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Site Inventory & Analysis AssignmentSITE INVENTORY CHECKLIST Region and Context The proposed restoration site is a former log landing located directly next to a manmade pond in the City of Eureka California. The site is located off the south side of Linda Lane to the west of the main pond toward the end of the road. The restoration site is located on parcel number 013-031-032-000 directly across from parcel 013-031-021-000 owned by Craig Benson who is a primary shareholder and contributor to the sites restoration. The site is located at coordinates 40°47’6”N 124°8’46” and the general location is shown in the locator map (Map 1). A rough area of the site was calculated from a site walk through and estimated at 550 square meters. From the geospatial data from Arc Map to create Map 2 the sites area was calculate at approximately 1000 m2 so the actual area of the site is most likely somewhere in between these two calculations. Map 2 shows the general area and shape of the site and its location and parcels in regards to the neighborhood it is located in. The restoration site was clear-cut and used as a log landing around 1860-1880 causing high soil compaction. Since the site was a log landing it was leveled and still has a relatively low slope compared to the terrain around the site. The site is also located next to a pond that was created when the natural spring flow was diked off the road. The pond is estimated to be around 1000 m2 with a depth of about 4.5 meters in the middle. The pond is charged by six natural springs just south of the pond. There is also a smaller pond in the middle of the site that is approximately 25 m2. The small pond has a culvert that running into from the north that drains water from the slope and possibly from under the road. The smaller pond also has a recently added shotgun culvert that drains water to the larger main pond. The shotgun culvert was inlaid poorly and does not match the slope gradient of the site. The smaller pond is to be converted into a pond to raise crawdads as a food source for the local residents as proposed by Craig Benson. The site is surrounded by second growth forest that is approximately 150 years old, as well as a residential neighborhood. The residential land will most likely not have any ecological restoration in the future but the second growth redwood coniferous forest across the pond and downstream of the pond could use restoration work. If the goal is to recreate old growth redwood forests then they would need to be thinned since they are fairly overgrown and crowded. The forests have a healthy forest structure but have quite a few nonnative and invasive species such and English ivy. The restoration work from this site could be continued into the nearby sites by using thinning process like variable density thinning to help mimic old growth forests. A good reference for these sites as well as techniques to improve these sites is the Arcata Community forest. The site is semi isolated in that it is completely surrounded by either water or roads/ buildings on all sides. However the nearby second growth forests could be considered remanence and were used as a reference site for the vegetation analysis for our site. In Map 3 the remnant forests can be seen to the south of the restoration site as well as to the north east where our reference site is located. Map 4 shows a picture of the site and the various features that are a part of the restoration site. Map 1. Locator map showing general location of site in context to Humboldt Bay areaLinda laneMap 2. Map shows the specific location of the restoration site in context to the neighborhood in Eureka it is located in, as well as parcels of land in Eureka. Map 3. Map shows the Reference site for vegetation analysis in context of the restoration site. Map 4. Site map that shows the main features of the site in context to the site, as well as showing scope of the project. ClimateWhat ecoregion is this site located in? According to the United States Geologic Survey (USGS) the ecoregion of this area is a Costal Lowland. Typical characteristic of this ecoregion are beaches, dunes, marine terraces, wet forests, lakes, estuarine marshes, and tannic streams that lie below 400 feet elevation. Typical soil moisture regimes for this region are classified as udic and aquic with soil temperatures being isomesic. This area could also mesh with the adjacent ecoregion being the low mountains of the Northern Franciscan Redwood forests. This region is classified coastal fog dependent coniferous forests that include redwoods, Douglas-firs, western hemlock, western red cedar, Port Orford cedar, grand fir, Sitka spruce, red alder and tanoak. The soil here is typically classified as fine and