LEGACY-TLC | Projects

Successful conservation and restoration of wildlands depend on team work - from the first spark of an idea; through walking the land; collecting, mapping, and analyzing data; developing reports; acquiring funding; and finally project completion - many people are required to accomplish each project. Although LEGACY has produced a number of reports, most of our work is in data analysis and developing maps. Usually each map is created through a series of iterations by being passed back and forth with others working on the project. In this way each map is continually revised and refined, with most of the changes communicated through cyberspace. This is also how GIS data analysis occurs &longdash; at the same time as the mapping, with back-and-forth questions and answers between the clients and the GIS contractors who work for LEGACY.

Over the years, through this sort of teamwork, LEGACY has worked with various landowners, agencies, and conservation organizations in Del Norte, Lake, Mendocino, Solano and Sonoma Counties developing planning maps and reports for many types of land conservation projects.

Of the many projects for which LEGACY has done mapping and analysis, five properties are now under permanent protection with conservation easements on more than 2,350 acres (3.7 square miles) of wildlife habitat, two properties have implemented NTMPs on 3,175 acres (5 sq mi), and five properties covering 233 acres (0.36 sq mi) have implemented CFIP and fire reduction plans.

In addition, LEGACY has created the preliminary maps for another five properties with a total of 4,929 acres (7.7 sq mi) that are currently in the planning process for conservation easements, with most mapping completed; one NTMP is completed for 1,376.65 acres (2.2 sq mi), though not yet implemented; and conservation easements are being considered for two more properties for another 3,246 acres (5 sq mi), LEGACY having created the preliminary maps for these. Most of the mapping projects on private land have been done in conjunction with Roger Sternberg Forestry & Land Conservation Consulting Services� although we've also worked with other restoration groups and land trusts.

Conservation easements typically require location, topo, soil, vegetation, site, and adjacent ownership maps. Large ownerships of thousands of acres usually require multiple iterations of certain maps in order to work out boundary line issues, ground truthing, changes due to evolving negotiations, and conflicting data. Different variations of a map may also be produced to emphasize certain aspects of the property which may be more valued by a particular funding organization. The process of developing a conservation easement or a Non-industrial Timber Management Plan for a very large property may, over time, require more than a hundred maps.

In addition to conservation easement, NTMP, and CFIP projects, LEGACY has provided restoration project planning maps and analysis for nearly 6 miles of Class I, salmonid bearing streams on three properties. These plans have now been implemented with erosion control, streambank stabilization, and riparian tree planting projects, as well as the reintroduction of Coho salmon on one of these streams.

We've also provided maps, for two different properties, for storm proofing and erosion control plans on a total of 22 miles of gravel roads. Both plans have been implemented, greatly reducing sediment pollution to salmonid bearing streams in those watersheds (see section under "Rural Road Assessments" at the bottom of this page for an explanation of the importance of rural road design to stream health).

Hurdygurdy Creek Property Acquisition - Another 5400 acres (8.4 sq mi) of private land, an inholding within the federally owned Smith River National Recreation Area (SRNRA), is being acquired due to the work of the Smith River Alliance. The land encompasses Hurdygurdy Creek, Little Jones Creek, and the Siskiyou Fork. LEGACY played a small part in this important acquisition by providing a map showing the property�s location in relation to the SRNRA.

"In July, the House of Representatives passed the Interior Appropriations Bill reflecting President Obama's request for $1,000,000 for the purchase of the Hurdygurdy Creek property. This action confirms the national significance of Hurdygurdy Creek and the Smith River as a salmon stronghold. If the Senate and House both agree to this funding, the Smith River Alliance (SRA) will purchase a portion of the property in 2010.

�The American people have an opportunity to protect 5,400 acres of watershed lands along Hurdygurdy Creek, Little Jones Creek, and the Siskiyou Fork. This property includes very significant salmon spawning and rearing habitat as well as recreation lands,� said Grant Werschkull, SRA Executive Director. �These Smith River tributaries are located in the heart of the Smith River National Recreation Area (SRNRA) and the project would bring the last, large block of unprotected private land into the SRNRA.�"

Rural Road Assessments - The following quoted excerpts are from a summary report to the California Department of Fish & Game, prepared by Pacific Watersheds Associates, for one of the road assessment projects on private land that LEGACY was involved in. These excerpts explain the process of identifying problem sites in a road system and the importance of improved rural road design for the prevention of sediment pollution to Class I streams. The property and creek names have been omitted due to privacy concerns.

"Perhaps the most important element needed for long term restoration of steelhead habitat productivity, and the eventual recovery of salmonid populations in [this creek], is the reduction of accelerated erosion and sediment delivery to the channel system from upland erosion."

"In the first phase of [this] inventory project all roads within the study area were identified and age dated from historic aerial photography and a map was developed color coding the roads by age."

"The second phase of the project involved a complete inventory of the road systems and stream crossings. The base maps, updated through analysis of aerial photos by New Growth Forestry personnel and Linda Gray of LEGACY � The Landscape Connection, depict the primary road network in the watershed and shows the location of sites with future erosion and sediment delivery to the stream system Road assessment map identifying sites where there is a potential for future sediment delivery to the stream system that could impact fish bearing streams in the watershed. Inventoried roads, including both maintained and abandoned routes, were walked and inspected by trained personnel and all existing and potential erosion sites were identified. Sites, as defined in this assessment, include locations where there is direct evidence that future erosion or mass wasting could be expected to deliver sediment to a stream channel."

" Virtually all future road-related erosion and sediment yield in [this] watershed is expected to come from three sources: 1) the failure of road fills (landsliding), 2) erosion at or associated with stream crossings (from several possible causes), and 3) road surface and ditch erosion."

"Approximately 5,484 yds3 of future road-related sediment yield in [this] assessment area could originate from erosion at stream crossings. This amounts to nearly 18% of the total expected future sediment yield from the road system. The most common problems which lead to erosion at stream crossings include: 1) crossings with undersized culverts, 2) crossings with culverts that are likely to plug, 3) stream crossings with a diversion potential and 4) crossings with gully erosion at the culvert outlet. The sediment delivery from stream crossing sites is always classified as 100% because any sediment eroded at the crossing site is then delivered to the channel. Even sediment which is delivered to small ephemeral streams will eventually be delivered to downstream fish-bearing stream channels."

"Three road design conditions indicate a high potential for future erosion at stream crossings. These include 1) undersized culverts (the culvert is too small for the 100 year design storm flow), 2) culverts that are prone to plugging with sediment or organic debris and 3) stream crossings with a diversion potential. The worst scenario is for the culvert to plug and the stream crossing to wash out or the stream to divert down the road in a major storm. These road and stream crossing conditions are easily recognizable in the field and have been inventoried in [this] watershed."

"Preventative treatments include such measures as constructing critical dips (rolling dips) at stream crossings to prevent stream diversions, installing larger culverts wherever current pipes are under-designed for the 100 year storm flow (or where they are prone to plugging), installing culverts at the natural channel gradient to maximize the sediment transport efficiency of the pipe and ensure that the culvert outlet will discharge on the natural channel bed below the base of the road fill, installing debris barriers and/or downspouts to prevent culvert plugging and outlet erosion, respectively, and armoring the downstream fill face of the crossing to minimize or prevent future erosion."