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Marin County Open Space District Administrative Draft Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan (VBMP)

by | Mar 2, 2014 | Current Conservation Efforts

Marin County Parks and Open Space District recently circulated a Draft Vegetation and Biodiversity Management Plan. The Marin Chapter commends the District for producing a balanced, science-based approach to comprehensively address several interrelated vegetation-related issues: protection of natural resources, control of invasive species, fire safety, climate change, and forest health. This is an important plan that would commit the County to take extensive action to halt and rollback threats to native plant habitats such as the spread of exotic invasive plants. In comments submitted in January 2014 concerning the scope of the future Tiered Program Environmental Impact Report (TPEIR), the Chapter identified issues the TPEIR should fully analyze including the threshold for management action; use of herbicides; number, purpose and placement of fuel breaks on Open Space Preserves; criteria for evaluating the outcome of fuel management projects; and the dynamics of the invasive plant infestation.

There will be an opportunity for additional public comment when the TPEIR is prepared.

Marin CNPS Comments on Scope of TPEIR on Proposed Vegetation Management and Biodiversity Plan

Marin County Parks and Open Space District Road and Trail Management Plan Draft Tiered Program Environmental Impact Report (DTPEIR)

by | Mar 1, 2014 | Current Conservation Efforts

In November 2013 the Chapter submitted comments on the Marin County Parks and Open Space District Road and Trail Management Plan Draft Tiered Program Environmental Impact Report (DTPEIR). The creation and use of roads and trails throughout Marin County parks and open space have a significant and often destructive impact on native vegetation, including is a corridor for the introduction of invasive species. The Chapter praised those aspects of the DTPEIR that would reduce impacts on native vegetation caused by the road and trail activities proposed by the Road and Trail Management Plan. However, the Chapter identified issues that the environmental impact report inadequately addressed: special-status species surveys; erosion control and revegetation; equestrian use; sudden oak death and mountain biking.

Further Comments on the DTPEIR for the Road and Trail Management Plan

Marin CNPS comments on DTPEIR for Road and Trail Management Plan