roads 4.9 Unpaved Service Roads 4.10 Private Bridges 4.11 Recreation Routes 4.12 Equestrian and Agricultural Leaseholds 4.13 Boething Treeland Farms

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Private Residences Palo Alto's Water Pumping Station Bay Area Cellular Communications Antenna

5.0 MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES

5.1 Management of Resources

General Conservation of Biological Resources Survey, Inventory and Monitoring Foothills Reclamation Program Physical Structures Wildlife Enhancing Structures Guidelines for General Conservation

Vegetation Management General Vegetation Management Livestock Non-native Species Control Sudden Oak Death Preservation of Local Genetic Stock Tree and Shrub Removal and Trimming Guidelines for Vegetation Management

Management of Animal Resources California Tiger Salamander California Red-legged Frog Steel head Control of Non-native Species Guidelines for Management of Animal Resources

Watershed Management Regional Efforts for Watershed Protection Erosion Control Flood Control Guidelines for Watershed Management

Cultural Resources Management Guidelines for Cultural Resources Management

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5.2 Management of Existing Uses

Academic Activities Guidelines for Academic Activities

Stanford Golf Course Guidelines for the Golf Course

Water Reservoirs Guidelines for Water Reservoirs

Water Di versions Guidelines for Water Di versions

Existing Utility Lines Guidelines for Existing Utility Lines

New Utility Lines Guidelines for New Utility Lines

Paved Private Roads Guidelines for Paved Private Roads

Existing Unpaved Service Roads Guidelines for Unpaved Service Roads

New Unpaved Service Roads Guidelines for New Unpaved Service Roads

Private Bridges Guidelines for Private Bridges

Fences Guidelines for Fences

Recreational Access Guidelines for Recreational Access

Tenant Management Practices Guidelines for Tenant Best Management Practices

Private Residences Guidelines for Private Residences

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5.3


Public Safety

Fire Control General Public Safety Guidelines Guidelines for Fire Control

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LIST OF FIGURES

2 - 1 Lower Foothills SCA 5

2-2 Matadero/Deer Creeks SCA 7

2 - 3a San Francisquito Creek SCA 8

2 - 3b Los Trancos Creek SCA 9

2-4 Interstate 280 Seismic I Slope Stability SCA 11

4-1 Existing Uses in the SCAs Map Foldout

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1.0 BACKGROUND

Stanford University's Santa Clara County General Use Permit (2000 GUP) requires the development of a "Special Conservation Plan" for the areas designated in the Stanford Community Plan as "Special Conservation Areas." Condition K.7 states:

"within 12 months of approved of the General Use Permit, Stanford shall submit to the County Planning Office for approval a Special Conservation Plan in accordance with the requirements of the Community Plan."

The Community Plan policies to be addressed by this conservation plan include:

Description and Intent (SCP-LU 30) The Special Conservation Areas designation applies to lands south of Junipero Serra Boulevard which is deemed unsuitable for development due to natural resource constraints. Accordingly, no physical development other than that which supports conservation efforts may occur in these areas. It may include areas with the following environmental constraints:

• Steep or unstable slopes; • Seismic or other geologic hazard zanes; • Riparian areas extending 150 feet from the top of creek banks; and, • Sensitive habitat areas, particularly for special status species.

Allowable Uses (SCP-LU 31) The use of these areas is limited to conservation activities and habitat management, field environmental studies, and appropriate agricultural uses. Recreational use may be allowed if it is consistent with the particular environmental constraints of the area. Access for recreational use may be restricted.

Development Policies (SCP-LU 32) No new permanent development in the form of buildings or structures is allowed, other than construction, modification, and maintenance of improvements to support conservation efforts. Existing non-conforming uses are allowed to remain, in accordance with the County's requirernents for non-conforming structures.


SCP-LU 33 Stanford shall prepare a Special Conservation Plan for the Special Conservation areas. The Special Conservation Plan shall be submitted to the County Planning Office for approval. The plan will provide management guidelines addressing the following goals:

• Habitat management ii·itlzin the areas for 25 years; • Control of invasive, non-native species; • Control of erosion; • Avoidance ~f undisru rbed areas; • Public safety; • Appropriate access; and • Minimization of human-caused impacts.

The plan will contain measures specific to California tiger salamander, red-legged frog, and steelhead habitat; riparian habitat; and geologic and seismic hazard areas. The plan will consider such activities as resource conservation, construction of facilities to support conservation activities, access, vegetation management, and best management practices for Stanford lessees located in Special Conservation Areas.

Stanford proposes to meet this requirement using an adaptive management approach that begins with the set of programs and guidelines described below. Management of the Special Conservation Areas must be dynamic and flexible to adapt to changing conditions, new technologies and experience. It is anticipated that an adaptive management program will be more successful in conserving biodiversity over the long-term than a proscriptive plan.

It should not be construed that conservation planning at Stanford is limited to topics and areas discussed in this document. The Special Conservation Areas at Stanford as defined by Santa Clara County are a portion of the areas where Stanford conducts conservation activities. If a comprehensive Habitat Management Plan (HCP) is adopted for lands including the SCAs, its guidelines for habitat management would supercede those provided below. It should also be noted that these Special Conservation Areas were not defined solely on the basis of biotic resources and that other considerations were incorporated; e.g. soil stability.

The basic objectives of the Special Conservation Area (SCA) designation are to protect important biological, archaeological and hydrological resources and to prevent potentially hazardous conditions in areas of steep or unstable slopes. To meet these objectives and work within the existing land use constraints, Stanford will manage the SCAs for controlled multiuse with emphasis on conservation.

In keeping with the University's mission to pursue excellence in teaching and research, Stanford will manage the SCAs as academic resources as well. The use of these areas for teaching and research activities has yielded important knowledge concerning the biological

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and cultural resources they contain. These academic activities are a critical element of the adaptive management strategies outlined below.

In 1998, Stanford established the Foothills Working Group to address management and conservation goals in Stanford's lower foothills, which includes substantial portions of all four SCAs. This group includes representatives from the Center for Conservation Biology, Public Safety, Facilities Operations, Stanford Management Company, Planning Office, and Government and Community Relations. The Foothills Working Group interprets and oversees access and operational policies and the Foothills Reclamation Program. In the future, it will implement the guidelines provided in this program and make recommendations to the Vice Provost for Land and Buildings, who is responsible for management of all Stanford lands.

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2.0 DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIAL CONSERVATION AREAS

The Special Conservation Areas (SCA) are generally depicted on Figure 2.2 of the Stanford Community Plan. In most cases, more precise boundary lines of the SCAs are defined in the text of the Community Plan (e.g., 150 feet from the top of the creek bank is a defining line for the riparian SCAs) or follow portions of fairly accurately mapped features (e.g., a portion of one of the SCAs follows part of the Cali fomia Tiger Salamander Management Zone boundary identified in the "Management Agreement for the California Tiger Salamander at Stanford University" dated June 1998; portions of other SCAs are identified in a 1979 U.S.G.S. Report addressing seismic conditions). The following text descriptions (and accompanying aerial photograph-based maps) should help remove ambiguities pertaining to what areas are identified as Special Conservation Areas. For ease of later discussions, the Special Conservation Areas are divided into four separate areas: 1) Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area, 2) Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area, 3) Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area, and 4) the I-280 Seismic/Slope Special Conservation Area. While there are similarities between these four SCAs, they are spatially discrete and each has unique biological and physical characteristics. Each also has different management requirements.

On land covered by easements, rights-of-way, or fee title ownership to entities other than Stanford University, (including but not limited to the City of Palo Alto Utilities Division, County of Santa Clara Roads Division, Santa Clara Valley Water District, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and Caltrans) the University cannot control or limit the actions of those entities. All of the Special Conservation Areas described here are located in the Stanford Foothills Development District.

2.1 Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area

This 230-acre area is located south of Junipero Serra Boulevard and extends approximately halfway to Interstate 280 (I-280) (Figure 2-1). The southeastern and southwestern boundaries of this SCA follow the California Tiger Salamander Management Zone and the County easement along Junipero Serra Boulevard. The northwestern boundary extends beyond the boundary of the California Tiger Salamander Management Zone including golf course areas that are not part of the CTS Management Zone. Along the west side, the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area boundary follows the Academic Growth Boundary (as defined in the Stanford Community Plan). There is a significant non-Stanford in-holding (approximately 7 acres) within the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area; one of the San Francisco Water Department's regional water supply routes bisects the area. This unincorporated Santa Clara County land does not belong to Stanford and is not covered by this conservation program. Approximately 15 acres of the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area is within the leasehold of the Carnegie Foundation and is included in this conservation program.

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Figure 2-1. Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area

1" = 600' 0 600 1200 Feet


2.2 Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area

The main part of this 90-acre Special Conservation Area is the riparian zone associated with Matadero and Deer creeks. This SCA includes lands in unincorporated Santa Clara County, south of the Academic Growth Boundary and generally located in an area south of Foothill Expressway (Junipero Serra Boulevard) and north of I-280 (Figure 2-2). This riparian zone is defined as being all the lands within 150 feet of the top of the creek bank, and the creek channel. As with Figure 2.2 in the Community Plan, Figure 2-2 should be considered a schematic map - the lines indicated on the aerial photo-based map are generally accurate to 5 meters, but if there are specific questions as to the precise location of the boundaries, the location of the top of the bank should be surveyed and the 150 foot line sited accordingly.

A second part of this Special Conservation Area encompasses two areas identified as "unstable" slopes by a 1979 U.S.G.S. report. 1 These areas were deemed unstable on the basis of soil type and slope. As these two areas are adjacent to or partially within the Matadero/Deer Creek riparian zone, they were combined with the riparian-based areas to form a continuous management unit.

A narrow strip of land under the jurisdiction of the City of Palo Alto crosses though the Matadero/Deer Creeks SCA. While the policies of the Stanford Community Plan do not apply to this area, Stanford will voluntarily apply the management guidelines to that portion of the City of Palo Alto, within 150 feet from the top of the creek bank.

2.3 Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area

As with the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area, the 80-acre Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks SCA includes the riparian zone (defined as being all the lands within 150 feet of the top of the creek bank, and the creek channel), located in unincorporated Santa Clara County, and south of the Academic Growth Boundary. This area is generally located along the Santa Clara/San Mateo counties boundary from the Sand Hill Road bridge over San Francisquito Creek to Arastradero Road (Figures 2-3a and 2-3b ).

As in the Community Plan, Figures 2-3a and 2-3b should be considered a schematic map -features indicated on the aerial photo-based map are generally accurate to 5 meters. When specific question arise as to the precise location of a Special Condition Area boundary, the location of the top of the bank can be surveyed and the 150-foot line sited accordingly.

Los Trancos and San Francisquito creeks form the boundary between Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. The Los Trancos/San Francisquito Special Conservation Area, therefore, includes a portion of the existing riparian zone and creek channels. It should also be noted that there

1 "Relative Slope Stability and Land Use Planning in the San Francisco Bay Region", U.S.G.S. Paper #944, 1979.

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Figure 2-2. Matadero / Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area

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Figure 2-3a. Los Trances I San Francisquito Creeks

Special Conservation Area (North Site)

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Figure 2-3b. Los Trancos / San Francisquito Creeks

Special Conservation Area (South Site)

1" = 1000' 0 1000 2000 Feet


are existing easements and right-of-ways and/or land that is not owned by Stanford in this SCA, including approximately 0.5 acres of the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission land.

2.4 I-280 Seismic/Slope Special Conservation Area

This 10-acre Special Conservation Area is an area identified as "unstable" by a 1979 U.S.G.S. report 1

• This area was deemed unstable on the basis of soil type and slope. As this area is not adjacent to other resource-based Special Conservation Areas, it forms its own management unit. It is located in the pastures of the Stanford foothills, adjacent to I-280 (Figure 2-4).

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Figure 2-4. Interstate 280 Seismic/ Slope Stability

Special Conservation Area

1" = 200' 0 200 400 Feet


3.0 EXISTING RESOURCES

Each of the four SCAs has a unique set of resources, which are summarized below beginning with ecological communities and including cultural resources such as historic structures and archaeological sites for each of the SCAs.

