8/3/2019 Wildlake and Duff Ranches - Interim Management Plan

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Project OwnershipInterim Management Plan

Wildlake and Duff Ranches,

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park,and Surrounding Lands

May 2011

Contact us at:

Land Trust of Napa County

1700 Soscol Avenue, Suite 20

Napa, CA 94559

707.252.3270

info@napalandtrust.org

35 Years

Printed on paper that is 100% recycled / 100% post-consumer waste and FSC-certifed.

8/3/2019 Wildlake and Duff Ranches - Interim Management Plan

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VisionRobert Louis Stevenson State Park, the Wil dlake and

Duff Ranches, and adjoining state-owned lands remain

largely wild and unaltered by human intervention.

Exceptional recreational, educational and interpretive

opportunities highlight the lands ecological diversity

and provide the potential for unforgettable visitor

experiences. Recreational enhancements and

land stewardship projects are planned only after

careful assessment and with a primary emphasis on

preservation of the lands conservation values.

The LandsThe Wildlake and Duff Ranches (Wildlake-Duff)

comprise 4,030 acres of high quality, high-biodiversity

wildlife habitat at the northern end of the Napa Valley,

in the heart of the Howell Mountains. In a region that

has experienced intense and growing development

and agricultural pressures, these two properties are in

unusually pristine condition due to their former private

ownership and their limited use. Numerous other public

and protected lands surround Wildlake-Duff, including

the 5,273-acre Robert Louis Stevenson State Park,

bringing the entire assemblage to over 12,000 acres.

Wildlake-Duff and Robert Louis Stevenson State Parkcommand outstanding ecological values. Varying

topography and elevation, riparian areas and seasonal

wetlands, mixed soil types and varied geology create

an area of high biodiver sity. Hundreds of native plant

species, including several found only in Napa County,

occur throughout the lands. Vast habitat values

support a diverse array of native wildlife, including

black bear, bobcat and numerous bird species,

while the regions watershed supports sheries such

as steelhead and Chinook salmon. In addition, the

properties present valuable opportunities for public

recreation in Napa County, a part of the Bay Area

with few public recreation areas. Hiking, bicycling,

nature viewing, wildlife study and angling are among

the activities that could occur on a landscape scale,

enhancing public access opportunities in the region.

IMP ProcessThe Land Trust of Napa County, with funding provided

by the California State Coastal Conservancy, has created

an Interim Management Plan (IMP) for Wildlake-Duff and

surrounding lands. The IMP focuses on recommendations

for future management of the outstanding natural, cultural

and recreational resources found on Wildlake-Duff and

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park. The IMP recognizes

the different ownerships and management imperatives of

these landholdings, while still considering them holistically

for the purpose of future management.

The IMP included extensive data collection, mapping

and targeted public outreach, which facilitated the

identication of management opportunities and

constraints. After consideration of a range of management

scenarios, the IMP ultimately recommended a Preferred

Management Scenario with a comprehensive set of

actions that balance the protection of sensitive resources

while expanding opportunities for public access where

possible.

The entire IMP is available on the Land Trusts website:

http://napalandtrust.org

Future ManagemeThe IMPs Preferred Management Scenario

a full range of options for the future manage

Wildlake-Duff and Robert Louis Stevenson

over the longterm. The Preferred Managem

distinguishes between the management of

and Robert Louis Stevenson State Park in o

greater detail on site-specic actions and to

the different jurisdictions of landowners.

Management recommendations for Wildlak

recognize the lands incredible biodiversity actions that will preserve sensitive resource

allowing for focused access, so that the pu

these lands. Wild Lake is the focus of visitor

opportunities for recreation in and around t

as camping, kayaking and environmental ed

Leaving some select ranch roads open wou

to access other areas of Wildlake-Duff. Mon

adapting visitor use to prevent resource deg

controlling invasive species are among the

recommendations for natural resources.

The Preferred Management Scenario seeks

current visitor use opportunities at Robert L

State Park through creating additional trails

points of access. Resource management ac

state park focus on rehabilitating known hisand restoring areas degraded by visitor use

Stevenson Monument and Table Rock trails

Because Wildlake-Duff and Robert Louis St

Park remain very much linked, a number of

actions, such as analyzing the risk of re an

trails assessment, apply to both. Additional

actions, such as conducting research in Sw

or creating access to the state park from th

strengthen connections to other adjacent la

Next StepsThe Land Trust of Napa County is committed to ensuring that the IMP serve as a useful tool for furthering the

protection, stewardship and public enjoyment of Wildlake-Duff and Robert Louis Stevenson State Park for dcome. Toward that end, the Land Trust will assess strategies for ef fective implementation of the Preferred Ma

Scenario, including partnering with community groups and other stakeholders, securing additional funding s

expanding its capacity for stewardship. The continued involvement of current and future users of Wildlake-D

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, adjacent landowners, land management agencies and other stakeholde

critical to the implementation of the IMPs Preferre d Management Scenario. We invite you to join us, as we m

with plans to make this vision a realit y!