TBNC CASE STUDY
REPRESENTATIONAL PLANNING, ENGINEERING, ENVIRONMENTAL & TECHNOLOGY EXHIBITS
PROTOTYPICAL
Large Scale Project Entitlement, Very Rich Oak Riparian Habitat Enhancement & Site Development Program
Milda's Significant, Very Rich Riparian Oak Woodlands Habitation Management & Enhancement Program
330 + Acres Environmentally Rich Riparian Habitat
Pala · California · USA
[County of San Diego]
Brief Pala Creek Vegetation Community Study Inventory |
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5.1.1 51.6 Acres Southern Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest [Holland Code 61310] |
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RIPARIAN ZONE |
A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the fifteen terrestrial biomes of the earth.Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks are called riparian vegetation, characterized by hydrophilic plants. |
Riparian zones are significant in ecology, environmental management, and civil engineering because of their role in soil conservation, their habitat biodiversity, and the influence they have on fauna and aquatic ecosystems, including grassland, woodland, wetland or even non-vegetative. In some regions the terms riparian woodland, riparian forest, riparian buffer zone, or riparian strip are used to characterize a riparian zone. The word "riparian" is derived from Latin ripa, meaning river bank. The riparian is an important feature of a wetland because it allows characterization of the wetland's overall health.
Riparian zones may be natural or engineered for soil stabilization or restoration. These zones are important natural biofilters, protecting aquatic environments from excessive sedimentation, polluted surface runoff and erosion. They supply shelter and food for many aquatic animals and shade that is an important part of stream temperature regulation. When riparian zones are damaged by construction, agriculture or silviculture, biological restoration can take place, usually by human intervention in erosion control and revegetation. If the area adjacent to a watercourse has standing water or saturated soil for as long as a season, it is normally termed a wetland because of its hydric soil characteristics. Because of their prominent role in supporting a diversity of species, riparian zones are often the subject of national protection in a Biodiversity Action Plan. These also known as a "Plant or Vegetation Waste Buffer".
Research shows riparian zones are instrumental in water quality improvement for both surface runoff and water flowing into streams through subsurface or groundwater flow. Particularly the attenuation of nitrate or denitrification of the nitrates from fertilizer in this buffer zone is important. Riparian zones can play a role in lowering nitrate contamination in surface runoff from agricultural fields, which runoff would otherwise damage ecosystems and human health. The use of wetland riparian zones shows a particularly high rate of removal of nitrate entering a stream and thus has a place in agricultural management.
Sensitive Vegetation Communities
The County of San Diego RPO [10 October 1991] Defines "Sensitive Habitat Lands" as Follows:
Land which supports unique vegetation communities, or habitats of rare or endangered species or sub-species of animals or plants as defined by Section 15380 of the State of California Environmental Quality Act [CEQA] Guidelines [14 California Administration Code Section 15000 et seq.]. "Sensitive Habitat Lands" include the area which is necessary to support a viable population of any of the above species in perpetuity, or which is critical to proper functioning of a balanced natural ecosystem or which serves as a functioning wildlife corridor.
Pala Creek Study Site Typical Southern Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest Lands
Brief Discussion
Results of the Reconnaissance Biological Survey
Ecological Ventures California, Inc.
10 March 2006
The Ecological Ventures California, Inc.
full letter report of March 10, 2006, is available for review
by visiting the TBNC Aviara Office Centre, Carlsbad, California.
Botanical Species List by Vegetation Communities
* Denotes Non-Native Species
Southern Coast Live Oak Riparian Forest
Coast Live Oak [Quercus agrifolia]
Western Sycamore [Platanus racemosa]
Engelmann Oak [Quercus engelmannii]
Coast Live Oak / Engelmann Oak Hybrids
Poison Oak [Toxicodendron diversilobum]
Toyon [Heteromeles arbutifolia]
Mulefat [Baccharis salicifolius]
Wild Rye Grass [Leymus spp.]
Monkey-Flower [Mimulis guttatus]
Tree Tobacco [Nicotiana glauca]
Arroyo Willow [Salix marianum]*
Deergrass [Muhlenbergia rigens]
Scarlet Pimpernel [Anagallis arvensis]*
Periwinkle [Vinca major]*
Reed Grass [Calamagrostis stricta]*
Umbrella Sedge [Cyperus odoratus]*
Miner's lettuce [Claytonia perfoliata]
Filaree [Erodium spp.]*Bed Straw [Gallium spp.]
Bristly Ox-Tongue [Picris echioides]*
Field Mustard [Hirschfeldia incana]*
Douglas Mugwort [Artemisia douglasiana]
Willow Dock [Rumex salicifolius]
Phacelia [Phacelia spp.]
Western Ragweed [Ambrosia psilostachya]
Night Shade [Solanum douglasii]
Eucalyptus [Eucalyptus spp.]*Wild Grape [Vitis californicus]
Mexican Elderberry [Sambucus mexicanus]
Horehound [Marrubium vulgare]*
Nettle [Stachys rigida]
Olive [Olea europaea]*
Common Plantain [Plantago major]*
Horsetail [Conyza canadensis]*
Clover [Melilotus indicas]*
Red Brome [Bromus rubens]*
Rip-Gut Brome [Bromus diandrus]*
Humboldt Lily [Lilium humboldtii]
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Diegan Coastal Sage - Inland Form |
Engelmann Oak [Quercus engelmannii] |
California Sage [Artemisia californica]
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Granitic Southern Mixed Chaparral
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Scrub Oak [Quercus berberidifolia] |
Nit-Grass [Gastridium ventricosum]* |
Scrub Oak - Engelmann Oak Hybrid |
Non-Native Grassland |
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Red Brome [Bromus rubens]* |
Overview of Pala Creek Typical Rich Riparian Habitat
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Brief Discussion
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The Ecological Ventures California, Inc. full letter report of March 10, 2006,
is available for review by visiting the TBNC Aviara Office Centre, Carlsbad, California.