3.1 Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area

This area consists of a mix of grassland, woodland, and seasonal wetland vegetation. Cattle grazed the land that is now included in the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area until a gradual withdrawal of areas from grazing began in 1984. At that time Stanford decided to open part of the foothills to public access, began an oak reforestation project, and removed grazing from the northern side of the ridge. While not undisturbed, the Stanford foothills, including the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area, support an array of native species. Non-native plants are abundant and the area is not biotically stable. The Lower Foothills SCA has been studied by Stanford scientists for more than 100 years; its biological and cultural resources are well-documented, however, changes in use and management continue and information on biological characteristics must be regularly updated.

Annual Grassland

This community/habitat type consists primarily of non-native annual grasses and forbs forming a continuous cover of herbaceous vegetation. Non-native species dominating these areas include ripgut brome (Bromus diandrus), Italian rye (Lolium multiflorum), wall barley (Hordeum murinum), storksbill (Erodium species), bristly ox-tongue (Picris echioides), purple star thistle (Centaurea calcitrapa), yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis), common groundsel (Senecio vulgaris), geranium (Geranium species), and milk thistle (Silybum marianum). Several native grasses, most notably purple needlegrass (Nassella pulchra), are not uncommon in some areas of the grasslands at Stanford. Native forbs that commonly occur

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within this community include: California man-root (Marahfabaceus), California buttercup (Ranunculus californicus), blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium bellum), terrestrial brodiaea (Brodiaea terrestris), blue dicks (Dichelostemma capitatum), Ithuriel's spear (Tritelia laxa), and mule's ear (Wyethia species). Occasional individual oak trees or small, open-canopied groupings of oaks occur within this habitat type.

Annual grasslands at Stanford provide habitat for a diversity of terrestrial wildlife. Amphibians include western toad (Buja boreas), Pacific treefrog (Hyla regilla), and California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense). Reptiles such as the western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), gopher snake (Pituophis melanoleuca), western racer ( Coluber constrictor) and common garter snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) also occur within the grasslands of the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area. It should be noted that the Thamnophis sirtalis found at Stanford is an intergrade form (between T. s. tetrataenia found to the north and west, and T. s. infemalis to the south and east) rather than the endangered San Francisco garter snake. The California tiger salamander population residing partially in the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area is comparatively well known, having been studied sporadically by scientists for more than 60 years.

A variety of bird species are at least seasonally present in the grasslands at Stanford. Avian seed eaters including western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) nest in grazed annual grasslands, while other grassland species such as red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) are more likely to nest in taller ungrazed vegetation. A variety of other species including American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis), California towhee (Pipilo crissalis), loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus), and northern mockingbird (Mimulus polyglottos) nest in scattered shrubs throughout annual grasslands. Raptors, including white-tailed kite (Elanus caeruleus), red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), barn owl (Tyto alba), and American kestrel (Falco sparvarius), nest in nearby trees and forage in grasslands. Burrowing owls (Athene cunicularia) have not been observed to nest at Stanford for nearly a century, and only a few individuals have been noted from the Stanford campus during the last decade. Aerial foragers, including northern rough-winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina), cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), barn swallow (Hirundo rustica), and white-throated swift (Aeronautes saxatilis) may also frequent annual grasslands. Great blue herons (Ardea herodias) and great egrets (Ardea alba) are frequently observed foraging in the grasslands of Stanford.

Small mammals that forage on the plants found in this habitat type include deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus), western harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis), California vole (Microtus californicus), California ground squirrel (Spermophilus beecheyi), and Botta's pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae ). Larger mammals, such as bobcat (Lynx rufus ), coyote (Canis latrans ), opossum (Didelphis virginiana), raccoon (Procyon lotor), striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), black-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus californicus), and black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus) also use the annual grasslands at Stanford, though other habitats are

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generally required for cover. Badgers (Taxidea ta.xus) are apparently absent from the Special Conservation Areas and rarely sighted in the southern San Francisco Peninsula. Mountain lions (Felis concolor) are occasionally reported from the grasslands, riparian zones and woodlands of lower foothills region, but are clearly not resident on Stanford lands.

Oak Woodland

This plant community occurs in a number of locations at Stanford, including within the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area. This community is dominated by a mix of coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia), blue oaks (Quercus douglasii), valley oaks (Quercus lobata), and California buckeye (Aesculus calzfomica). Understory species include a shrubs such as of poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum), toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), blue elderberry (Sambucus mexicana), and occasional dense patches of coyote brush ( Baccharis pilularis) along the edges of the woodland. Common grass species and herbs found beneath the oak woodland canopy include ripgut brome (Bromus diandrus), bedstraw (Galium californicum), wide-leaf filaree (Erodium botrys), soft chess (Bromus hordeaceous), Italian rye, soft geranium (Geranium dissectum), Indian lettuce ( Claytonia parvijlora), and golden back fern (Pentagramma triangularis).

The wildlife typically associated with oak woodland at Stanford include: bobcat, gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus), western gray squirrel (Sciurus griseus), California ground squirrel, black-tailed deer, deer mouse, dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes), broadfooted mole (Scapanus latimanus), acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus), band-tailed pigeon (Columbafasciata), northern flicker (Colaptes aurantus), and western scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica). Oak trees and other hardwoods in this community provide shelter, shade, and breeding habitat for mammal species such as raccoon, striped skunk, and cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus audubonii).

The abundant insect and plant life present in the oak woodlands provides food for bird species such as white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis), California thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum), bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus), oak titmouse (Baeolophus inomatus), dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis), blue-grey gnatcatcher (Polioptila caeurlea), Bewick' s wren (Thryomanes bewickii), spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus), California quail (Callipepla californica), mourning dove (Zenaida macroura), Anna's hummingbird (Calypte anna), and ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens). A wide variety of woodpecker species are primary-cavity nesters in oak trees, while house wren (Troglodytes aedon), western bluebird (Sialia mexicana), and American kestrel are secondary-cavity nesters (i.e., utilizing abandoned woodpecker cavities). Coastal oak woodland is also important to neotropical migrant songbirds (i.e., warblers, vireos, grosbeaks) providing feeding, resting, and nesting habitats. Raptors that nest and forage in the oak woodland habitat include great homed owl (Bubo virginianus), barn owl, western screech-owl ( Otus kennicotti), red-tailed hawk, and redshouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus). Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperi), white-tailed kite (Elanus caeruleus), and golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) are additional special-status bird

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species that have been recorded in woodlands and grasslands of the Stanford foothills, including the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area.

A number of bat species are common in the Stanford area, and individuals of some species roost in tree cavities. Townsend's big-eared bats (Corynorhinus townsendii) are occasionally recorded on university lands and probably utilize local woodlands and riparian areas on a regular basis, at least for foraging.

Amphibian and reptile species that are found in the oak woodlands of the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area include: California tiger salamander, western toad, Pacific tree frog, California slender salamander (Batrachoseps attenuatus), arboreal salamander (Aneides lugubris), sharp-tailed snake (Contia tenuis), ringneck snake (Diadophis punctatus), California kingsnake (Lampropeltis getulus), western terrestrial garter snake (Thamnophis elegans), western skink (Eumeces skiltonianus), western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis), southern alligator lizard (Elgaria multicarinata) and northern alligator lizard (Elgaria coeruleus). California red-legged frogs (Rana aurora draytonii) have not been recorded from the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area. There are, however, scattered records from the vicinity and it is probable that red-legged frogs occasionally traverse this SCA.

Cultural Resources

There are two recorded prehistoric archaeological sites (bedrock features) in the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area. An intensive survey of Stanford lands in 1987 recorded a number of bedrock and lithic features in the Stanford foothills but no occupation sites.

3.2 Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area

The Matadero Creek watershed, which includes Deer Creek, is small relative to the San Francisquito watershed. Approximately 90 acres of this watershed are located within this Special Conservation Area (Figure 2-2). Both Deer Creek and Matadero Creek have sections

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that are ephemeral with extensive reaches becoming dry by mid-summer in all but the wettest years. During drought years, large portions of both creeks located within this Special Conservation Area become dry in late May. Matadero and Deer creeks are part of a single watershed, and display similar characteristics in the middle extension of the Special Conservation Area, thus forming a convenient and consistent management unit.

Much of the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area is covered by riparian vegetation. There are also oak woodlands and grasslands present in this area.

Riparian Woodland

Riparian woodland is well established along Matadero and Deer creeks and extends out of the SCA in several locations. Vegetation in these drainages consists primarily of a moderately closed canopy of valley oak and coast live oak that ranges from approximately 20 to 40 feet in height. Associated species within this community include California buckeye, bay (Umbellularia califomica), willow (Salix species), and alders (Abius species). An understory shrub layer occurs beneath much of the riparian canopy, particularly in areas where gaps in the overstory allow direct sunlight. Shrub species present include poison oak, California rose (Rosa californica), common snowberry, blue elderberry, and coyote bush.

Small clumps of native and non-native grasses and forbs are present in the understory of the riparian woodland, including ripgut brome, wild oat (Avenafatua), horehound (Marrubium vulgare), poison hemlock (Conium maculatum), wild radish (Raphanus sativus), field mustard (Brassica rapa), milk thistle, and California mugwort (Artemesia douglasiana). Aquatic vegetation found intermittently along the creek channels includes water cress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum), iris-leaved juncus (Juncus xiphioides), broad-leaved cattail (Typha latifolia), and curly dock (Rumex crispus).

Riparian woodland provides abundant food, cover, and breeding habitat for wildlife. These factors and the structural diversity of riparian woodland are largely responsible for the high productivity of this habitat type. Bird species that are characteristic of this habitat at Stanford include California quail, mourning dove, Nuttall' s woodpecker (Picoides nuttallii), black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans), black-crowned night heron ((Nycticorax nycticorax), belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon), western wood-pewee (Contopus sordidulus), California towhee, and song sparrow (Melospiza melodia). A number of these species nest or roost in riparian woodland and feed in adjacent habitat areas, such as annual grasslands. Stellar' s jay ( Cyanocitta stelleri) and western scrub jays have been observed in the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area, as have California thrasher, red-tailed hawk, Cooper's hawk, redshouldered hawk and sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus). Riparian woodlands also provide important feeding, resting, and nesting for neotropical songbirds such as warblers, vireos, grosbeaks, and flycatchers.

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Common mammals found within this riparian woodland include: deer, opossum, raccoon, deer mouse, woodrats (Neotoma species), coyote, gray fox, bobcat, striped skunk, and the nonnative red fox (Vulpes vulpes).

Amphibians and reptiles known to occur in this community within the Special Conservation Area include western toad, Pacific tree frog, arboreal salamander, slender salamander, California kingsnake, gopher snake, western night snake (Hypsoglena torquata), western fence lizard, southern alligator lizard and western skink. In addition, a federally listed as "threatened" species, California red-legged frog, is found throughout the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area. This population is comparatively well-known, portions of which have been studied for many years.

Annual surveys conducted since 1997 have documented red-legged frog reproduction in both Deer and Matadero creeks and in a pool associated with the Upper Quarry (note that the quarry pool and most of the seasonal creek outflow are not in this SCA). California red-legged frog reproduction in Matadero Creek appears to be very limited, with only a few tadpoles surviving to metamorphosis each year. In some years, Deer Creek is apparently much more productive, with large numbers of mature tadpoles (lOOs) and metamorphs (10s) being observed annually since 1998. However, it appears that no successful red-legged frog reproduction occurs in Deer Creek during conditions of moderate to severe drought. Reproduction in the quarry pool is fairly consistent, but the pool is somewhat unusual: California red-legged frog tadpoles are present in the pool year-round2

• While recent observations of red-legged frogs away from the creeks have been few, it is apparent that some individuals disperse far from the riparian zone. It should be noted, therefore, that the red-legged frog population centered on Matadero and Deer creeks includes significant areas outside of the Special Conservation Area.