fine-loamy, isomesic, Ultisols and Alfisols. Although according to USGS maps this area lies in the Coastal lowland ecoregion our field findings of soil and vegetation align more with the Northern Franciscan Redwood forests, with possibilities of it being a gradient zone between the two as it lies right near the region boundaries. (data from ). What is the mean annual precipitation and temperature of this area?Depending on what source you derive information from the mean annual rainfall for this area is between 37-42 inches. In this report I used the U.S. Climate Data mean annual precipitation for eureka California which is gauged at 40.31 inches annually. From the same source average temperature for the area is 52.9° F (11.61°C). (data from )What is the length of the growing season and timing of seasonal precipitation? The growing season for the site is based off of the number of frost free days a year in Eureka California, from a study by UC Davis. The approximated average number of frost free days (Days above 32°F) in the region is 274 days out of the year. At the moderate 10% frost probability rate the days that would have frost would be November 13th - March 12th. At the 50% frost probability rate the dates would be December 16th-January 27th. (Data from ) How would you characterize wind in this area?With data from the National Weather Service the average wind speed is calculated at 4-5 MPH and classified as fairly mild. This site specifically is fairly inland from the coast, lies in a small valley and has protective tree cover. This site most likely has very mild wind conditions most of the year. (Data pulled from (). What is the frequency of extreme events?The frequency of heavy rain, hail, or sleet is 10 days out f the year according to the National Weather Service. According to a study conducted by Michael D. Warner?and?Clifford F. Mass there is no significant trend in the frequency of extreme precipitation events or flooding in the last 60 year period in the Pacific Northwest. However of the 50 top extreme two day precipitation events all occur from November to January. Data from )graph1. Shows a graph of the average precipitation (including minimum and maximum values), temperature (including minimum and maximum values), average wind speed, average wet days and day length for Eureka California. ()TopographyWhat is the slope, aspect and elevation of this site?The aspect of the log landing is mostly east at about 84 degrees. However the slopes the slope was taken on sight using a clinometers issued by Humboldt State University. From the main pond to the edge of the log landing the slope was about 7 degrees but from the main pond to the road the slope was about 23 degrees for the large east facing slope. The site is also has south to northeast facing slopes coming down from road that meet along the perimeter of the log landing. In Image 1 you can see the slopes measured on site. The elevation is around 100 degrees according to Humboldt County GIS maps. () Image1.How do these attributes influence the biotic (ex: vegetation & wildlife) and abiotic (ex: soil moisture) conditions of the site?These can influence vegetation in a sense that vegetation that is more capable of tolerating slopes will have an easier time growing on the moderate slopes surrounding the landing. The landing is also leveled and fairly compacted so vegetation will have a harder time growing in this area. Since the aspect of the landing is fairly east facing it receives moderate amounts of sun. However since it would receive most of its sun in the morning and it is in an area that typically experiences coastal morning fog we can expect the area to receive less sunlight causing more shade tolerant plants to prosper. Most of the wildlife in this area will be able to make habitat from vegetation that can grow easily in this area so typical species will do well here. During our site evaluations the soil was very wet and muddy most likely due to the low slope percent and compaction of the log landing. Due to slope and aspect the soil can be expected to have moist soil regimes. HydrologyDescribe the surface and groundwater at this site.Surface water for the site was not readily available online as the site is small and privately owned. Water quality was tested on site from water quality kits from Humboldt State University to test for dissolved oxygen, nitrates, phosphorus, phosphates, and water temperature for the main pond, crawdad pond and natural spring input. The results can be seen in the table in table 1. The water seemed to be fairly turbid from visual inspections. The pond was water was not very clear and seemed to have suspended sediment along with other biotic particles. According to the water quality committee our dissolved oxygen levels were pretty high