Transition Habitat Conservancy. Mission : Transition Habitat Conservancy is dedicated to preserving open space and natural wildlife habitat along

Transition Habitat Conservancy



Transition Habitat Conservancy Mission : Transition Habitat Conservancy is dedicated

to preserving open space and natural wildlife habitat along the San Gabriel Mountain / Mojave Desert boundary for future generations


What we do Transition Habitat Conservancy is a Pinon

Hills based 501 (c) (3) charitable non-profit all volunteer organization created to preserve land in perpetuity for public open space.

Protect Natural Resources- Create Parks Watershed Protection* Wildlife Habitat * Natural Outdoor Classrooms


Reason for Creating THC was to Implement the Community Plan Phelan/Pinon Hills Community Plan Developed 2004-2007 Community Plan Adopted March 13, 2007 by

County Board of Supervisors 53 Community Meetings

to establish the priorities of this rural community make policies and set goals that guide our future

development


Open Space Element Policy

Place high priority on preserving the open space character of Sand Canyon. Work with County Regional Parks, Special Districts and non-profit land conservancies to explore ways of acquiring property in Sand Canyon for public open space purposes.


Conservation Element Protection and conservation

of the plan area’s natural resources is vital to the preservation of the rural character.


Conservation Element Goal PH/CO 1: Preserve the unique natural

resources and features of Phelan/Pinon Hills including native wildlife, vegetation, and scenic vistas.


Conservation Element Policies

Support the purchase of privately owned land and the acquisition of conservation easements by Conservancy Organizations for the purpose of: preserving unique habitats containing diverse and

threatened species to protect wildlife movement corridors, scenic vistas

and recreational areas


THC Current Pinon Hills Project


Project 1000 acre park including headwaters of Mojave

River Watershed Pinon Hills highest peak 5800 ft Excellent example diverse lower montane chaparral

and woodland 3 ephemeral streams including Sheep Creek Wash

(wildlife corridors) Good upstream watershed with drainage and

recharge for our aquifer in Sheep Creek Wash


Sheep Creek Alluvial Fan


“Recharge occurs from infiltration in upstream Sheep Creek Wash”- Izbicki Along Sheep Creek Wash, the most rapid

infiltration occurs in upstream reaches near the mountain front. Sheep Creek Wash flows as a result of precipitation and runoff in the San Gabriel Mountains, and surface flows in the wash are larger and more frequent near the mountain front.- USGS study, Izbicki et al


Importance of ephemeral streams Ephemeral streams provide corridors from the Mojave desert

to the San Bernardino National Forest along this transverse range

Shrubs tend to be taller and denser alongside washes, which provides cover for medium and larger sized animals that may use them as travel corridors. Mountain lions, bobcats, kit fox, coyotes need corridors.

In dry years, and particularly during prolonged drought, annual plants may only germinate in the vicinity of washes where the water table is relatively near the surface. Perennial shrubs adjacent to washes are often the only plants that produce flowers and fruit, which in turn are important to insects and the avian predators that feed on them.


What grows in our project area? Diverse lower montane chaparral and

woodland community is unique to the western Mojave. This vegetative type is so poorly represented on conservation lands that the California Natural Diversity Database, identified semi-desert chaparral as a threatened vegetation type.


What are we preserving? The project area supports a wide range of biodiversity Nature Conservancy’s two overlapping portfolio sites the Sheep Creek

and Summit Valley/Cajon Pass portfolio sites. Criteria: 1)Viability of the plants, animals and natural communities over the long term, in places where ecological processes are largely intact or restorable 2) High biodiversity value 3) The suite of portfolio sites identified, if conserved, would protect the range of biodiversity of the Mojave Ecoregion

Special status species or species of concern include: short joint beavertail cactus, San Diego horned lizard, Loggerhead Shrike, Sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk and golden eagle

Black bear, mule deer, mountain lion, and bobcats are known to travel through these canyons. This land contains pinyon pine forests, Joshua tree forests, juniper, Manzanita, cholla and beavertail cactus.

Scenic vistas from the slopes and peaks include southern sierras, Victor Valley, Antelope Valley and Telescope Peak in Death Valley


How? Grants for Land Acquisition Wildlife Conservation Board Prop 84 AB31 Prop. 84 River Parkways

THC hopes to apply with CSD co-applicant for Sheep Creek Parcels


Underserved County


1000 Acre Grant Proposal Pending


Park Poor Communities AB31

Local and Regional Parks $400 million Critically underserved communities Defined by < 3 acres/1000 residents We have 2 acres for 35,000 residents


Examples of Resources to Acquire Land $483 million 08-09 Wildlife Conservation Board $26 million Proposition 84 River Parkways $400 million Proposition 84 AB31 Local & Regional

Parks (Communities with < 3acres of park/1000 people- we have 2 acres for 35,000 people)

Mitigation opportunities Foundations Landowner donations, conservation easement

donations


Proposition 84 in general All grants promoting partnerships and plans

Between Land Trusts, Public Agencies, Cities, Education Groups, Special Service Districts, Water Providers, Regulatory Agencies

All grants promoting multi-purpose projects Parks that protect watershed, floodplains, wildlife

and include opportunities for outdoor recreation and education, outdoor classrooms and field trips

Connect people with land and nature


Methods of obtaining land Fee title- purchase land from a willing seller Conservation easement (purchased from or

donated by willing landowner)Permanent deed restriction on land Requires baseline document and annual monitoringCan involve significant tax deductions if donated or can be purchased


Preserving Natural Resources Watershed- If we preserve good upstream

headwaters and watershed in their natural state and create parks we don’t have to fix problems later- we drain and infiltrate high quality water into the system

By developing linkages and synergies between all water interests we can develop multi-benefit projects that use expertise from across disciplines.


For our children and grandchildren

Documents

Transition Habitat Conservancy. Mission : Transition Habitat Conservancy is dedicated to preserving open space and natural wildlife habitat along