California tiger salamanders have not been recorded from the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area but are expected in low numbers in the grasslands and oak woodlands west of Matadero Creek. Western pond turtles (Clemmys marmorata) have been reported from this Special Conservation Area by local residents, but have not been observed during recent surveys. While California newts (Taricha torosa) might be expected in Matadero Creek, newts have not been observed during the recent surveys.

Native fishes recorded from Matadero Creek include three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus), roach (Hesperoleucas symmetricus), Sacramento blackfish (Orthodon microlepidotus) and sculpin (likely Cottus asper). Steelhead/rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and Sacramento suckers ( Catostomus occidentalis) have been reported by local residents as occurring in the drainage, but have not been recorded in surveys conducted by Stanford since 1997.

2 Fellers, G.M., et. al. 200 I. Overwintering tadpoles in the California red-legged frogs (Rana aurora draytonii). Herpetological Review 32: 156-157.

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Non-native aquatic animals of note that have been recorded in Matadero Creek include bullfrogs (Rana catesbienna), green sunfish (Lepomis cyanellus), mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis), largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides), and Louisiana red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarki). Bullfrogs have only been occasionally observed in the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area and generally no more than two or three a year are found in this SCA. Green sunfish are relatively common throughout the unincorporated Santa Clara County portion of Matadero Creek, but are limited in Deer Creek to reaches immediately upstream from its confluence with Matadero Creek. No young-of-the-year green sunfish have been observed in the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area during annual surveys since 1997, suggesting that juvenile or adult sunfish may be dispersing into the area from either downstream or upstream reaches. During recent annual surveys, only one largemouth bass has been observed in the system and Louisiana red swamp crayfish are only rarely encountered. In 2000, a mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis) was observed in Matadero Creek, just downstream of the Special Conservation Area (downstream from the Foothill Expressway bridge). Mitten crabs have not been observed in the Special Conservation Area, but are expected.

Other Vegetation Types in the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area

This Special Conservation Area contains oak woodlands and grasslands adjacent to the riparian woodland. Please see the description of the biological resources of the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area (Section 3 .1) for descriptions of these vegetation types. Given their numbers in the riparian zone and known potential for dispersal, it is anticipated that California red-legged frogs regularly traverse the oak woodlands and grasslands of this SCA. It should be noted again that California tiger salamanders are expected to be present in this SCA, but in very low densities.

It should be noted that the two areas under Palo Alto jurisdiction that cross this SCA contain a similar set of resources. Stanford, therefore, will manage the areas as if they were included in the SCA.

Cultural Resources

The focus of historic land use in the Matadero Creek/Deer Creek Special Conservation Area was Old Page Mill Road. This portion of the SCA contains one historic structure known as Frenchman's Tower on Old Page Mill Road.

Native Americans of the Ohlone-Costanoan culture have occupied the Matadero Creek watershed for at least 5,000 years. The fresh water in the creek system was the focus of prehistoric occupation (village) locations. There are two recorded prehistoric archaeological sites within the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area. Archaeological site locations are confidential under State law, and thus no map can be included to depict specific sites.

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3.3 Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area

The San Francisquito Creek watershed, which includes Los Trancos Creek, is (approximately 40 square miles) relatively large for the San Francisco Peninsula. Approximately 80 acres of this watershed are located within the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area. Portions of Los Trancos Creek and San Francisquito Creek become dry by mid-summer in all but the wettest years. During normal rainfall years, large portions of Los Trancos Creek become dry by late May.

Much of the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area is covered by riparian vegetation. As is the case with the Matadero/Deer Creeks SCA, riparian vegetation occasionally extends beyond the SCA. There are oak woodlands and grasslands also present adjacent to the riparian zone. Please see descriptions of riparian, oak woodland, and grassland vegetation communities in Sections 3.1 and 3.2 for a description of these biotic communities at Stanford. The Los Trancos/San Francisquito SCA is fairly well-studied, beginning with the work of the Coyote Creek Riparian Station in the late 1980s and continuing with occasional studies sponsored by the San Francisquito Creek Coordinated Resource Management Program (now the Watershed Council), and Joint Powers Authority. Stanford researchers have conducted annual stream surveys since 1997. The SCA has been surveyed by Stanford archaeologists beginning in the mid-1950s, and several of the prehistoric sites in this SCA have been the subjects of research excavations.

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Species of Special Conservation Interest

In addition to species noted in the more general accounts, there are a number of species of specific conservation concern found in the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area, including native species and undesirable non-native species.

Native fishes are well-represented in this Special Conservation Area. San Francisquito and Los Trancos creeks support a significant run of federally listed as threatened steelhead. Los Trancos Creek in particular provides substantial spawning and nursery habitat. Roach, Sacramento sucker, three-spined stickleback, and sculpin are found in both creeks, although San Francisquito Creek generally supports much higher densities of these native species.

California red-legged frogs have been occasionally recorded from this Special Conservation Area, with the most recent siting occurring in the early 1990s (at the Felt Lake diversion facility). Local residents have also reported California red-legged frogs from the large pool in San Francisquito Creek associated with the old water diversion weir (located on the creek between the non-Stanford residences in San Mateo County and the Stanford golf course). Recent surveys have failed to confirm continued presence of California red-legged frogs, but the presence of private residences makes frog surveys difficult at that location. Based on old field notes, reports from long-time residents, and museum records, it is likely that as recently as the mid-l 970s moderately large numbers of California red-legged frogs were found along the San Francisquito Creek portion of this Special Conservation Area and dispersed through the Los Trancos Creek area.

The riparian zone and adjacent uplands associated with Los Trancos Creek and mid-San Francisquito Creek are probably important for the long-term persistence of red-legged frogs in the low elevation foothills of northern Santa Clara and southern San Mateo counties. This area is located between two of the few remaining low elevation populations (found along Matadero/Deer creeks and along San Francisquito Creek at Webb Ranch/Jasper Ridge) and is downstream from relatively high elevation areas known to support red-legged frogs. The ability of individual frogs to disperse through or reside in (at least temporarily) the Stanford portion of the Los Trancos drainage is likely a significant factor for regional metapopulation dynamics and long-term persistence. At the present time the Los Trancos portion of this SCA and adjacent upland areas do not include sufficient habitat to support resident frogs or allow for a high level of dispersal.

California tiger salamanders have not been recorded from this SCA, but are expected to occur in areas of the SCA located southeast of I-280. California newts reproduce annually in several portions of Los Trancos Creek, but have not been recorded from the mid- to lower portions of San Francisquito Creek in recent years. Western pond turtles are regularly observed in the San Francisquito Creek portion of this SCA, but are not abundant.

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There is at least one large bat colony residing in this Special Conservation Area. Several hundred (if not thousands) Mexican free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) were observed during the summer of 2001 emerging from under the Junipero Serra Boulevard Bridge. It is presumed that the bats of this colony have found a portion of the bridge's infrastructure suitable for roosting. Other large concentrations of bats have not been observed at the other bridges.

Non-native bullfrogs are found scattered throughout the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Special Conservation Area. As of 2001, bullfrogs do not appear to be reproducing in the area and typically only a few adult frogs are encountered in this Special Conservation Area during annual surveys. Non-native fishes, mainly mosquito fish sunfishes (Lepomis species), and bullheads (Ameiurus species) are annually noted in low numbers in San Francisquito Creek.

Mitten crabs were first observed in the San Francisquito portion of the Special Conservation Area in 1996. Since then, mitten crabs have been observed annually in the system, with large numbers being present in the San Francisquito Creek portion of the Special Conservation Area during the summers of 1999 and 2000. No mitten crabs have been observed in Los Trancos Creek.

Very high densities of two non-native crayfish species (Louisiana red swamp crayfish and signal crayfish, Pacifasticus lenisculus) are found in San Francisquito Creek. In the portion of the creek found in the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area, signal crayfish are relatively more abundant than the Louisiana red swamp crayfish. Few crayfish of either species are typically observed in Los Trancos Creek. Red foxes are occasionally observed along the creek and may be reproducing in the Special Conservation Area.

Cultural Resources

The riparian zone has been the focus of a number of historic land uses in the San Francisquito watershed~ a number of standing structures dating to the late 19rh and early 20th century remain in this area. Potential historic resources include houses, barns, bridges, dams, roads, gardens, walls, debris piles, and other man-made constructions more than 50 years old.

The San Francisquito Creek watershed has been occupied by Native Americans of the OhloneCostanoan culture for at least 5,000 years. The fresh water in the creek system was the focus of prehistoric occupation (village) locations. There are five recorded prehistoric archaeological sites within the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area.

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3.4 1-280 Seismic/Slope Stability Special Conservation Area

The I-280 Seismic/Slope Stability Special Conservation Area is dominated by non-native annual grasslands. Please see description of Stanford foothill's grasslands in Section 3.1. No species of conservation concern have been specifically noted from this SCA. This site is quite distant from the California tiger salamander breeding ponds and it is unlikely that the I-280 Seismic/Slope Stability SCA provides a significant amount of upland habitat for California tiger salamanders. Given its location and vegetation, it is unlikely that red-legged frogs occur or pass through on site. Raptors frequently forage in the grasslands of the Stanford foothills and undoubtedly prey on the rodents abundant on the site.

Cultural Resources

There are no recorded historic or prehistoric sites located in the I-280 Seismic/Slope Stability SCA.

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4.0 EXISTING USES IN SPECIAL CONSERVATION AREAS

4.1 Academic Activities

The lands of Stanford University have been used for academic purposes by Stanford researchers and students since the opening of the campus in the early 1890s. Given their proximity to the main campus, areas now within the Special Conservation Areas have been used regularly by the academic community, including field studies in biology, archaeology, civil engineering and geology and as sites for the installation and operation of a number of antenna facilities used in research activities. Additionally, a number of undergraduate and graduate research projects have been conducted in the general area. At the present time, all field exercises and research projects requiring off-trail or after-hour access are reviewed and facilitated by the University's Foothill Working Group and have permission of the leaseholder (if applicable).

In addition to these activities, access has been allowed for projects in the arts, such as photography, cinematography, painting and other environmentally benign artistic endeavors. The teaching and practice of art (including music, literature, dance and theater) off the public

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roads and approved trails within the SCAs requires a University sponsor and approval of the Foothills Working Group to ensure that no inadvertent impacts occur to sensitive areas. In 1988, the Stanford Native American student, faculty and staff community requested a remote site in which to conduct traditional religious ceremonies. They required a site with a road, access to running water, a fire pit and a natural setting. The University selected a site adjacent to San Francisquito Creek that met these requirements. For the sake of privacy, the site is not included on a map. The site is used approximately 10 times per year by small groups. Operational guidelines for this use include a prohibition on permanent structures, strict fire control practices, and direct communication between event organizers and neighboring landowners. This extremely low intensity use has been evaluated as having no negative impacts on the riparian habitat.

4.2 Golf Course

A significant portion of the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Special Conservation Area is located in the Stanford Golf Course. In addition, approximately 6 acres of the Lower Foothills SCA is located in the area of the 18th fairway and practice putting green along Vista Lane. This 80-year-old golf course is a highly artificial landscape that requires continuous maintenance and does not provide suitable habitat for most types of native wildlife and flora. Several of the golf holes span San Francisquito Creek. These crossings necessitate considerable trimming of riparian vegetation, allowed in accordance with an agreement between the Golf Course and the California Department of Fish and Game. Given the arrangement of several of the holes, a fairly large number of golf balls are lost in the creek: these are inert and likely pose no problem biologically (although golfers attempting to retrieve lost balls may cause minor impacts). There are several cart bridges over the creek and there is one seasonal drive through. Water quality (creek and ground water) is monitored by the Golf Course on a monthly basis.

4.3 KZSU Radio Station and Other Antennas

The Stanford student radio station, KZSU, maintains its antenna, transmitter shed and emergency generator facilities in the Lower Foothills SCA. These three small buildings are located near Reservoir 1 and have been in place since 1969. KZSU radio is a member of the Emergency Broadcast System and the foothills facility is necessary to their broadcasting activities (the main broadcast studio is located on the central Stanford campus). This facility includes a driveway and other small support structures and is served by existing underground facilities.