which indicates good habitat for fish. The nitrate levels we determined were low enough for a healthy ecosystem but slightly higher than normal. According to the same research the phosphorus and phosphate levels were fine in the main pond and the spring input, although the main pond is approaching levels that may be unsafe. The small crawdad pond though has very high levels of phosphorus and phosphates which can be very detrimental to the ecosystem. This can also explain the reading for the main pond as the water sampled was near the input from the crawdad pond. Further tests may want to be conducted on the small pond to understand why the phosphorus levels are so high. The source may want to be identified for the water that is pouring into the small pond from under the road. Describe any additional water features, if present.There is a buried tank in the ground that is thought to be diesel tank remnants of the logging period. The water was not tested for diesel contamination but some sheen was seen in the small pond so further testing for chemical leakage may be required. SoilsWhat soil type(s) are present at this site?According to USGS the soil at this site is most likely classified as fine and fine-loamy, isomesic, Ultisols and Alfisols. It could also be classified as udic and aquic with isomesic soil temperatures. From a site evaluation of the soil the results showed dominant soil types as Incepticols and Alfisols with aquic, oxyaquic, and udic moisture regimes. There are also possibilities for Ultisols in areas with no slide activity or Entisols in area with recent slide activity. From the soil analysis conducted on site keyed the soil as Coarse-loamy, mixed, semiactive, isomesic Aeric Fragiaquept or a Typic Fragiaquult depending on the presence of an argilic horizon. Describe soil characteristics such as texture, porosity, drainage, and depth.The soil depth on site was only about 60 cm before layers of fragipan. The textures are mostly course loams to sandy loams with gleyed layers and poor drainage. This is most likely due to the soil compaction and leveling of the site as the depth and drainage increasing on the slopes around the site. The site did not seem to have good porosity due to excess water saturation on the landing. The site analysis showed that the structure was granular in the epipedon, subangular blocky in the gleyed horizons, angular blocky in the fragipan layer. (Soil analysis conducted by Gillian Allen)FaunaWhat fauna (wildlife) would you expect to be present at this site?Redwood national park was used as a reference for what wildlife may be found in the site. A table can be seen in table 2 of typical species that may be seen in the area.Land animalsBirdsInvertebratesfishVirginia oppossum?(Didelphis virginiana)Marsh shrew?(Sorex bendirii)Pacific shrew (Sorex pacificus)Trowbridge shrew (Sorex trowbridgii)Vagrant shrew?(Sorex vagrans)American shrew-mole?(Neurotrichus gibbsii)Broad-handed mole?(Scapanus latimanus)Coast mole?(Scapanus orarius)Townsend’s mole?(Scapanus townsendii)Big brown bat?(Eptesicus fuscus)Western red bat?(Lasiurus blosevillii)California myotis?(Myotis caifornicus)Fringed myotis?(Myotis thysanodes)Little brown myotis?(Myotis lucifugus)Long-eared myotis?(Myotis evotis)Long-legged myotis?(Myotis volans)Yuma myotis?(Myotis yumanensis)Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus)Silver-haired bat?(Lasiurus noctivigans)Townsend’s big-eared bat (Corynorhinus townsendii)Pallid bat?(Antrozous pallidus)Mexican free-tailed bat?(Tadarida brasiliensis)Brush rabbit?(Sylvilagus bachmani)Mountain beaver?(Aplodontia rufa)Chipmunk (Tamias sp.)California ground squirrel?(Spermophilus beecheyi)Douglas squirrel?(Tamiasciurus douglasii)Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus)Western gray squirrel?(Sciurus griseus)Botta’s pocket gopher?(Thomomys bottae)Bushy-tailed woodrat?(Neotoma cinerea)Deer mouse?(Peromyscus maniculatus)Pacific jumping mouse?(Zapus trinotatus)California vole?(Microtus californicus)Sonoma tree vole?(Arborimus pomo)Red tree vole?(Arborimus longicaudus)Western red-backed vole?(Myodes californicus)Muskrat?(Ondatra zibethicus)American beaver?(Castor canadensis)Porcupine?(Erethizon dorsatum)Coyote?(Canis latrans)Gray fox?(Urocyon cinereoargenteus)Black bear?(Ursus americanus)Ringtail?(Bassariscus astutus)Raccoon?(Procyon lotor)Short-tailed weasel?(Mustela erminea)Long-tailed weasel?(Mustela frenata)Mink?(Mustela vison)Fisher?(Martes pennant)Marten (Martes caurina)Striped skunk?(Mephitis mephitis)Spotted skunk?(Spilogale gracilis)River otter?(Lontra canadensis)Black-tailed deer?(Odocoileus hemionus)Roosevelt elk?(Cervus?canadensis)Bobcat?(Lynx rufus)Mountain lion or cougar?