Southern California Mountains Foundation

FOREST CARE

FOREST SERVICE RECOVERY ACT - FOREST CARE HAZ FUEL REDUCTION

MOJAVE RIVER DAM AND RESERVOIR, CA

ARRA-PROJECT 2009

SCMF URBAN CONSERVATION CORPS COACHELLA VALLEY

YOUTH CORPS CREW STABILIZATION PALM SPRINGS-SOUTH COAST FIELD OFFICE

EARMARK

THE U.S. FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS) SONNY BONO SALTON SEA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE (REFUGE) IS REQUESTING FUNDING TO CONTROL THE HIGHLY INVASIVE SALT CEDAR (TAMARIX RAMOSISSIMA) AROUND THE REFUGE S MANAGED WETLANDS. THIS PROJECT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE FEDERALLY ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES DEPEND UPON THE REFUGE S WETLANDS AND OPEN WATER. THE REFUGE IS ALSO ONE OF THE LAST FUNCTIONING SOURCES OF WATER AND FOOD ON THE PACIFIC FLYWAY FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS. SALT CEDARS (TAMARIX SP.) OUT-COMPETE BENEFICIAL WETLAND VEGETATION BY CONSUMING EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF WATER AND NUTRIENTS AND INCREASING THE SALINITY OF THE SOIL AROUND THEM BY PRECIPITATING SALT FROM THEIR LEAVES AS THEY FILTER IT FROM THE ENVIRONMENT (ZAVALETA 2000). SALT CEDAR CONTROL SERVES TO PRESERVE THE WETLANDS AND OPEN WATER THAT MANY SPECIES DEPEND ON FOR SURVIVAL.THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO CONTROL THE EXCESSIVE SPREAD OF SALT CEDARS WITHIN THE REFUGE BOUNDARIES BY REMOVING 90 OF ALL NEWLY GERMINATED AND MATURE SHRUBS. IDEAL CONTROL EFFORTS WILL INCLUDE LARGE SHRUB REMOVAL BY AN EXCAVATOR AND PARTNERING WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE URBAN CONSERVATION CORPS (UCC). A SUCCESSFUL EFFORT TO REMOVE 90 OF SALT CEDARS WILL RESULT IN LESS TIME REQUIRED OF REFUGE STAFF TO CONDUCT LARGE-SCALE ANNUAL SALT CEDAR MAINTENANCE WHICH WILL ALLOW STAFF TO FOCUS ON SPOT-TREATMENTS OF ANY NEWLY GERMINATING PLANTS.

THIS PROJECT WILL ENGAGE YOUNG ADULTS AGES 18 TO 16 FROM THE COACHELLA VALLEY IN PAID WORKFORCE TRAINING THROUGH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAINS FOUNDATIONS URBAN CONSERVATION CORPS OF THE INLAND EMPIRE TO REMOVE INVASIVE PLANT SPECIES SUCH AS SAHARAN MUSTARD AND OTHERS FROM THE SENSITIVE AND PROTECTED SAND DUNE HABITATS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE. THE PURPOSE IS TWOFOLD. FIRST TO RESTORE SENSITIVE HABITAT TO PROTECT THREATENED AND ENDANGERED SPECIES ENDEMIC TO THE AREA SUCH AS THE COACHELLA VALLEY FRINGE TOED LIZARD COACHELLA VALLEY MILKVETCH AND COACHELLA VALLEY GIANT SAND TREADER CRICKET AND SECOND TO PROVIDE PAID JOB TRAINING FOR UCC CORPSMEMBERS IN HABITAT RESTORATION AND NATURE INTERPRETATION AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS. ACTIVITIES TO BE PERFORMED INCLUDE TRAINING OF UCC CORPSMEMBERS ON THE DIVERSITY OF FLORA AND FAUNA THAT CALL THIS REFUGE HOME INCLUDING THE T AND E SPECIES HOW THE REFUGE IS DESIGNED AND MANAGED TO PROTECT THOSE SPECIES AND HOW TO EDUCATE TRAIN AND LEAD PUBLIC VOLUNTEERS IN HABITAT RESTORATION BY REMOVING INVASIVE PLANTS. DELIVERABLES AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES INCLUDE NUMBER OF TRAINED CORPSMEMBERS NUMBER OF ACRES TREATED AND NUMBER OF VOLUNTEERS ENGAGED IN THE PROJECT. INTENDED BENEFICIARIES INCLUDE THE CORPSMEMBERS THEMSELVES THE USFWS AND REFUGE AND THE PUBLIC VOLUNTEERS WHO PARTICIPATE AND LEARN FROM THE PROJECT.