There are buildings and radiotelescope antennas, known as the Radar 515 site, located immediately adjacent to the Los Trancos/San Francisquito SCA. Only one of the radiotelescope antennas is located within the SCA. These structures have housed a variety of scientific research experiments and the Stanford Instructional Television Network but are

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currently vacant. There is also a small antenna installation in the Lower Foothills SCA that supports academic research in the School of Engineering.

4.4 Reservoirs

The University maintains two reservoirs located within the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area (Figure 4-1 ). These are covered reservoirs, constructed by lining large excavations and covering the top with a roof. These are filled from a nearby San Francisco Water Department line. The reservoirs provide emergency supply volume of water that would be needed in the event of interruption in supply from San Francisco Water District's HetchHetchy system. Each reservoir supplies a pressure zone on the campus. This supply is critically important in the event of a Hetch-Hetchy system supply interruption for both consumption and fire suppression. No water is intentionally discharged from the reservoirs into the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area, but a small amount of seepage likely occurs. Associated with each reservoir are several support buildings and a gravel parking area.

Construction of Foothill Reservoir 2 in 1999 resulted in a large area of fill being placed just southwest of the reservoir. A portion of this artificial landscape is within the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area. This fill area was stabilized by engineered placement and soil compaction, and the surface vegetation re-established with rolls of sterile hay, native grasses, and a few native trees.

4.5 Water Diversion

Stanford maintains and operates two water diversion facilities within the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area (Figure 4-1). Diversion facilities have been located on the sites and have been diverting water from the creeks for at least 100 years. Both facilities were recently modified because of environmental and functional concerns. One of these diversions is located on Los Trancos and consists of a sluice gate, weir, screened diversion channel, fish ladder, overflow spillway, and by-pass channel. This facility was significantly modified during the mid- l 990s, using a California Department of Fish and Game design. The other facility is located on San Francisquito Creek just upstream from the U.S.G.S. gaging station, adjacent to the Stanford Golf Course. This facility was completely rebuilt during the late 1990s and now includes a subterranean vault, infiltration gallery, associated piping and electrical control appurtenances.

The operation of these diversions is regulated by agreements between Stanford and the State of California Water Resources Control Board and the California Department of Fish and Game.

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4.6 Utilities

There are a number of electric, water, natural gas, and communication lines passing through the Special Conservation Areas (Figure 4-1). Additionally, a portion of a large storm drain system is located in the northern part of the Lower Foothills SCA. Most of these utilities and their associated appurtenances are below ground, with a few access ports and support buildings located above ground. A 15-foot-wide access corridor is typically maintained (free of trees and structures) for buried and above-ground lines; a 30-foot wide access corridor is maintained above large water lines and the recently installed Junipero Serra Boulevard Foothills Storm Drain.

Ground-disturbing maintenance activities along these corridors are limited, and typically occur only when repair work is necessary, generally every 3 to 5 years. Maintenance work for these utility lines typically involves use of heavy equipment to clear vegetation and expose the lines. After service, the underground lines are reburied and the original topsoil is spread across the construction site. Seeding with native grass species and installation of erosion control devices are also part of the utility line maintenance procedures. Vegetation removal is also required for maintenance of above ground utilities. Complete replacement of the utility lines is more invasive but infrequent. When lines or pipes do need to be completely replaced, the area affected may be 50 to 100 feet wide, depending upon the depth and difficulty of the necessary excavation.

4. 7 Public Roads

Old Page Mill Road bisects a large portion of the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area. This two-lane county road is located on Stanford land but is managed and maintained by Santa Clara County. This road runs along Matadero Creek and crosses it at five locations. There is little through traffic associated with Old Page Mill Road, but private residents whose properties are located at the south end of the road use it for vehicular traffic. The road also provides access to a Stanford building material storage yard located in the lower quarry and to the leaseholds of several Stanford tenants. The general public also uses this road, and there are frequently cars or trucks parked along the shoulder. Old Page Mill Road is used by pedestrians and bicyclists. Historically, this county road has been used to gain illegal access to Stanford land and for criminal activities. Unauthorized dumping of debris is common along the road shoulders. Vegetation trimming by county staff occasionally occurs and can result in a substantial loss of vegetation.

Portions of three busy roads cross the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area. Page Mill Road crosses Matadero Creek; Deer Creek Road and Coyote Hill Road cross Deer Creek. The alignments for these three roads are generally perpendicular to the creeks. Page Mill Road, Deer Creek Road, and Coyote Hill Road are maintained by the City of Palo Alto.

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4.8 Paved Private Roads

University-maintained paved access roads are located within the Lower Foothills and Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Areas (Figure 4-1). These paved roads provide all-weather access to facilities scattered throughout the Foothills District. The roads in this paved road system are 12 feet wide and have 4-foot unpaved shoulders on each side. Vehicular traffic on the access roads is Ii mi ted to authorized personnel. There is a 10 mph speed limit in effect. The access roads are resurfaced as necessary, typically every 10 to 20 years. The shoulders are unimproved, but typically kept free of vegetation or mowed. In the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area, there are no fences along the paved access road.

In the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks SCA, portions of the access road are fenced. The access road system can be entered via three locked gates (Gerona, Frenchman's and Piers Lane), or from either of two Caltrans owned I-280 underpass tunnels. Access to authorized personnel is allowed at all times. There is no lighting along the access roads.

4.9 Unpaved Service Roads

Many unpaved service roads are located within the Special Conservation Areas (Figure 4-1). These are generally 10 feet in width and are maintained with gravel surfaces (in some cases these are simply compacted or bladed dirt). They are designed to provide all-weather access to University facilities and lease holds. In several cases, utility lines are located under the service roads. Access to these service roads is limited to authorized vehicles and personnel only. There is no lighting along the service roads. In the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area, two service roads are located near the reservoirs, a third is located adjacent to and on the San Francisco Water Department's land, and the fourth is located adjacent to the golf course, from Foothills Reservoir 2 to Vista Lane. In the Matadero/Deer Creeks and Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Areas there are many service roads associated with the leaseholds, three of these service roads cross Los Trancos Creek.

4.10 Private Bridges

There are a number of small bridges crossing Los Trancos Creek that provide access to University properties from Alpine Road. These include the Piers Lane Bridge and three onelane bridges between I-280 and Arastradero Road. While the Piers Lane Bridge has limited public access associated with recreational trail use, the three upper bridges are maintained for University and leaseholder use exclusively. There is also a small footbridge spanning Deer Creek.

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4.11 Recreation Routes

In addition to providing access to University facilities, a portion of the main paved access road system has been designated a University recreation route since the mid-1980s (Figure 4-1). Public access is restricted to daylight hours, and no dogs or bicycles are allowed. Smoking and picnicking are also not allowed. There are four entry points to this recreation route. The Gerona Gate entry point is located near the boundary of the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area, and the Piers Lane Gate is located at the boundary of the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area. (The other two entry gates are not located near Special Conservation Areas). The foothills recreation route is patrolled by university personnel. As of summer of 2001, the number of annual person-visits to at least some portion of the foothills recreation route was estimated to be at least 300,000. This number is anticipated to increase in the future. Organized special events, such as fund-raising runs, are allowed along the recreation route as long as the established rules are followed.

Prior to Summer 2000, there was considerable unauthorized public access (trespass) to virtually all areas now designated as Special Conservation Areas. This unauthorized access was particularly bad in the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area. At that time, people were entering Stanford lands at all hours of the day, primarily from Old Page Mill Road. Access was gained through a number of holes cut into the Stanford fence line. Aside from the public safety issues associated with littering, drug use (and drug cultivation), use of fires, and overnight camping, such unregulated public access was considered highly detrimental to the local wildlife. Public incursions into the creeks, frequently with unleashed dogs, and the clearing of small tracks of land for marijuana cultivation were particularly problematic.

This unauthorized access was reduced greatly after Stanford initiated its program to reclaim the foothills in 2000. Stanford repaired the fence along the west side of Old Page Mill Road, physically removed many unauthorized trails (including one essentially within the Matadero Creek channel), and increased surveillance by Stanford personnel. While there is continued unauthorized public access to all Special Conservation Areas, trespass has been reduced. Public recreation in the Matadero/Deer Creeks SCA, mainly hiking/bicycling, is currently allowed along the paved public roads and county trails C-2 (which crosses Deer Creek in two places).

Unauthorized trails were also present in the Lower Foothills and Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks SCA. The Foothills Reclamation Project has removed unauthorized trails from the Lower Foothills SCA; leaseholders are largely responsible for maintenance in the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks SCA.

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4.12 Equestrian and Agricultural Leaseholds

Significant portions of the Matadero/Deer Creeks and Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Areas are located within Stanford agricultural leaseholds (Figure 4-1 ). These leaseholds are predominantly recreational horse facilities, although goats and cattle are occasionally run on the land. There are large numbers of support facilities including barns, paddocks and stalls for the equestrian operations located within the Special Conservation Areas. There is one at-grade creek crossing located in one of the Stanford leaseholds on Los Trancos Creek. Use of this horse crossing is seasonal and expected to be discontinued when an adjacent dilapidated bridge is replaced. Additionally, there are numerous points where horses access Deer Creek. Equestrian leasehold operations at Stanford have resulted in some environmental degradation; however, operation of these facilities has improved in recent years and there are now Best Management documents on file at the State Regional Water Quality Control Board for each of these horse facilities.

Portions of the agricultural leaseholds are used for cattle grazing. While the majority of the pastureland is not within a Special Conservation Area (Figure 4-1), the I-280 seismic/scope SCA is grazed, and there are several seasonal drainages that come from the pasture areas and flow directly into the creeks. Cattle grazing has been successfully used to reduce fuel load and fire hazard, however in some areas grazing has been the cause of localized environmental degradation; however, the tenant has adopted Best Management Practices and some of the environmental problems associated with cattle grazing at Stanford have been reduced.

4.13 Boething Treeland Farms

A large nursery is found partially within the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area. This nursery raises a large number of trees and shrubs for the wholesale trade. Within the nursery there are numerous access roads, utility lines, and support facilities such as a small office complex, greenhouses, and storage buildings. Currently, nursery operations including unpaved service roads and nursery stock, are maintained within a few yards of the creek bank. Best Management Practices for operation of the nursery were submitted in 1999 and filed with the State Regional Water Quality Control Board.

4.14 Private Residences

There are four private residences located within the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area (Figure 4-1). Two of these are managed as long-term leases by Stanford's Faculty/Staff Housing Program, and two by the Stanford Management Company associated with agricultural leases. There are no residential uses in the other SCAs.

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4.15 Palo Alto's Water Pumping Station

This facility has been operated by the City of Palo Alto between Page Mill Expressway and Old Page Mill Road on Matadero Creek since 1961. While the facility is located on lands owned by Stanford and on County land, the facility is operated under an easement to the City of Palo Alto. The City of Palo Alto is responsible for all operations and improvements at the facility.

4.16 Bay Area Cellular Communications Antenna

Bay Area Cellular has a cellular telephone antenna site, adjacent to the above noted Palo Alto water pumping station. This facility has been operated by Bay Area Cellular since early 2000. Bay Area Cellular is responsible for all operations and improvements at the facility.

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5.0 MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES

This section of the conservation program provides management guidelines for the Special Conservation Areas. Development of these guidelines incorporated appropriate strategies described in the Stanford Community Plan, and took into consideration the existing uses of the land and Stanford's own conservation planning goals. The fundamental goals of this program are to facilitate appropriate academic activities; to minimize future effects associated with ongoing permitted uses and activities; and to further the long-term enhancement of resources. Management of the Special Conservation Areas (SCA) must be dynamic and flexible to adapt to changing conditions, new technologies and experience. It is anticipated that an adaptive management plan will be more successful in conserving resources over the long-term than a proscriptive plan.

