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December 2006
California Oak Report
COF Adopts New Blue Oak Standard
Due to their very slow growth and small size, for CEQA mitigation purposes COF recommends that diameter for Blue Oaks should be calculated at 2-feet (2') above ground level (D2'), not the diameter at breast height (dbh) 4.5-feet from the ground. Monterey County uses D2' for all oaks, as do cities such as Sutter Creek. Although individual Blue Oaks are capable of growing larger, many single and multiple stem old growth Blue Oak trees average 8-9" dbh. This fact is confirmed by the 2005 US Forest Service report that the average diameter for California Blue Oak trees 5 inches dbh or larger is 8.3 inches (Oak Woodlands and Other Hardwood Forests of California, 1990s, Waddell and Barrett).
The D2' standard most accurately accounts for the small size of Blue Oak and it also partially addresses the reality that Blue Oak regeneration is dangerously low, averaging less than one seedling (1 foot or more in height) per two (2) established trees. Compounding the natural regeneration problem, local tree ordinances fail to protect or mitigate critical advanced Blue Oak regeneration 1-5 inches dbh. The D2' standard provides some protection for larger Blue Oak saplings.
Another Oak Mystery
For over 30 years the planting of oaks as mitigation for the removal of oak woodland habitat has been the common practice under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). Yet, the recent Oaks 2040 survey and previous state/federal inventories have failed to locate these regenerating oak-mitigation woodlands. This forest mystery may be explained by: (1) the failed planting of mitigation oaks; (2) the planting of mitigation oaks never took place and no one was held accountable; or (3) monetary fees collected by local governments for planting mitigation oaks were instead expended for other purposes.
Just in case the California Oak Foundation is missing something, we ask that arborists, biologists, botanists, ecologists, registered professional foresters, planners and others who have participated in CEQA processes involving large-scale oak mitigation planting to contact COF regarding successful habitat reforestation programs during the past three decades.
2007 Conservation Focus
A concentrated effort will be made to facilitate the establishment of local CEQA oak woodland mitigation banks in Sierra foothill counties. These oak mitigation banks, which help off-set development impacts either through the planting of oaks off-site or purchase of off-site conservation easements on existing woodlands, are essential to maintaining Sierra oak woodlands health, Sierra wildlife diversity as well as the continued viability of the Sierra foothill ranching industry.
Local and regional conservationists concerned about the development of Sierra foothill oak woodlands should collaborate with organizations like the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, California Rangeland Conservation Coalition, California Rangeland Trust, local land trusts and others to establish county lists of rangeland owners interested in the benefits of oak woodland mitigation banking. Notably, CEQA oak woodland mitigation banks will readily merge with broader local or regional conservation planning and programs.
County Oak Mitigation Bank Example
Developer Jones is proposing a large scale project governed by CEQA. Jones concludes that it is infeasible to plant oaks on site as mitigation and he is looking for off site planting areas or land off site to purchase a conservation easement to meet project oak woodland mitigation requirements. The County has assembled a list of 10 local rangeland owners willing to make lands available for Jones to: (1) plant oaks to reestablish former oak woodlands or to restore stocking of existing oak woodlands; (2) acquire an off site conservation easement of existing oak woodlands; or (3) a blend of (1) and (2). If Jones is able to reach agreement with a landowner(s), the accord is then reviewed for CEQA sufficiency by the County. If approved by the County, a capable local or state conservation organization would hold the perpetual conservation easement placed on these mitigation oak woodland banks.
Sacramento Region Focus
Butte, Nevada, Placer, Tehama and Yuba Counties.
The Sacramento regions’ 16 counties include 33 percent of the state's blue oak woodland and one-third of California's remaining Valley oak woodlands. Conservative estimates are that almost 100,000 acres of oak woodlands in the Redding-Red Bluff area are at risk of development by 2040. In Nevada, Placer and Yuba Counties more than half of the oak woodlands may be developed in the next 35 years.
San Joaquin Region Focus
Amador, Calaveras, Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Tuolumne Counties.
More than half of San Joaquin oak woodlands are Blue oak, 25 percent are Interior live oak and nearly 250,000 acres of oak woodlands in the 15-county region are at risk of development by 2040. In Amador, Calaveras and Madera counties combined, more than one-third of all oak woodland may be developed in the next 35 years.
Announcements
The Yolo County Board of Supervisors are currently reviewing the draft Yolo County Oak Woodlands Conservation Plan. This excellent Parks and Natural Resources Management Division conservation plan was funded by a grant from the Wildlife Conservation Board and, when adopted, will qualify Yolo for future WBC funding from the Oak Woodlands Conservation Fund (AB 242, 2001) to purchase local woodlands.
The Yolo plan contains:
♦A description of oak woodlands resource values and an assessment of existing oak woodlands.
♦Anecdotal evidence regarding the historical extent of oak woodlands.
♦A description of factors affecting oak woodlands as well as a prioritization system for evaluating oak woodlands conservation and enhancement opportunities.
♦Recommendations for voluntary policies for the Yolo County General Plan and plan implementation.
♦An implementation strategy.
Merchandise (still time to order for Christmas giving)
Grandmother Oak, a young children’s story book by Rosi Dagit, a certified arborist, and illustrated by Gretta Allison. Grandmother Oak lives near Los Angeles in Topanga State Park. Thousands of school children meet her each year as part of the park education program. Proceeds from this book provide funding to plant Grandmother Oak’s acorns in Topanga State Park. Twenty-two pages soft back. $6.95 ($6.26 members) plus sales tax, shipping and handling.
New to Our Website
Acorns and Eat’em by Suellen Ocean, published on-line by California Oak Foundation. Includes complete acorn leaching instructions, nutritional information and 35 acorn recipes (illustrated) as well as interesting historical oak and acorn trivia. Free download in PDF format. 50-pages -- print in landscape orientation for most efficient use of page, and bon appetite.
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The
California
Oak Foundation
thanks subscribers to
The Oak Report for their
interest, input and support in
2006. We wish everyone a joyous
holiday season and a new year filled
with good oak regeneration, record acorn
crops, and intelligent ordinances and general
plans that
preserve oak
woodlands
and habitats.
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Fax: 510-208-4435 oakstaff@californiaoaks.org
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