What is the South Sac Habitat Conservation Plan?

Comments from ECOS

September 5, 2017

Attention: Rich Radmacher, Senior Planner
Sacramento County Planning Department
827 7th Street, Sacramento, CA 95814

Delivered via email to: radmacherr[at]saccounty[dot]net

These comments on the public draft of the South Sacramento Habitat Conservation Plan are presented on behalf of the Environmental Council of Sacramento (ECOS), Habitat 2020, the Sierra Club, the Institute for Ecological Health, and Save Our Sandhill Cranes.

Issues addressed by these comments include:

long-term sustainability of vernal pool resources in our region
agricultural-residential development
effects of pesticide use on agricultural preserve lands
effects of artifical lighting on species covered by the plan, as well as the insect prey of those species
effects of rodenticides on various species
better monitoring of how species are doing
avoidance and minimization measures
available inventory (in acres) remaining for each cover type/habitat type in the Plan Area
the regular review of relevant new scientific studies and reports for applicability in Preserve management

Animals of special concern include:

various local species of raptors (birds of prey) including the Burrowing Owl, the White Tailed Kite and the Swainson’s Hawk
the American Badger
the Loggerhead Shrike (a “songbird with a raptor’s habits”)
the Greater Sandhill Crane (which has one of the longest fossil histories of any bird still in existence)
the Tricolored Blackbird
the Western Red Bat