Implementation of conservation programs in the SCAs will be consistent with larger scale conservation activities on Stanford lands and in the region. For example, vegetation management guidelines will be informed by ongoing experimental efforts in the Foothills Reclamation Program and at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve. Successful management of water quality and riparian resources also depends on participation from public agencies and other private landowners and will be coordinated through established cooperative planning organizations. Programs in the SCAs will respond to local and regional opportunities for collaboration and on a year-to-year basis Stanford's activities in the SCAs will reflect priorities established in the wider conservation context.

The following guidelines incorporate on-going management policies and programs such as Best Management Practices (BMP), and water quality monitoring and also provide new guidelines to address additional issues identified in the Community Plan. These guidelines may be updated from time to time in response to monitoring of environmental conditions and changes in operations and uses. Guidelines that are not effective may be suspended and new programs may be added as needed to further conservation objectives. Stanford plans to submit a monitoring report and revised guidelines to the County Planning Office every 5 years. In addition, a summary of activities in the Special Conservation Areas will be maintained by the Foothills Group and outreach meetings will be held periodically with constituents from the academic community, leaseholders, and environmental interest groups.

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5.1 Management of Resources

General Conservation of Biological Resources

Survey, Inventory, and Monitoring. Baseline information on the distribution and abundance of species and biotic communities of conservation interest are critical to the long-term success of resource management activities. At Stanford, surveying, inventorying, and monitoring of a variety of species have occurred on a regular basis since the beginnings of the University. As several of the areas included in the Santa Clara County SCAs are among the most important biologically at Stanford, these areas have been the subject of a considerable amount of work. Beginning in the late 1890s, the local freshwater fishes were extensively sampled by ichthyologists from Stanford and many specimens from the area's watersheds are housed at the California Academy of Sciences (Stanford was a center of American ichthyological research from its beginning, under ichthyologist and first president David Starr Jordan, until the early 1960s, when the extensive Stanford collection was moved the California Academy of Sciences). Local reptiles and amphibians are also well represented in Museum collections, and were studied extensively by Professor Victor Twitty in the middle of the 20th century. Stanford's large collection of plant specimens are also housed at the California Academy of Science, and include the series that Stanford Professor John Thomas studied during his work which resulted in the "Flora of the Santa Cruz Mountains."

Starting in the mid-1990s, the University has annually funded general field work designed to determine the distribution and status of species of "conservation concern" on the Stanford campus. This work has provided the baseline for recent conservation planning at Stanford.

Foothills Reclamation Program. In the mid-1980s, Stanford eliminated grazing from the northern, main campus-facing side of the foothills and allowed recreational access on a designated trail system. Along with this access, a list of use restrictions was established (daylight access only, dogs on leashes, trail access only, no bicycles). Unfortunately, public

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use exceeded enforcement capabilities and incursions into the SCAs became increasingly detrimental. More than 13 miles of unauthorized, trails were created, off-leash dogs adversely affected wildlife; and virtually all portions of the sensitive habitat areas were accessible to public use at all times of the day and night. It was apparent that continued unregulated public use was incompatible with academic and conservation uses.

In spring 2000, Stanford allocated funds to correct deteriorating conditions and formed the Foothills Working Group to oversee access, operations and enforcement. This commitment and guidance resulted in enforcement of existing regulations, one new restriction (prohibition of dog access), removal of unauthorized trails, repair of the perimeter fence, and on-going presence of community service officers to enforce the regulations. In addition to these measures to control human and domestic animal impacts, Stanford funded a multi-year environmental restoration effort, under the management of the Center for Conservation Biology (Department of Biological Sciences).

Stanford is continuing to develop grassland and woodland conservation goals and management protocols, as part of the environmental restoration component of the Foothills Reclamation Program. The broad objective of these efforts is to create self-sustaining biotic communities, dominated by as many native species as ecologically and financially feasible. Precise goals and protocols for this endeavor will take years to develop, and will be dependent on the results of on-going research. Several management actions have been already been initiated. These include planting of native plants and control of non-native species. While the Foothills Reclamation Project includes large areas outside of the SCAs, many of its activities and improvements will benefit the SCAs. It is hoped that designation of the SCAs will not hinder broader conservation planning at Stanford, including the Foothills Reclamation Program.

Physical Structures. There are a number of structures that are either in operation, or are planned for immediate deployment, that are designed to directly support conservation activities. Existing structures include water monitoring stations, one located on Los Trancos Creek and another on San Francisquito Creek. Neither of these are located in a SCA, but both are located within 20 meters of the boundary. Creek monitoring stations within the Matadero!Deer Creeks SCA should also be investigated; a network of three new stations (one on Matadero at the Foothill Expressway Bridge, one on Matadero at the southern most Old Page Mill Road Bridge, and one on Deer Creek at the Arastradero Road trail culvert) would bracket that SCA, as well.

Weather stations have been operated in the Stanford foothills for decades. These are, at this point, old and in need of replacement, and data are generally difficult to retrieve. A real-time on-line weather station would be a substantial improvement over the existing situation and greatly help on-going conservation activities. California tiger salamander work, in particular, would benefit from a functional on-site weather station. Aside from the basic meteorological variables, a new weather monitoring system could also incorporate sensors to monitor soil saturation, soil temperature, and pond water levels. A new weather station will be installed in

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the Stanford foothills as part of the Foothills Reclamation Program during early 2002. The precise abilities and location of the station are currently being determined.

Future conservation efforts may require other facilities to be located in the SCAs or vicinity. While the specific types of these monitoring-related facilities will need to be determined at a later date, radio telemetry base stations have been discussed in the past and would be appropriate for the area. These would allow for a relatively automated tracking of individual animals marked with radio transmitters. Such capabilities could greatly enhance conservation planning at Stanford.

Wildlife Enhancing Structures. Wildlife in many locations are limited by lack of landscape features that provide nesting locations, roosting sites, perch locations, water sources, cover, or other type of physical structure. Given the paucity of many valuable features in the agricultural and formerly agricultural, areas of the SCAs, a limited number of recent conservation efforts have tried to address this problem. In the late 1990s an environmental interest group received permission to place bluebird nesting boxes in a number of locations in the Stanford foothills. Some of these boxes are located in the SCAs. According to annual reports, these boxes have been successful at providing nest sites for bluebirds and other native bird species. There have also been a number of "bat boxes" erected at Stanford, but none are known to be located in the SCAs. While "quail guzzlers" (small devices that provide a dry season water supply) have not been employed at Stanford, they have proved effective in other locations at countering the loss of open water springs that is typically associated with longterm agricultural use of an area.

Future conservation activities should include efforts to address such habitat limitations. If deemed appropriate as part of a conservation project, rock piles and dead trees may be carefully placed within the Special Conservation Areas. The SCAs, however, will not be used for a general dumping of debris. Bird houses, bat boxes, quail guzzlers, and other artificial features should be considered in the future, but should not replace long-term more natural solutions.

Guidelines for General Conservation

Surveys, Inventory, and Monitoring

• The Campus Biologist will continue focused monitoring of species of conservation concern and will supervise collection of distribution and abundance data in support of conservation planning in the SCAs.

• The Campus Biologist will maintain distribution and abundance data on a GIS-based database.

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• The Campus Biologist will update and maintain the Stanford University Natural Resources Inventory.

Foothills Reclamation Program

• Stanford will continue to implement programs recommended by the Foothills Reclamation Program; these programs are expected to evolve over time as experimental efforts mature and conditions change in the SCAs.

• As uses are relocated or abandoned in the SCAs, Stanford will consider expanding experimental revegetation programs.

• The Foothills Working Group will continue and expand public education/outreach including signs, web pages and public participation events.

• Access guidelines have been developed by the Foothills Working Group to address human-created impacts from recreational access. See page 56 for a discussion of access guidelines.

Physical Structures

• At least one on-line weather station will be installed in the Lower Foothills SCA, using an existing facility as a site, if possible.

• Consistent with the terms of a cooperative agreement with the City of Palo Alto, Stanford will maintain two existing water quality stations located adjacent to SCA.

• Stanford will explore the feasibility of starting a network of water monitoring stations in Matadero/Deer Creeks SCA.

Wildlife Enhancing Structures

•

•

•

Stanford will allow the bluebird nesting box program to continue and will consider expanding the program if warranted by survey results.

The Foothills Reclamation Program will investigate the feasibility of large bat houses in the SCAs and will construct and monitor at least one experimental structure in the first 5 years of this program if deemed approp1iate.

The Foothills Reclamation Project will investigate the use of quail guzzlers in the Lower Foothills SCA.

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Vegetation Management

General Vegetation Management. Long-term success of terrestrial and freshwater conservation plans is dependent on the ability to manage vegetation. Given the extent that local and regional floras have been physically and biologically altered, it is not a reasonable conservation strategy to try to maintain a hands-off approach. Minimal on-going intervention should always be a conservation goal, but considering the current unstable situation present in most of the SCAs, it will be a number of years before activities can be reduced.

Two general goals of conservation at Stanford are to encourage native species and to control non-native species. Encouraging native species can be accomplished by a number of techniques and practices, from the relatively simple, such as planting acorns and protecting the resultant seedlings, to increasingly complex, including manipulating the timing and intensity of grazing. A number of techniques have been used recently at Stanford. More than 4,000 oak trees have been planted during the last 20 years in the Stanford foothills in an effort to bolster native tree recruitment. These efforts were funded by Stanford and carried out by a local environmental service organization (Magic, Inc.). Many of these trees have been planted in the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area.

Livestock. Livestock can be used for vegetation management; however, livestock can also be detrimental to the environment if not managed properly. As of December 2001, cattle grazing occurs in the I-280 Seismic/Slope SCA, horses and assorted other livestock heavily graze and browse the Matadero/Deer Creeks and Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks SCAs. Cattle grazing was removed from the Lower Foothills SCA in the mid 1980s. With conservation goals in mind, Ii vestock grazing in the Matadero/Deer Creeks and Los Trancos/San

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Francisquito Creeks SCAs should be reduced. By contrast, it is likely that portions of the Lower Foothills SCA would benefit from controlled livestock grazing that removes non-native plants from the grasslands or reduces vegetation cover near the artificial ponds. As there are no significant biotic resources in the I-280 Seismic/Slope SCA, intensity of grazing there is not a conservation issue.

Non-native Species Control. Non-native plants are a major conservation problem for all four SCAs. There have been some good efforts to map the distribution and abundance of nonnative plant species in the Lower Foothills SCA (conducted by Magic, Inc. and the Stanford Center for Conservation Biology), but precise information in distribution and abundance of non-native plants in the other three SCAs is lacking.

Several methods to control non-native species have been attempted in the Stanford foothills. Mowing has been used to try to control yellow-star thistle and larger shrubs and trees have been physically removed. However, chemical control of non-native plant species in the foothills area has not been used for several years. If chemical means are determined to offer the best hope at dealing with a specific conservation problem, and impacts on non-target organisms are well understood and minimal, herbicide use in the SCAs should be considered.

A combination of controlled bums and livestock grazing is used to manage non-native plant species in a number of conservation settings. While this has not been used as such in the Stanford SCAs, future application of these techniques may prove appropriate.

Biological control of non-native plant species has been attempted locally several species of non-native insects known to feed on yellow-star thistle were introduced into Arastradero Preserve. The long-term efficacy of this is not known.

