HomeMy WebLinkAboutNovember 10OSC Final_Minutes15-1110Specialdocx.docx 1
Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee
Westwind Community Barn Picnic Area
FINAL Minutes of Special Meeting November 10, 2015
Members Present: George Clifford, Nancy Couperus, Alice Sakamoto, Jean Struthers, Sue Welch,
Kit Gordon (Associate Member)
Members Absent: Sharen Schoendorf, Wendi Ward, Heather Knight (Associate Member)
City Council Members Absent: Gary Waldeck (OSC Council Liaison)
Member of Public Present: Lawrence Ford, PHD (Rangeland Conservation Sciences)
Pete Van Hoorne (Rangeland Conservation Sciences)
Kristen Williams (Acterra Project Director for Byrne Preserve)
Paul Heiple (Acterra Staff Botanist)
Deborah McCarley (4H Riding program
Torie Dye (Victoria Dye Equestrian)
1. Call to Order
A. Meeting was called to order at 9:10 am.
2. New Business
A. Conservation Grazing Management. Larry Ford (Rangeland Conservation Sciences) led a
group discussion covering management goals for the preserve, including native habitat
protection and enhancement, reduction of pest plants, reduction of fire hazard, and erosion
control. See Attachment A. The overarching goal is to maintain good ecosystem health for the
preserve grassland. The group also reviewed historical use of the site (e.g., hay production),
special resources (e.g., any listed species, fragile areas), existing plans (Acterra vegetation
management plans), planned restoration projects, and historical, current, and planned horse
grazing use of the site (e.g., feeding and care, number of horses and timing on pasture,
resources for technical guidance and monitoring).
3. Planning. Deferred.
4. Communications from the Floor. None
5. Open Discussion.
6. Adjournment. Meeting was adjourned at 11:20 am.
Next Regular Meeting: Thursday, November 12, 2015
9:00 AM at LAH Parks and Recreation Building
Attachment A: Outline for Larry Ford Site Visit
Final minutes approved without amendments at the OSC meeting of Jan 14, 2016.
L AWRENCE D. F ORD, P H D
LD Ford, Rangeland Conservation Science1
Certified Rangeland Manager, Certified Senior Ecologist2
5984 Plateau Drive, Felton, California 95018-9253, 831-335-3959,
fordld@sbcglobal.net http://www.rangelandconservation.com
October 17, 2015
To: Susan Welch, Los Altos Hills Open Space Committee (skwelch@earthlink.net)
Re: Plan for Field Visit November 10, 2015
Schedule:
9:00 am – meet at the Westwind Barn (27210 Altamont Rd)
9:00-11:00 am (If weather is fair we can use the picnic tables overlooking the grassland. If
rainy, we can meet in the lunch room inside the barn) – group discussion (including the
Barn Manager); Q&A, review maps and reports available, review key issues
11:00 am-4:00 pm — visit site with Sue Welch and Paul Heiple (Acterra); investigate key
resources and management problems (see topics below); break for lunch about noon (1/2
hour); LF might depart early, leaving PVH to continue investigation
4:30 pm — depart
Issues for Group Discussion:
Background Information
• Clarification of goals for management of the Preserve: native habitat protection and
enhancement, non-native invasive species reduction, fire hazard reduction, erosion
control, management (including horse grazing) to maintain good ecosystem health
• Existing plans—effectiveness; implementation?
• Problem areas (erosion, restoration projects, neighbor conflicts, excessively/under
grazed)? Special resources present that are vulnerable to or would benefit from grazing
(special status species and plant communities, pest plant infestations, fire risk sites,
erosion sites)
• Current horse use of the Preserve (feeding and care, numbers and timing on Preserve,
technical guidance, monitoring)
Rangeland Conservation Planning
• Linking goals to defined management objectives and monitor-able performance standards
1 Independent Consultant; and Research Associate, Environmental Studies Dept., Univ. of California, Santa Cruz.
2 Certified Rangeland Manager (License #M70, California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection, Certified by the Calif.-
Pacific Section, Society for Range Management); Certified Senior Ecologist, Ecological Society of America; Certified
Professional in Rangeland Management (#CP99-07) and Certified Range Management Consultant (#C05-02), Society
for Range Management; Technical Service Provider, U.S.D.A. Natural Resources Conservation Service (TSP-03-1600
for grazing/forages services).
• Using grazing as a conservation tool (based on published science)
• Pros and cons of different types of livestock; horse facility and grazing infrastructure;
accommodating and adapting horse grazing to maximize benefits and minimize negative
impacts; opportunities to add some cattle?
• Specialized management needs and strategies—special management areas, infrastructure
requirements, timing and distribution of grazing
• Site assessment including natural resource conditions and opportunities, livestock
operation requirements
• Monitoring and adaptive management
Topics for Subsequent Field Investigation (generalized):
• Rangeland Ecosystem Health—
o Existing plans and their implementation
o Average residual dry matter (RDM)
o Cover of bare ground
o Average thatch persistence
o Presence of aquatic macro-invertebrate indicators
o Cover of desirable and undesirable plants
o Infrastructure functionality
• Areas of—
o Special-status species habitat and natural communities (riparian and wetland
zones)
o Restoration projects (current and planned by Acterra)
o Soil erosion and high compaction risk
o Pest plant infestations
o High fire hazards and risks
o Any other areas needing special management
• Infrastructure condition and improvements required
• Improving the above, plus forage quality, recreational compatibility, and a sustainable
collaboration with the horse facility operations
References Needed:
• Any written assessments and plans for management of horse grazing and the Preserve's
resources (NRCS, UC Coop Extension, Acterra, other consultants)
• Updated maps of restoration project areas (current and planned)
• NRCS map of soils with high erodibility and compaction
Products:
• Advisory Memo (draft and final), to include our assessment of the topics noted above,
plus recommendations about management of apparent problems for improvement of
conditions, and supplementary analyses and planning needed
• Additional discussion and advice upon request