(Puma concolor)Flycatcherswarblers thrushes jays woodpeckers owls?ducks herons egrets cootsbald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)?osprey (Pandion haliaeus)peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus)?belted kingfisher (Meaceryle alcyon)?red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)?white-tailed kite (Elanus leucurus)acorn wodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)california quail (Callipepla californica)western scrub jay (Aphelocoma californica)?western bluebird (Sialia mexican)black-throated gray warbler (Setophaga nigrescens)? western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)ButterfliesMosquitoesBanana SlugsFliesWormsCaterpillarsMillipedes beesThe pond is stocked with catfish and trout. crawdads also live in the pond there any listed (threatened, endangered) species that might be found at this site?The Acrata department of fish and wildlife lists Bald Eagle, Marbled Murrelet, and Northern Spotted Owl as endangered birds in the area. Behren's Silverspot Butterfly, Lotis Blue Butterfly, Mardon Skipper,and Oregon Silverspot Butterfly as endangered invertebrates. The California red legged frog as endangered amphibians. Point Arena Mountain Beaver ,and Pacific Fisheras endangered mammals. DATA COLLECTION OF VEGETATION FOR SITE INVENTORY – 20 points.The actual restoration site had little vegetation on it except for a few red alders and remnants of Himalayan Blackberry. The site was completely overgrown with Himalayan Blackberry and was cleared recently and seeded with local grasses to prevent erosion. The hillsides were still overgrown with Himalayan Blackberry along with some other species I the list below. Map 5 shows a simple vegetation map of the landing. We used a reference site to the north of the restoration site and seen in Map 3 in the first section. In our site walk through we surveyed and identified a list that seems to be a good picture of the ecosystem. The list below is all the species we saw in an approximate 2000 m2 area. Invasive species surveyed English ivy (Hedera helix)European Beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria)English Holly (Ilex aquifolium)BambooHimalayan blackberry (Rubus amerniacus)Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) Native species surveyed. Sword fern (Polystichum munitum)Deer Fern (Blechnum spicant)Lady Fern (Athyrium felix-femina)Horsetail fern (Equisetum)Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)Skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)California blackberry (Rubus ursinus)Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)Red alder (Alnus rubra)Pacific rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum)Thimbleberry (Rubus parviflorus)Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)Silverweed (Argentina anserina)Salal (Gaultheria shallon)Trillium (Trillium ovatum)Carex (Carex)Red huckleberry (Vaccinuim parvifolium)duckweed (Lemna) water lily (Lilium)We also performed two line intercepts to get quantitative data of the vegetation. For the first Intercept we walked down a trail and randomly chose a direction to lay the tape measure by spinning around with our eyes closed and pointing. We performed a 20 meter line intercept which gave us the following data to find frequency of certain vegetation. Line-intercept vegetationCountFrequencyEnglish ivy (Hedera helix) (invasive)517Sword fern (Polystichum munitum)1034Skunk cabbage (Lysichiton americanus)27Lady Fern (Athyrium felix-femina)414Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)13European Beachgrass (Ammophila arenaria) (invasive)414English Holly (Ilex aquifolium) (invasive)27California blackberry (Rubus ursinus)13Total29100The second line Intercept we performed was randomly chosen the same as the first, and was also a 20 meter intercept. For this intercept though we surveyed a 1 m2 quadrat every four meters. We used this to collect more in depth data of the vegetation density. A picture of the line intercept can be viewed in image 2. The data collected from this intercept is listed below.Image 2Quadrat Canopy CoverShrub Cover Ground Cover 150% Redwood 50% Sitka Spruce n/a95% sword fern 2% lady fern 2% deer fern250% Redwood 50% Sitka Sprucen/a15% sword 10% deer fern 5%lady fern350% Redwood 50% Sitka Sprucen/a80% English ivy 10% lady fern 5% skunk cabbage450% Redwood 50% Sitka Sprucen/a<5% English Holly 90% ivy5? redwood ? Sitka spruce ? Douglas-fir90% evergreen Huckleberry% English ivy 5%sword fern 2% ?evergreen huckleberry6? redwood ? Sitka spruce ? Douglas-fir5% English holly 5% salmon berry 15% red huckleberryground cover 15% English holly 75% English ivy Reference site vegetation mapMap 5. This map is a simple vegetation map to show main vegetation on site. ANALYSIS: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RESTORATION – 35 pointsThe restoration goal for this site is an ecosystem