Scope & Nature of the Zoological Assignment
Zoologists are biological scientists who study animals. They observe animals both in their natural habitats and in the laboratory in order to learn as much as possible about animal life. Zoologists study the origin and development of animal species, the habits and behavior of animals, and the interaction between animals and their environment. They also do research to learn how animal diseases develop and how traits are passed from generation to generation.
Zoologists are sometimes known as animal scientists or animal biologists. Their field is zoology, or animal biology. Like botany and microbiology, zoology is a major division of biology.
Zoology is a broad field. It includes the study of animals as varied as elephants, kangaroos, and killer sharks. Zoologists work in all areas of animal life, studying both simple and complex processes. For example, a zoologist might examine the overall structure of a cat or just the microscopic cells in its brain. Zoologists study the life functions of a single animal, such as an insect, as well as the behavior of whole colonies of ants, flocks of birds, or bands of gorillas.
Reptiles and Amphibians |
Mammals |
Birds of The Air |
Pacific Tree Frog [Hyla regilla]
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Mountain Lion [Felis concolor]
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Turkey Vulture [Cathartes aura] *County Sensitive
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Pala Creek Wooden Bridge Ruins
Extensive Photographic Recordings May be Visited at the Carlsbad Corporate Offices of TBNC
RIPARIAN ZONES ENVIRONMENTAL ROLE AND FUNCTION
Riparian zones dissipate stream energy. The meandering curves of a river, combined with vegetation and root systems, dissipate stream energy, which results in less soil erosion and a reduction in flood damage. Sediment is trapped, reducing suspended solids to create less turbid water, replenish soils, and build stream banks. Pollutants are filtered from surface runoff which enhances water quality via biofiltration.
The riparian zones also provide wildlife habitat, increase biodiversity, and provide wildlife corridors, enabling aquatic and riparian organisms to move along river systems avoiding isolated communities. They can provide forage for wildlife and livestock.
They provide native landscape irrigation by extending seasonal or perennial flows of water. Nutrients from terrestrial vegetation (e.g. plant litter and insect drop) is transferred to aquatic food webs. The vegetation surrounding the stream helps to shade the water, mitigating water temperature changes. The vegetation also contributes wood debris to streams which is important to maintaining geomorphology.
From a social aspect, riparian zones contribute to nearby property values through amenity and views, and they improve enjoyment for footpaths and bikeways through supporting foreshoreway networks. Space is created for riparian sports including fishing, swimming and launching for vessels and paddlecraft.
The riparian zone acts as a sacrificial erosion buffer to absorb impacts of factors including climate change, increased runoff from urbanisation and increased boatwake without damaging structures located behind a setback zone.
Extensive Environmental Reference Recordings May be Visited at the Carlsbad Corporate Offices of TBNC
PROTOTYPICAL SITE IDENTIFICATION PLACARDS & SIGNAGE
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ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
Environmental Planning concerns itself with the decision making processes where they are required for managing relationships that exist within and between natural systems and human systems. Environmental Planning endeavours to manage these processes in an effective, orderly, transparent and equitable manner for the benefit of all constituents within such systems for the present and for the future. Present day Environmental Planning Practices are the result of continuous refinement and expansion of the scope of such decision making processes.
Some of the main elements of present day environmental planning are:
Social & Economic Development / Urban Development & Redevelopment / Regional Development / Natural Resource Management & Integrated Land Use / Infrastructure and Intermodal Interconnectivity Systems / Governance Framework
The environmental planning assessments encompass areas such as land use, socioeconomics, transportation, economic and housing characteristics, air quality and air pollution, noise pollution, the wetlands, habitat of the endangered species, flood zones susceptibility, coastal zones erosion, and visual studies among others, and is referred to as an Integrated Environmental Planning Assessment [IEPA].
In the United States, for any project, environmental planners deal with a full range of environmental regulations from federal to state and city levels, administered federally by the Environmental Protection Agency [EPA].
A rigorous environmental process has to be undertaken to examine the impacts and possible mitigation of any construction project. Depending on the scale and impact of the project, an extensive environmental review is known as an Environmental Impact Statement [EIS], and the less extensive version is Environmental Assessment [EA]. Procedures follow guidelines from National Environmental Policy Act [NEPA], State Environmental Quality Review Act [SEQRA] and/or City Environmental Quality Review [CEQR], and other related federal or state agencies published regulations.
The Association of Environmental Professionals (AEP) is a non-profit organization of interdisciplinary professionals including environmental science, resource management, environmental planning and other professions contributing to this field. AEP is the first organization of its kind in the USA, and its influence and model have spawned numerous other regional organizations throughout the United States. Its mission is to improve the technical skills of members, and the organization is dedicated to "the enhancement, maintenance and protection of the natural and human environment". From inception in the mid 1970s the organization has been closely linked with the maintenance of the California Environmental Quality Act [CEQA], due to California being one of the first states to adopt a comprehensive legal framework to govern the environmental review of public policy and project review.
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