Sudden Oak Death. As of December 2001, no confirmed cases of sudden oak death (SOD) have been identified at the Stanford campus. There are, however, many confirmed cases reported from locations north, south, and west of campus, some as close as 15 kilometers. Additionally, there are numerous trees on the main campus that display symptoms consistent with SOD. Several of these sick trees were tested for Phytophthora rarmorum, the pathogen that apparently causes SOD, by Santa Clara County Agricultural staff in early December 2001. Results of this testing should be available by the end of January 2002. Given the regional distribution, it is expected that SOD will impact trees and shrubs present in the Stanford SCAs. The remaining questions are: when SOD will be reported from campus, how big a problem it will be at Stanford, how long will the SOD epidemic last, will there be any effective treatments. The answers to these questions will profoundly impact the way future resource conservation is conducted in the SCAs and elsewhere at Stanford. If, for example, SOD becomes a major problem and Stanford loses a high percentage of susceptible plants, then in order to ensure that enough trees and shrubs are present to sustain at least some of the native vertebrates, the policy of using only local stock for revegetation may have to be relaxed. While using non-local sources or even species not typically present in the Stanford SCAs is

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clearly not an ideal solution, this may be necessary if we are to maintain conditions required to support some of the vertebrate species that are the focus of species-specific conservation efforts.

Latest available information suggests that SOD may be spread by a number of means, including wind, water, and animals. This information strongly implies that no effective means of control is feasible. If it is found that quick removal of infected individuals is helpful in slowing the epidemic, then removal will be considered. A program to conduct such removal, however, will incorporate estimates of long-term efficacy of such actions and short-term impacts associated with the equipment required for removal.

Preservation of Local Genetic Stock. There is mounting evidence that substantial local genetic variation exists. Much of this variation is apparently linked to environmental conditions and is influenced by broad-scale, regional patterns of variation. It is thought that at least some of this variation enhances survival and reproduction under local conditions, and it certainly aids in the preservation of long-term evolutionary potential. It is therefore important to try to maintain local types and patterns of genetic variation. Conceptually, this is not a difficult goal to achieve as it can be accomplished by limiting plants being placed in the SCAs to individuals derived from local stock. Locally derived stock is, however, rarely available in the amounts required for conservation projects. It is therefore necessary to plan even small projects well in advance in order to secure the appropriate specimens. This early planning may include on-site collection of seeds or clippings, and subsequent growing out of specimens.

Tree and Shrub Removal and Trimming. Occasional removal of trees and shrubs will be a part of the long-term maintenance activities in the SCAs. Most of this removal will be associated with operation of the existing utilities, but other permitted activities may also result in loss of trees and shrubs. In general, tree and shrub removal should be kept to a minimum. If a tree or shrub is required to be removed from a specific location, moving the individual should be considered.

Significant trimming of woody vegetation within the SCAs occurs on a regular basis. Most of this trimming is associated with the golf course, agricultural lessees, road and utility maintenance. In general, this should be limited to the extent practicable. Stanford's restoration ecologists and Campus Biologist will review these guidelines with the university's Grounds Department staff, who will perform many of the vegetation management activities, to insure consistency of treatment.

Guidelines for Vegetation Management:

General Vegetation Management

• Experimental testing of treatments and management techniques are an integral component of long-term conservation planning and will continue.

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• Future reforestation efforts will continue to be conducted under the supervision of the Foothills Working Group through Stanford's Grounds Department.

• Future reforestation efforts may be expanded to include multiple species of oaks and other native trees and shrubs.

• Planting of native species of grasses, forbs, and shrubs likely will be increased, consistent with the Foothills Reclamation Program and riparian revegetation recommendations.

Livestock

• Stanford will review with its lessees the potential reduction of livestock in biologically sensitive areas.

• Stanford will encourage its lessees to exclude livestock from creek channels immediately.

• Stanford will encourage its lessees to eliminate livestock within 100 feet of the actual top of the creek banks within 5 years.

• Livestock may be used to control non-native vegetation in the grassland portions of the SCAs.

Non-native Species Control

• Stanford will perform limited physical removal of non-native plants within the SCAs.

• Stanford will consider chemical control of non-native plant species on a case-by-case basis.

• Stanford may consider biological control of non-native plant species on a case-by-case basis.

Sudden Oak Death

• Stanford will monitor trees and shrubs within the SCAs and in adjacent areas for SOD.

• County and State officials will be kept informed about the presence of SOD at Stanford.

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• If effective treatment methods are developed, they will be employed to the extent that topography, public safety concerns, and funding allow.

• If large numbers of trees are killed by SOD, use of non-susceptible species will be investigated and considered.

Preservation of Local Genetic Stock

For all vegetation planting activities, local sources of stock will be used if possible to in order to preserve local genetic variation. "Local" in this context means within the San Francisquito and Matadero Creeks watersheds.

• Stock from more distant portions of the San Francisco Peninsula or Santa Cruz Mountains will be considered only on a case-by-case basis.

• Plant material from more distant locations will not be introduced into the SCAs unless exceptional circumstances warrant doing so (as could happen if the SOD epidemic reaches Stanford).

Tree and Shrub Removal, and Trimming

• If any activities require removal of native trees or shrubs in the SCAs, Stanford will replace plant materials in proportion to those removed, e.g., one oak tree 20 inches in diameter would be replaced by two 10-inch trees, or 20 seedlings or acorns in protective tube sleeves.

• The location, size and species of replacement plantings will be determined by the Foothills Working Group in consultation with the Campus Conservation Biologist and the Campus Archaeologist.

• In some cases, restoration efforts may be enhanced by replacing plant materials in a location other than that from which plants were removed. In general, replacement plantings should take place within the same SCA.

• Tree and shrub removal and trimming activities will be designed to avoid disturbance to nesting birds and other native wildlife.

• Trimming of shrubs and trees will be kept to a minimum.

Management of Animal Resources

Conservation planning for the Special Conservation Areas will include measures designed to target both individual animal species and groups of species. While actions focusing on broad

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community-level efforts are preferred, and included in this program under the topic of general conservation of biological resources, there are a number of species specifically targeted for conservation activities. As of December 2001 three species, California tiger salamander, California red-legged frog, and steelhead, will receive special consideration under this program as their persistence and survival depends on larger regional efforts. Additional or different native species may be the subject of species-specific actions in the future. Control of non-native animal species is also included in this section.

California Tiger Salamander. Scientists haves studied the California tiger salamander at Stanford and its vicinity for more than 60 years. Early work focused on local distribution and factors associated with migrations. Recent work has been centered on conservation planning for the salamanders. This work, started in the early 1990s, has involved many Stanfordaffiliated workers and researchers, including undergraduates, two of whom conducted honors work on the local salamanders, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, research associates, and hired consultants and experts.

Much of the recent work was conducted to implement the "California Tiger Salamander Management Agreement." This agreement is between Stanford, Santa Clara County, California Department of Fish and Game, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and was signed in June 1998. One of its key elements was the designation of the CTS Management Zone, which forms the basis of the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area. Another important element of the CTS Management Agreement was the construction in the late 1990s of five small seasonal wetlands (ponds), located in an area that is now part of the Lower

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Foothills SCA. These ponds were classified as experimental and were expected to be modified as their performance was evaluated. The goal of these wetlands is to provide supplemental breeding locations for California tiger salamanders - hopefully reducing the reliance of the local population on Lagunita and extending their effective range farther into the foothills. By 2001, Stanford determined that two of the ponds were essentially non-functional and a third lost capacity during the floods of 1998. The two remaining ponds worked as designed, but were considered too small to contribute significantly to the persistence of the local California tiger salamander population. The constructed wetlands, however, supported large numbers of Pacific tree frogs and western toads, an array of invertebrates, and were used by a wide variety of mammal and bird species.

Pre-construction site evaluation, construction monitoring and improved land management practices to protect the California tiger salamander are also mandated by the CTS Management Agreement. These requirements were followed in the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area during construction of Foothills Reservoir 2 in 2000 and the Junipero Serra Boulevard Foothills Storm Drain in 2001 project. These efforts were designed to minimize adverse impacts to the California tiger salamander during construction activities and to promote recovery of the construction areas upon project completion.

Non-native tiger salamanders have been found on occasion at Stanford - during the last decade intensive annual fieldwork has turned up three individuals that were clearly not California tiger salamanders (out of more than 1000 observations of adult and juvenile tiger salamanders). At the present time non-native tiger salamanders are not considered a huge threat to the local salamander population, but as virtually every pet store in the vicinity regularly carries a number of non-native tiger salamanders, they remain a concern. Preliminary work from researchers at U.C. Davis indicate that the tiger salamanders at Stanford are native salamanders, of distinct genetic stock, and have not been compromised by introgression with non-native species.

California Red-legged Frog. California red-legged frogs have been monitored annually on Stanford lands since 1997. These surveys have documented a frog population centered in but not limited to the Matadero/Deer Creeks SCA, and one along San Francisquito Creek, mainly upstream from the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks SCA. California red-legged frogs are also known from areas along Los Trancos Creek well upstream from Stanford lands.

Persistence of red-legged frogs at Stanford will benefit from protection of riparian habitat, careful management of upland habitat to avoid disruption of dispersal routes, control of predation by non-native species, maintenance of deeper pools in stream channels, and limiting human and Ii vestock access to the creeks"

Steelhead. Steelhead are relatively abundant throughout the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks SCA. They were monitored annually from 1997 to 2000. During 2001, permitting issues prevented intensive monitoring, but the area was visually surveyed for steelhead, and

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major changes in densities were not noted. Additionally during summer 2001, a field crew from the National Marine Fisheries Service and Stanford sampled part of Los Trancos Creek. During this visit, steelhead were found to be abundant and fin clips were taken for genetic analyses.

Persistence of the San Francisquito/Los Trancos steelhead population will benefit from control of invasive non-native species, monitoring of water quality and water levels in the creeks and a continued prohibition on fishing. As of December 2001, shade-providing vegetation was sufficient to allow for an acceptable range of water temperature.

Control of Non-native Species. Much of Stanford's recent conservation-related field-work has been focused on control of invasive non-native species. Problematic non-native species, include green sunfish, largemouth bass, bullfrog, Louisiana red swamp and signal crayfish, and mitten crab. These non-native species present a significant risk to native species, including California red-legged frog and possibly steelhead. Recent control efforts for these pest species have occurred on an annual basis and observations indicate that these have been partially effective. While not considered a significant problem in the Special Conservation Areas in 2001, feral pigs, red fox, feral cats, and turkeys have been found in the vicinity and could pose a problem in the future.

Guidelines for Management of Animal Resources:

California Tiger Salamander

• Pursuant to the 2000 GUP Conditions of Approval, new wetlands or modifications of existing wetlands will be designed to facilitate California tiger salamander reproduction and will be constructed in the Lower Foothills SCA.

• In order to further long-term conservation goals, creation of wetlands appropriate for tiger salamander reproduction will be investigated in the other three SCAs.

• New wetlands will be designed in consultation with the appropriate public agencies (such as U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Game, Regional Water Quality Control Board, and Santa Clara County), and will receive all appropriate permits prior to construction.

• In order to take advantage of varying weather conditions and species requirements new wetlands should not be identical in terms of morphology and predicted hydrologic characteristics. If ponds are found to detrimental to conservation goals, they will be fixed or eliminated. Maintenance of ponds will occur as needed.

Constructed wetlands will be monitored annually for physical and biological success (physical success parameters will include how long they retain water, water quality,

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and level of sedimentation; biological success parameters will include vegetation, aquatic invertebrates, and use by native amphibian species).

• Methods that reduce of the amount of plant material in areas adjacent to the experimental ponds will be investigated. Grazing in particular will be considered in areas adjacent to the created wetlands as thick vegetation may be a barrier to salamander dispersal.

• Annual rainy season monitoring of adult and juvenile salamanders will occur.

• Structures and management practices that encourage ground squirrels will be considered.

• In areas where it traverses the Lower Foothills SCA, wooden fences will be erected on both sides of the University paved access road.

• Translocation of California tiger salamander within the SCAs will be considered as part of overall conservation planning activities.

California Red-legged Frog

• Annual monitoring of red-legged frogs, general habitat condition, and potential problem species will continue.

• Creation of side pools or other off-channel wetlands that might be of benefit to redlegged frogs will be investigated.

• Stanford will evaluate sediment removal to create deeper pools.

• Stanford will evaluate placement of tree "snags" and vegetation planting along creeks banks will be considered.

Steelhead

• In order to prevent loss of steelhead, no fishing will be allowed from Stanford lands.