service, and experiential based restoration instead of a complete restoration project. The goal is to not fully mimic old growth habitat for the site alone but to create an area that benefits the local residents both with ecosystem services along with providing a scenic natural habitat that the residents can walk in and use. I will focus on a few main aspects of the restoration and what should be done to help fix the problem. Crawdad PondThe small pond in the middle of the landing is going to be converted and used for crayfish harvest by Craig Benson and other residents of the neighborhood. A four foot fence is to be put around the pond with a gate facing in the driveway into the site. This fence will be built out of wood and should have close enough spacing between wood panels that wildlife cannot get into the pond, nor can crayfish easily escape. The goal of this is to keep wildlife like raccoons out of the pond while also keeping the crayfish from moving to the big pond and taking over. Further water analysis must be done on the pond to test the water quality before the pond can be converted due to high readings of phosphate in the water. Small woody debris or rocks can be placed into the small pond to help create habitat for the crayfish. Log Landing Ideally the Landing will be excavated and back plowed to help create a natural slope gradient to align with the natural landscape. It is still to remain less steep than the surrounding hillsides so it is easy to navigate by the residents. A gradual slope of about 8 degrees from the pond to the edge of the landing would be ideal to help stop the landing from collecting water and over saturating the soil. The slope gradient can be increased to the west of the crawfish pond up to 15 degrees in order to help the natural slope gradient of the hillside. A depiction of this slope can be viewed in map 7 below. This may be over budget for the site restoration and leaving it flat will be okay if properly vegetated. The log landing is to be lightly plowed and scarred to help loosen up soil right before the vegetation is set. Canoe RampA canoe ramp is to be inlaid in on the northern part of the restoration site on the main pond as requested by local residents. This idea can be view on the restoration map below. The ramp should be leveled slightly to a low slope percentage to help easy access with a canoe. A log or railroad tie should be set into the soil on either side of the ramp as well as one along with one embedded between the other two logs. This will help keep the ramp nice by preventing erosion and dictating a clear path from vegetation. as well as help with access to and from the pond. CulvertThe culvert that connects the crawfish pond and the main pond is to be removed and reset to align with the natural slope and water flow of the site. This is to help prevent erosion while allowing water to flow between ponds. At the end of the culvert three rock step pools should be created to help prevent water erosion on the slope to the main pond. These will be created by placing rocks found on and off site of different sizes to help slow water down and create small pools. This will prevent erosion and can make good habitat for amphibians that visit the pond. The new culvert should also have a wire mess covering the holes so that water can flow through but crayfish cannot escape and overpopulate the larger pond. Vegetation The area is to be vegetated with natural vegetation found in the nearby reference site. It should not be too dense so that the area is still accessible to the residents. Low lying plants like ferns can be placed more densely with shrubs like huckleberry and salmon berry planted in a few locations around the plot. The main goals are to keep soil from eroding, help absorb excess water on the log landing, and to provide wildlife with food. Sections will be left un-vegetated for a table in the back of the site and trails that go around the site. One redwood is to be planted on the south west end of the plot to help mimic natural landscapes, provide habitat for wildlife, and provide a scenic landscape for the residents. The red alder is to be kept next to the small pond so that it can shade the pond in the summer months so that water temperature does not get too high in the crawfish pond. Trails are not to be decompacted and should be covered in wood chips so that trails can be established as wood chips break down. Main Pond The main pond has a pump to help circulate water to help improve Dissolved oxygen level. A larger more efficient pump should replace the existing pump to help satisfy larger populations of fish to be stocked in the pond.Restoration map detailing the specifics going into the restoration. ................
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