Conservation Strategies for Agricultural Landscapes: The Yolo Natural Heritage Program NCCP/HCP Presented to the Seventh Annual Workshop on Habitat Conservation.

Conservation Strategies for Agricultural Landscapes:

The Yolo Natural Heritage Program NCCP/HCP

Presented to the Seventh Annual Workshop on Habitat Conservation Planning From Tahoe to the Bay

Daniel AirolaAirola Environmental Consulting/SAIC

November 18, 2009

Yolo Natural Heritage Program- Key Elements

County-wide HCP/NCCP 654,000 acres 50 year permit

Goals• Conserve natural heritage• Support viability of the agricultural economy• Promote smart, sensible economic growth• Protect natural areas and features• Preserve open space areas and enhance recreation

A Conservation Plan, not just a mitigation plan

Yolo NHP Covered Activities

Wide range of Covered Activities addressed Development under General Plans

only 3-5% of land area

Utilities, transportation, flood control, water supply, parks new facilities operations and maintenance

Agriculture ongoing activities limited conversion of natural habitats

Yolo County Agriculture

Engaging farmers is critical to the conservation strategy

The County’s primary economic activity

Cultivated agric = 360,000 ac 56% of total land area

Highly diverse mix of agricultural crops

Farmlands provide important habitat value 21 of 65 covered species

Value of Crops to Covered Wildlife

HCP Coverage Needs for Agriculture

•Incidental mortality and injury to species

•Habitat change

•Marketing benefit of conservation (“Certified”)

Yolo Agricultural Landscape is Dynamic

Shorter term changes Annual condition changes

- prepping, cultivating, growing, harvesting

Crop rotations among years Water availability

Potential longer term changes: Crop economics Water sales Development Climate change

Process for Incorporating Agricultural Species Conservation into the NHP

Describe agricultural habitats Describe species relationships to habitats Identify habitat goals for species Evaluate contributions to goals provided

by agriculture Integrate agricultural lands with natural

communities

Agricultural Crop Groups

Crop Type Acres Percent

FIELD CROPS 99,284 27%

GRAIN AND HAY CROP 74,139 20%

TRUCK & BERRY CROPS 64,370 18%

PASTURE 41,863 11%

RICE 30,411 8%

DECIDUOUS FRUITS AND NUTS 25,756 7%

IDLE 15,862 4%

VINEYARD 9,438 3%

SEMIAGRICULTURAL & INCIDENTAL TO AGRICULTURE 3,339 1%

CITRUS AND SUBTROPICAL 303 0%

Total Acres of Agriculture 364,765 100%

Total Acres in County 653,629

Yolo Agriculture Crops

Rating Species Use of Crops: Habitat Suitability Model Approach

Review scientific literatureInput from knowledgeable species biologistsModel development

Identify Covered Species that use agricultural lands Develop list of crops used by each species Identify relative value of each crop - for different uses

(foraging, breeding, resting, dispersal) Key distance variables: to nesting habitat, water, etc Prepare matrix of species-crop habitat values

Summarized in Species Accounts and Species Models

Yolo NHP Covered Agricultural Species

Giant garter snake Western pond turtle White-tailed kite Bald eagle Northern harrier Swainson’s hawk Golden eagle Peregrine falcon Prairie falcon Mountain plover Black tern

Burrowing owl Long-eared owl Short-eared owl Yellow-billed magpie Loggerhead shrike Yellow-headed blackbird Tricolored blackbird Western red Bat Townsend’s western big-

eared bat Pallid bat

Assign Habitat Values for Species Use

of Each Agricultural Crop

Per-acre habitat suitability ratings of crops Very High 1.0 High 0.75 Moderate 0.5 Low 0.25 Very low 0.1 None 0.0

Species-Crop Habitat Matrix

Determine Habitat Values of Each Agricultural Type

Calculate Habitat Units for Species Habitat Units = [crop habitat suitability value] x [# acres

of crop]

Creates a “common currency” for assessing the value of different combinations of crops

Determine Overall Habitat Value

Example: Long-billed Curlew

Use of Agricultural Habitat Valuations

Describe existing values of agricultural lands Evaluate future scenarios - changes in agricultural

useIncorporate with habitat values for other land cover

types used by covered species (uplands, riparian, developed)

Assess goals achievement in Conservation Strategies and adjust

Serve as a basis for monitoring plan accomplishmentsUse plan monitoring to improve habitat valuation

models