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 Airola Airola 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 TypeAcresPercent FIELD CROPS99,28427% GRAIN AND HAY CROP74,13920% TRUCK & BERRY CROPS64,37018% PASTURE41,86311% RICE30,4118% DECIDUOUS FRUITS AND NUTS25,7567% IDLE15,8624% VINEYARD9,4383% SEMIAGRICULTURAL & INCIDENTAL TO AGRICULTURE3,3391% CITRUS AND SUBTROPICAL3030% Total Acres of Agriculture364,765100% Total Acres in County653,629

Yolo Agriculture Crops

Rating Species Use of Crops: Habitat Suitability Model Approach Review scientific literature Input from knowledgeable species biologists Model 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 use Incorporate 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 accomplishments Use plan monitoring to improve habitat valuation models