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Wildlife Preservation Committee Agenda 04-15-96City .//Collins. JUL INCORPORATED JANUARY 24, 1957 NO. 2 PORTUGUESE BEND ROAD ROLLING HILLS, CALIF. 90274 (310) 377-1521 FAX: (310) 377.7288 ROLLING HILLS WILDLIFE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE AGENDA April 15, 1996 6:00 P.M. 1. MINUTES 1.1 Meeting of March 18, 1996 City Administration Building No. 2 Portuguese Bend Road Rolling Hills, CA 90274 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS ON MINUTES AND ANY ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA 3. OLD BUSINESS 3.1 Guzzler Report 3.2 Wildlife Release, Sightings, and Activities 3.3 Status of Video Manuscript (Storyboard) 3.4 Publicity on WPC Projects 4. NEW BUSINESS 4.1 Brochure on Relandscaping 4.2 Strategic Planning for WPC Future Projects/Goals 4.3 WPC Event w/Caballeros on May 11, 1996 4.4 Consideration of issues raised by Mitch Heindel Presentation 5. ADJOURNMENT Wildlife Preservation Committee Agenda April 15, 1996 Gales Gales Team Crane Crane DeRoy Team Team Team Cb Printed on Recycled Paper. City 0/ R0//1 , _NA INCORPORATED JANUARY 24, 1957 NO. 2 PORTUGUESE BEND ROAD ROLLING HILLS CALIF. 90274 (310) 377.1521 FAX (310) 377-7288 WILDLIFE SIGHTING REPORT Date: -,Qn -94 Reported By: nq mer t required) Time: /2: oo , ,, . Phone No. (not read red) Location: fop rig '7 r len jwn.r ¥,Q Type and Number of Birds/Animals: /Maft,// � Length/Size: Color: Y Markings: What was it doing? %,'/„..0/„'tie'/ Have these been seen at this location before? When? Have these been seen in other locations before? When? (Rt.. 510515) OWNS MINUTES OF ROLLING HILLS WILDLIFE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Mar. 18, 1996 Recorders Donald Gales Presents Roger Sommer presiding, Ralph Black. Pam Crane, Don Gales, Steve Shultz, Arvel Witte. Staffs Craig Mooneyhae. Absent: Brant Barnes, Loren DeRoy, Margaret Higgins. Meeting called to order 6,13 p.e. 1.1 Minutes of special meeting of Jan. 30 (about mitigation measures on the Wellbourn property development) was approved except on page 2, (1) paragraph 4, line 6 on page 2: add after "present"...as well as a WPC member on slte...ate. (2) end of par. 4, Gales offered the name Of a local expert biologist who could be hired to be present during grading: 4iieTika Busi-8rinkmann (319 8164). and (3) words missing at end of p.2. 1.2 Minutes of February meeting aproved. 2.1 PUBLIC COMMENTS: Fred Ripley of 91 E. Crest Rd. sought solutions to his peafowl problem. He recently counted 78 peafowl on his 1.2 acres damaging his property. He has permission from the sheriff to shoot blank shells after notifying his neighbors. WPC suggested trapping, -,awing a dog on property• offering them to a zoo. and asking Steve Shultz or our guest speaker tonight of any ideas. OLD BUSINESS Agenda Items: 3.1 Don found the Hix Ring Suzzler being used from rainwater in it since the water is turned off for major work at the ring. It was suggested Don be present during grading operations there. 3.2. Sightings, One sighting from the public (attached). Arvel saw a squirrel on Crest near Bisignano's, and a report of possibly a coyote on Eastfield near Chuckwagon. Don sees a Coopers hawk at home. .c.3 Pam reported no progress on the video. ACTION: Don volunteered again to help editing. ACTION: Pam will get material to Don and maybe ;lhl can set up a meeting with Cox Cable (10 am to 8 pm). 3.4 No report on publicity except Loren put posters at the three gates about tonight's special public meeting. NEW BUSINESS: 4.1 Loran's proposed WPC brochure on Relandscaping was sent to all members for review. It was discussed and praised. Some additions and changes were suggested. ACTION: Loren to revise and resubmit. 4.2 Strategic Plan. Arvel requested this be tabled until April meeting. 