• The Campus Biologist will evaluate the feasibility of removing known barriers to steelhead migration.

• If water quality monitoring data indicate problem areas, the Foothills Working Group will coordinate investigation of the source and, if it originates on Stanford lands, will monitor implementation of measures to eliminate the problem.

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• Steelhead require cool water and vegetation cover for successful reproduction; Stanford and its tenants will maintain riparian canopy to shade streams.

• Stanford will support research on creek dynamics and steel head survival.

Non-native Animals

• Limited physical removal of non-native animal species will continue to occur within the Special Conservation Areas as needed.

• Turkeys, wild pigs and red foxes are not native to this part of California and control of their local populations may be considered.

• To protect nesting birds, small mammals, and amphibians, no feral/homeless cat feeding stations may be located in or within 250 meters of SCA.

Watershed Management

Stanford lands include portions of two watersheds: Matadero Creek Watershed and San Francisquito Creek Watershed. Successful management of water quality and riparian and wetland habitats requires the broad perspective of the larger watershed system. Stanford's management of the SCAs will contribute to improvements in these watersheds, however, regional efforts will be required to make these programs successful over the long term. Major management issues include regional cooperation, erosion control and flood control.

Regional Efforts for Watershed Protection. Riparian zones are jointly managed by landowners and public and private agencies. In the Stanford area, involved parties include the Counties of Santa Clara and San Mateo; Cities of Palo Alto and Menlo Park; Towns of Woodside, Los Altos Hills, and Portola Valley; Santa Clara Valley Water District; Regional Water Quality Control Board; California Department of Water Resources; California Department of Fish and Game; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; National Marine Fisheries Service; Joint Powers Authority for San Francisquito Creek; and the Watershed Council (for San Francisquito Creek).

Erosion Control. Two semi-automated water quality and sediment monitoring devices were recently installed in the San Francisquito watershed: (1) on Los Trancos (at Piers Lane), adjacent to the Special Conservation Area, and (2) on San Francisquito Creek (at Piers Lane), just upstream of the Special Conservation Area. These are operated by Stanford for the San Francisquito Creek Watershed Council. Water quality information and site inspections in the riparian area will be used to determine areas where erosion needs to be controlled.

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All recent construction projects in the Special Conservation Areas have been completed using standard erosion control measures3

. Repaving of the main access road in Summer 2000 was designed to reduce soil disturbance and corrected several minor erosion problems. Also in Summer 2000, Stanford disced and stabilized more than 10 miles of unauthorized trails located in the Stanford foothills. Several of these erosion-prone trails were located in the Lower Foothills and Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Areas. As of December 2001, there were no significant areas of erosion identified in the Special Conservation Areas.

The I-280 Seismic/Slope Stability Special Conservation Area was identified by the USGS as being "unstable" due to a combination soil type and slope. There have not been any recent landslides in the area and there do not appear to be any current erosion problems.

A minor amount of overgrazing can contribute to soil disturbance in the agricultural leaseholds in the Matadero/Deer Creeks SCA and Los Trancos/San Francisquito SCA. Agricultural Best Management practices for those areas have been implemented since 1999. The on-going potential for erosion due to equestrian activities and cattle grazing is unknown. Water quality monitoring in the creek systems, continued inspections of tenant activities in the riparian zone, and revised Best Management Practices will be used to address problems on a case-by-case basis.

Flood Control. The Santa Clara Valley Water District performs flood control and maintenance activities along Deer and Matadero creeks, with easements for maintenance access on Stanford lands. Nearly all of these activities take place north of Foothill Expressway because it is the lower portion of the Matadero watershed near the outlet at San Francisco Bay that is considered to be at risk of flooding. Flood control structures have been installed north of Junipero Serra Boulevard, and the Santa Clara Valley Water District has studied flood control structures for areas now included in the Special Conservation Area. There is a U.S.G.S. gaging station located on Matadero Creek, downstream from the Special Conservation Area (gage number 1116600). Real-time and historic hydrologic data for this station are available from the U.S.G.S. The Santa Clara Valley Water District (SCVWD) also maintains a database including Matadero Creek.

While the Santa Clara Valley Water District has easements for maintenance and flood control access on Stanford lands north of the Sand Hill Road bridge over San Francisquito (within the City of Palo Alto), there are no agreements in place for the upstream reaches of the creeks in the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area. There is a U.S.G.S. gaging station located on San Francisquito Creek, in the Special Conservation Area (gage number 11164500). Real-time and historic hydrologic data for this station are available from the U.S.G.S. The Santa Clara Valley Water District also maintains a database including San Francisquito Creek.

3 Erosion and Sediment Control Field Manual, Regional Water Quality Control Board, San Francisco Bay Region.

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Flood control efforts can be in conflict with conservation goals along the creeks. For example, construction of off-channel diversions and detention basins might disturb existing habitat or destroy sensitive archaeological sites. Flood control efforts must therefore be carefully designed to respect important environmental and cultural resources.

Guidelines for Watershed Management

Regional Watershed Protection:

• Stanford will continue to participate in regional watershed planning efforts.

Erosion Control:

• In keeping with the goal of maintaining and monitoring water quality, Stanford and its tenants will eliminate sources of erosion to the extent feasible.

Consistent with rural roads standards, Stanford will evaluate resurfacing roads to reduce runoff.

• To further reduce risks to water quality from streambank collapse, Stanford will avoid removal of barrier vegetation along stream channels and banks.

• In addition, County personnel should monitor Old Page Mill Road, which is a County facility, in the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area for potential erosion problems and illegal dumping.

Flood Control:

• Future creekbank stabilization efforts should employ non-invasive technique. New artificial structures and di versions should be avoided.

• Woody debris should be left in place if possible. If removal is necessary, the Campus Biologist will be consulted prior to action.

Agencies and private parties conducting creekbank stabilization on or adjacent to Stanford lands in the SCAs should communicate their plans and coordinate project design and scheduling to minimize impacts to sensitive resources in the creeks.

Cultural Resources Management

Archaeological sites are non-renewable resources and once disturbed, these resources cannot be restored. Archeological sites have value to the University as resources for research and teaching, to the public as part of our common heritage, and to the Native American community

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who views these sites as sacred. Stanford lands contain a number of recorded archaeological sites and the University has a permanent staff position for a Campus Archaeologist whose role is to maintain maps and records documenting the sites, facilitate appropriate teaching and research access, and recommend measures to protect these resources from harm.

Construction projects are not the only threat to archaeological sites. Habitat restoration efforts may also have inadvertent negative effects on archaeological site preservation. There are three kinds of potential impacts:

• Direct construction impacts from grading, compacting, trenching or excavations for planting trees, installing fence posts or other structures, or demolition of existing roads and foundations;

• Long-term underground impacts from roots of trees or shrubs planted in revegetation efforts; and

• Contamination of prehistoric plant materials with reintroduced native plant materials.

Guidelines for Cultural Resource Protection:

• Wherever possible, ground-disturbing activities should be designed to avoid impacting archaeological resources.

• Any ground-disturbing activity in the riparian areas of the SCAs will be monitored by a qualified archaeologist, consistent with the General Use Permit conditions.

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• Restoration efforts should balance the need to protect resources by creating physical barriers (e.g., fences, dense plantings) to human access with the objective to allow temporary access by archaeological researchers to study sites.

• Restoration efforts in the riparian Special Conservation Areas must be carefully designed and reviewed by a qualified Stanford archaeologist to ensure that restoration objectives are balanced with the requirements to protect the integrity and research value of archaeological resources.

5.2 Management of Existing Uses

Stanford's highest priority is to maintain access to the SCAs for academic activities and those facilities necessary to University operations. While it is a long-term objective to relocate unnecessary structures and uses from the riparian SCAs, this will be a gradual process and some structures and uses, particularly infrastructure corridors, will be maintained throughout the program period. The water system for example is an essential element of the regional water supply and delivery system serving a number of local communities. It will need to be maintained and improved as necessary. Historically, the agricultural leaseholds have played a critical land management role in these areas and the County General Plan policies strongly support preservation of agricultural land uses. Accordingly, this program provides operational guidelines for agricultural uses in order to further conservation objectives. The program furthers conservation goals by requiring that both construction and research projects minimize adverse effects by restoring disturbed areas.

Academic Activities

Academic research, teaching and field studies in the Special Conservation Areas are central to the mission of the University, and necessary for up-to-date knowledge of resources to be maintained. The majority of these activities occur for short periods of time and involve no alterations to the environment.

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Stanford currently has research review procedures in place at the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve and will immediately implement similar guidelines for the SCAs. Stanford's Dean of Research will have overall responsi bi Ii ty for academic research activities in the Special Conservation Areas. However, the Deans of the Schools (e.g. Earth Sciences, Humanities and Sciences, Engineering) will review research projects sponsored by an academic department of the University. At the department and school level, rigorous scientific standards will be applied and steps taken to insure that any necessary restoration efforts are completed. A proposed research project will secure departmental and school approval and then apply to the Foothills Working Group for access to a research site.

The Foothills Working Group will recommend sites for research projects, monitor restoration efforts and will advise the Dean of Research of any potential problem or use conflicts. Teaching access is allowed; however, if the teaching activity includes the collection of specimens or artifacts, the research guidelines and review process is also required. Projects in the fine arts may be allowed if appropriately sited and managed, however, no permanent art installations are allowed.

Guidelines for Academic Activities:

• Fundamental principles of academic freedom will be respected and the subject matter of research, teaching or artistic expression will not be limited or controlled.

• Academic projects will be responsible for avoiding or minimizing impacts and restoring disturbed areas.

• A summary of research projects will be included in the 5 year report and update of the conservation program guidelines. The Foothills Working Group will maintain up-todate documentation of research and teaching activities.

• Every effort will be made to facilitate timely review of research proposals and to assist researchers with site selection and restoration.

Stanford Golf Course

The Golf Course has been in its present location for nearly 80 years. Extensive on-going management of this feature is required, including use of fertilizers, biocides, irrigation, and vegetation trimming in the Lower Foothills and Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Areas. Over the long term, the Golf Course should incorporate changes warranted by conservation goals.

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Guidelines for the Golf Course:

• To address conservation issues on the Golf Course, operations within the Lower Foothills and Los Trancos/San Francisquito SCAs will be reviewed by the Campus Biologist and the Campus Archaeologist so that minimal disruption of sensitive areas occurs, disturbed areas are fully restored, and appropriate methods are used to control erosion and other impacts to water quality.

• All non-fairway and green Golf Course operations within the SCA are also subject to the vegetation management guidelines and plant replacement guidelines described above.

• As shading of the streambed is important for salmonid populations, trimming of vegetation in the riparian area will be minimized and reviewed by the Campus Biologist prior to implementation.

• No expansion of the modified landscape within the Special Conservation Area should occur, and the addition of non-native ornamental plantings (other than maintenance of the existing turf areas) within the SCA will not be permitted. The addition of native plants along the riparian zone will be strongly encouraged, subject to the restrictions on plant source materials described above.

• While golf course access across the creek will need to be maintained, the low water crossing through the creek will be eliminated when and if possible. The pedestrian/cart bridges may be improved if functional or public safety concerns arise, with the review of the Foothills Working Group so that impacts are minimized and disturbed areas are fully restored.

Water Reservoirs

Water storage reservoirs, associated buildings, and parking areas that are located within the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area will need to be operated and maintained to facilitate water supply.

Guidelines for Water Reservoirs:

• Modification of structures within the existing reservoir site areas will occur over time, but will be limited to the existing footprint of the complex to the extent feasible. Prior to conducting construction activities, plans will be submitted to the Foothills Working Group for review and Stanford will obtain any applicable permits from the County.

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Additional reservoir facilities and associated utility lines may be considered if compelled by public safety or health needs. Stanford will seek appropriate permits from the County prior to constructing additional reservoir facilities.

Water Diversions

Both Stanford-operated water diversions located in the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area were modified in response to environmental and functional concerns during the 1990s. The resulting structures and operating procedures are much improved over previous structures and operating procedures.

