Coastal Grasslands Management

“How to Cheat at Land Management”

Coastal Grasslands Management

Land management Did not begin with the Europeans The historic extent of California’s grasslands, in

particular, may be fairly anthropogenic May also have impacted species composition

(fire-tolerant species) Humans have been in relationship with this land

for a long time

Coastal Grasslands Management

Land management

Has a goaloCan be aligned with protecting

biodiversity, maintaining or re-establishing ecological processes, maintaining rare ecosystems, etc.

Coastal Grasslands Management

How to “Cheat”

• Have a goal

• Know what your land looks like now

• Know what success looks like

• Know how to measure it

• Ongoing monitoring/management

Coastal Grasslands Management

Figuring out what’s on your land

Problematic species you need to address Native species you want to preserve “The best and the worst”

Coastal Grasslands Management

How to figure it out• Looking from a high point

• Changes in color, structure, “look” of vegetation• Utilizing other people on the property (e.g.

researchers, stewards, hikers)• Using aerial imagery (esp. for cover type

conversion)• Historic information• Mapping

How to tell if something might be invasive:

• It’s establishing a monoculture

• You never noticed it before (caveat: it could be something rare; it could be responding to unusual weather or other conditions)

• It’s lining trails or roads, but you don’t see nearly as much of it if you step off the beaten path

• You know from neighbors, local RCD, or state lists that a particular species is a problem (caveat: for highly invasive species only)

Coastal Grasslands Management

How to identify your best and worst • Find narrowest (comprehensive) species list for your

area• Taxonomic sufficiency: identify to coarsest useful

taxonomic level• Visual identification (GISS and field marks) • But look at whole plant. Know family characterstics!• Vegetative characteristics• Practice (weekly refreshers)

Mapping with Volunteers• 10 – 15 species• Invasive perennial grasses• Any other invasives of special

concern• Native perennial grasses• “Other Native Perennial

Grass” category• Caveat: unusual rushes,

sedges• Caveat: “new” perennial

invasive (e.g. Festuca arundinacea on SSU’s Fairfield Osborn Preserve)

Coastal Grasslands Management

Land Management

• Have a goal

• Know what your land looks like now

• Know what success looks like

• Know how to measure it

• Ongoing monitoring/management

Coastal Grasslands Management

Management Information• Fire Effects Information System: fs.fed.us/database/feis/

• USDA Plant Fact Sheets and Guides: plants.usda.gov/java/factSheet (DO NOT use for Phalaris aquatica)

• Calflora plant profiles and Calflora Observer app: calflora.org

• Local Resource Conservation District office