California Tiger Salamander Distribution and Habitat Conservation Planning Studies
Task 1: Gather and Assess Existing California Tiger Salamander Distribution and Habitat Information
We will gather and assess existing information on existing California tiger salamander occurrences in the region. We have previously developed much of this information in-house for various consulting projects we have conducted in the region. We will obtain other information from SCWA, USFWS, and other knowledgeable sources. We will also gather landowner parcel information and develop land use information from regional aerial photos. Again, we have previously developed much of this information in hard copy format for other projects we have conducted for SCWA and other clients in the region. Our final deliverable under this task will be a comprehensive GIS data base with an aerial photo background showing known CTS occurrences, likely breeding ponds, landownership, and land use.
Task 2: Develop a Regional Conservation Strategy, Identify Key Conservation Lands, and Develop a Preliminary Strategy for Obtaining Funding for Conservation of Key Lands
Working with USFWS, SCWA, LSA, and the Solano Land Trust, we will develop a regional conservation strategy, identify key conservation lands specific to the long-term conservation and recovery of California tiger salamander in eastern Solano County, and develop a preliminary strategy for obtaining funds for the conservation of these key lands. We will prepare a brief report with a set of maps delineating the targeted conservation areas. We will provide copies of the report and digital GIS files to all the groups listed above.
LISTED SPECIES THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE PROJECT
California tiger salamander will be the primary species that benefits from this project. However, several other federally-listed species that occur in vernal pools in the region will receive incidental benefits from this project through increased attention and conservation of vernal pools. These species include Colusa grass (Neostapfia colusana), Crampton’s tuctoria (Tuctoria mucronata), vernal pool tadpole shrimp (Lepidurus packardi), and Conservancy fairy shrimp (Branchinecta conservatio), and vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi).
PARTNERSHIPS
We will involve multiple partners in our project to insure that information we develop is used as widely and effectively as possible. During the course of the project, we will work with staff from Solano Land Trust, The Nature Conservancy, LSA (as the primary consultant for development of the regional HCP), and other entities involved in vernal pool and fairy shrimp conservation in the region. These partners will provide guidance and review during the course of the project to ensure that our final products can be easily integrated into the conservation strategies/plans these organizations have developed for Solano County. We will also solicit partnerships with the San Francisco Estuary Institute and the Ulatis Resource Conservation District and make our project data available to these groups.