Guidelines for Water Diversions:

• Water diversions will continue to be operated, maintained and modified as needed according to agreements between Stanford and the State and Federal agencies having jurisdiction over water withdrawals.

Existing Utilitv Lines

Utility lines will be serviced and maintained as needed.

Guidelines for Existing Utility Lines:

• For underground utilities, maintenance activities will be limited to the 15-foot-wide (small lines) or the 30-foot-wide (Foothills Storm Drain and major water supply) access corridors to the extent feasible based on site constraints and conditions. Replacement of existing utility lines may result in temporary disruption of wider areas during construction.

• Maintenance work for utility lines may involve the use of heavy equipment where necessary in order to clear vegetation and expose the lines.

• After service, utility lines are to reburied as soon as possible, and the original topsoil spread across the construction site, following recommended guidelines prepared by the Foothills Reclamation Project. Seeding with native plant species and installation of erosion control devices should be used as necessary. Replacement of shrubs and trees will be conducted in accordance with the Vegetation Management guidelines on pages 38 - 40.

• Maintenance of above ground structures will be conducted as needed, but limited to areas near existing structures to the extent feasible based on site constraints and conditions.

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Undergrounding of existing utility lines may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

New Utilitv Lines

Given that major \Vater supply facilities and power supply routes exist within the Special Conservation Areas, the University may need to construct additional infrastructure facilities and utility lines within the SCAs in the future, to fully utilize these facilities. Additional improvements would include seismic protections, communications and controls, and pipelines. These improvements would be implemented for the purpose of supporting the campus population by fully utilizing the existing facilities and utilities.

Guidelines for New Utility Lines:

• In the future, should Stanford need to construct additional underground supply lines or connections to existing utilities or reservoirs, these will be sited to the greatest extent feasible in existing utility corridors or existing road alignments, to avoid disruption to sensitive environmental resources. Any new construction of utility lines in the SCAs would be subject to County review and approval.

• Restoration after project completion will be done in accordance with current recommendations of Foothills Working Group.

Paved Private Roads

The paved private roads need to be maintained in order to provide safe, all-season access to existing facilities.

Guidelines for Paved Private Roads:

Re-paving and repair of existing paved private roads will be conducted as needed. Maintenance activities on existing paved private roads will remain within the existing road footprint and will be performed consistent with industry standards for conservation of resources. 4

• Expansion of the paved private roads within the Special Conservation Areas will be considered if compelled by over-riding safety or functional concerns (such as to provide all-weather access to academic facilities). Stanford will seek appropriate permits from the County prior to expanding paved private roads in the SCAs. Paved trails dedicated to the County are not governed by these guidelines.

4 Handbook for Forest and Ranch Roads, prepared for the Mendocino County Resource Conservation District in cooperation with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the U.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service. 1994.

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• Vehicular access on paved private roads will be restricted to authorized personnel. No long-term increase in traffic is expected through the Special Conservation Areas.

• The 10 mph speed lirni t on private roads in the SCAs will remain in effect.

• No streetlights or curbs wi 11 be constructed on access roads in the Special Conservation Areas.

• The private roads will be monitored periodically by Stanford Facilities Operations for structurally integrity, erosion, and potential as a barrier for wildlife dispersal.

Paved private road realignment may be considered for conservation, access to academic facilities or public safety purposes subject to County approval.

Existing Unpaved Service Roads

Some unpaved service roads located within the Special Conservation Areas will need to be maintained in order to provide safe access to existing facilities and to decrease sediment erosion.

Guidelines for Unpaved Service Roads:

While road surfaces should be treated to reduce sediment erosion, the addition of artificial materials, such as road grindings, will not be used in the SCAs.

• Re-surfacing with gravel or compacted dirt will be the preferred repair treatment. Any other materials must be approved by the Campus Biologist and Campus Archaeologist prior to use.

•

•

•

•

•

If expansion of the unpaved service roads within the Special Conservation Areas is necessary for functional reasons, Stanford will seek appropriate permits from the County prior to expanding unpaved service roads in the SCAs

Access on service roads will be restricted to authorized personnel. No long-term increase in traffic is expected through the Special Conservation Areas.

The 5 mph speed limit on unpaved service roads will remain in effect.

No streetlights or curbs will be constructed on unpaved service roads in the Special Conservation Areas.

The service roads will be monitored periodically by Stanford Facilities Operations for structural integrity, erosion, and potential as a barrier for wildlife dispersal.

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• Road realignment may be considered for conservation or public safety purposes subject to County approval.

New Unpaved Service Roads

Every effort should be made to relocate roads from the SCAs, however, some new service roads will be required to support public safety, academic and conservation activities, existing infrastructure such as water and radio facilities, and to reach lands beyond the limits of the SCAs.

Guidelines for New Unpaved Service Roads:

• Changes to road alignments and new unpaved service roads will be reviewed by the Foothills Working Group and designed to meet appropriate conservation standards. Stanford will seek appropriate permits from the county prior to constructing any new unpaved service roads in the SCAs.

Private Bridges

While bridges are necessary to access facilities along the creeks in the SCAs (and preferable to at-grade crossings), construction of bridges can create impacts to riparian resources and bridges may also provide entry points for unauthorized visitors and poachers.

Guidelines for Private Bridges:

• Existing bridges will be maintained as necessary; however, if a bridge becomes structurally unsound and must be replaced, the replacement bridge will be at maximum the same width and in the same location, unless public safety requires an increase.

• If an existing bridge is removed, the area will be restored following the vegetation management guidelines described above.

• Vehicular traffic on the private bridges will be restricted to University personnel and tenant operations.

• If a new bridge is needed to serve a permitted use, Stanford will seek appropriate permits from the County and will design the new bridge to minimize effects to riparian resources.

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Fences

All existing fences will need routine maintenance.

Guidelines for Fences:

• Routine maintenance of existing fences will be conducted with prior notification of the Foothills Working Group.

• New fences may be constructed as needed to further conservation or public safety objectives. New fences may include fences along the main access road to clearly denote public access areas, temporary or permanent livestock fences, and security fences around academic facilities.

Recreational Access

Recreational activities may be acceptable in the SCAs if carefully sited and controlled. As stated in Condition K.7 of the 2000 GUP, "Recreational use may be allowed if it is consistent with the particular environmental constraints of the area. Access for recreational use may be restricted." These guidelines apply to privately maintained recreational routes that traverse the SCAs. As a separate matter, Stanford is to provide two trail alignments to be dedicated to the County. The specific conditions and guidelines for those trails will be the subject of a separate agreement with the County and may diverge from the guidelines here.

Guidelines for Recreational Access:

• If recreational activities are determined to be detrimental to conservation or academic objectives, then recreational access to the Special Conservation Areas will be restricted or eliminated.

• Many of the existing limitations (daylight use, public access limited to main access route, and no dogs) will remain in effect. If deemed appropriate by Stanford, bicycle use of the paved roads may be considered.

• Recreational bicycle use of unpaved areas is prohibited.

• Unauthorized trails will be reclaimed when found and unauthorized access to the creek channels will not be allowed in any of the SCAs.

• Recreational use areas will continue to be patrolled regularly by Stanford Public Safety personnel.

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• Given the large number of annual visitors already present along Old Page Mill Road, Stanford may erect new fencing along the south edge of the road consistent with the fencing installed on the north side in 2000. Use of Old Page Mill Road for parking should be prohibited by the County.

• No lights or vegetation trimming associated with privately controlled recreation routes in the SCAs.

• No hunting or fishing is allowed on Stanford property (other than data collection by authorized researchers).

Tenant Management Practices

Stanford created a practical guide (Best Management Practices - BMPs) for its agricultural tenants to use for the management of animal waste, compost and sediment. Because each tenant's use is different, each tenant tailored these recommended practices as appropriate for their operations. Tenants are inspected on a semi-annual basis for compliance with their BMPs. Stanford's recommended BMPs and the individual tenants' BMPs were submitted to the State Regional Water Quality Control Board for review.

Guidelines for Tenant Best Management Practices:

• In the future, agricultural lease provisions will be updated when feasible5 to include the following provisions:

Best Management Practices for the Stanford leases within the Special Conservation Areas will be updated every 2 years. Leaseholds will be monitored semi-annually by tenant managers and problems noted. Leaseholders will be required to address identified problems within a reasonable period of time. When the opportunity arises, structures should be moved out of the Special Conservation Areas onto adjacent lands (within the Open Space and Field Research areas, as allowed under the Community Plan), or as far as possible from the creeks.

Private Residences

Four single-family homes exist in the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area, under lease to private tenants. These homes will remain in the SCAs consistent with the following guidelines.

5 The legal terms of these leases will be updated upon renewal or renegotiation.

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Guidelines for Private Residences:

• Existing private residences will be maintained and repaired as needed. If impacts to water quality are detected from residential uses, residents will be required to follow Best Management Practices for riparian areas.

• Stanford will revise its residential leases when feasible to limit the number of nonfunctioning vehicles within the SCAs.

5.3 Public Safety

There are two dimensions to management for public safety in the SCAs: 1) providing for facilities and activities that promote public safety, such as emergency water supplies and water lines for fire suppression and 2) protecting persons and property within the SCA from crime. These goals may require construction of improvements, prevent the relocation of facilities outside the SCAs, or limit access to portions of the SCAs.

Fire Control

A firebreak is located along the perimeter of part of the Lower Foothills Special Conservation Area. It runs along the Junipero Serra Boulevard fence from the Academic Growth Boundary to the faculty residences, and from Junipero Serra Boulevard to the golf course (through the Carnegie leasehold, adjacent to a non-operational antenna installation and along the Center for Advanced Studies in the Behavioral Science leasehold). Another firebreak is located along part of the perimeter of the Matadero/Deer Creeks Special Conservation Area, along Old Page Mill Road fence from the Academic Growth Boundary to the non-Stanford residences, and along Foothill Boulevard, Deer Creek Road, and Coyote Hill Road. A number of firebreaks are located along the perimeter in the Los Trancos/San Francisquito Creeks Special Conservation Area. There is a also a disced firebreak along I-280, partially in the I-280 Seismic/Slope Stability Special Conservation Area. These approximately 14-foot-wide firebreaks have been disced annually.

General Public Safety Guidelines:

• Privately controlled recreational access routes will be designed to minimize public access to SCAs.

• Private road access to the SCAs for public safety officers will be maintained.

• In an emergency, public safety officers may enter the SCAs and take actions to secure persons and property consistent with professional practice whether or not conservation efforts are adversely affected.

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DRAFT FOR REVIEW BY SANTA CIARA COUNTY STAFF

Facilities and improvements necessary for public safety may be constructed in the SCAs, subject to appropriate permits from the County.

• Areas impacted by public safety activities or facilities will be restored following vegetation management guidelines in this conservation program.

Guidelines for Fire Control:

Where possible, firebreaks required by the Fire Marshall in the Special Conservation Areas will be 10- to 14-foot-wide mown strips. New firebreaks may be constructed within the Special Conservation Area as mandated by public safety concerns, after review by the Foothills Working Group. Adjacent to existing structures, limited use of herbicides to control vegetation for fire control purposes will be considered on a caseby-case basis.

In the event of an unplanned fire in the Special Conservation Area, emergency personnel may use whatever methods are considered necessary to control and extinguish the fire, and protect human life and property.

• Restoration efforts following a fire would be under the supervision of Stanford's Foothill Reclamation Program.

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Figure 4-1. Existing uses in Special Conservation Areas {SCAs) B

Felt Lake

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Lagunita

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·I I

I AGRIQJLTUAAL

[Leasehotcl\ . II "

Paved Private Road I Recreational Route

• • • • Unpaved Service Road

• · ·- · Stream I Creek

O Electric Structure

Utility Line (Gas/Sewer/Storm/Water)

Q Special Conservation Area

- Structure I Residence

N

A 500 0 500 1000 1500 Feet

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D

Figure 4-1. Existing uses in Special Conservation Areas (SCAs) DRAFT

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special conservation management plan

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