4.3 Annual Nature Fair for 1997. Table the subject until January. 4.4 The proposed WPC -Caballeros joint event for May was discussed. Don reperted that Loren found them receptive to the idea. The Joint affair date was approved by WPC for Sat., May 11 at 9 am when WPC could work on their area and Caballeros would work at the Ring as needed, then followed by a bird release by Steve, then lunch, all subject to Caballeros' approval. ACTION; Loren will coordinate with Caballeros and report their response. Ralph reported the picnic area in need of weed removal which should be done by Roger Vink's crew. ACTION for WPC: It was agreed to have a workday Sat., April 5.1 SPECIAL PRESENTATION Local bird expert from the Audubon addressed a full Council Room of RH residents on the subject asked, "Where have all the birds gone?" Summary attached. 6. Meeting adjourned 8:30. Next WPC meeting 6 pm April 15 at City Hall. 6,8:30 am. Society often WHERE HAVE ALL THE BIRDS GONE: Talk by Mitch Heindel of the Palos Verdes Audubon Society to Rolling Hills Wildlife Preservation Committee, March 10, 1996 PVP is a unique place, 50-70,000 years ago it was an island. Some animal and plant species we have are more closely related to those on the Channel Islands than on the mainland. Some native animals here have been extirpated by non -natives. The Horned Lizard has been done in by the Argentine ants, the house pest. (see "Last Animals et the Zoo" by Tudgs.) When native coyotes were exterminated here some 30 years ago, non-native red foxes increased. Now all the roadrunners and most quail are gone. Oround- nesting birds are vulnerable to animal predators, and many tree - nesting birds are vulnerable to crows, ravens and some other bird species. On the 1'2 acres of coastal HMDI property north of Pt. Vicente, he used to see hundreds of birds of many species, many migrants. Mitch recently want there and saw no migrants, Just two birds and 100 feral cats. If one cat eats one bird a day, that is 365 birds gone yearly; with 100 cats, that is 36,500 birds a year!! He cited other bird species that have disappeared or are almost gone from the annual Audubon Christmas Bird Counts all over the Peninsula. At Royal Palms there are no Rock Wrens now, but 28 cats. If the population of a bird becomes less then 50, in two years it is gone. Causes of losses are: 1. Habitat loss, usually man made, and the fragmentation of habitat (breaking of habitat continuity); 2. Hunting of birds; 3. Humans and their pollution, from fertilizers to automobile pollution; 4. Introduction of alien animal species. Cats are the worst problem. A Wisconsin study tracked movements of cats by radio collars. Their food was 407. birds, 607. mammals. Belts on cats don't work during stalking; birds may even be drawn to the sounds by curiosity. Well-fed cats are better bird -hunters than hungry cats. He has a photo of a plateful of cat food and behind it a cat stalking a bird. It is their nature to stalk birds. Dr. Diamond of UCLA declared when cats come, extinction begins. The answer is, Mitch declared, :: to control the aoveaent of cats. Some solutions he suggested are: 1. We need cash bounties on certain non-native birds (e.g., crows and ravens) and animals; 2. Eliminate free -roaming cats; 3. Make cat owners responsible for their cats; 4. Collect feral cats. Cat colonies exist with spayed and neutered animals, but strangers add fertile cats, spoiling the plan. 5. Licence cats and require their sterilization. In closing he quoted from Albert Schweitzer, "Animals and plants are our brothers and sisters. We ars obliged to take care of them." Don Gales, recorder WHAT ARE NATIVE PLANTS? Native plants can be described as wild plants which have become established in an area in response to geolocial changes, amount of rainfall, climate, and elevation. Plant communities are formed when a variety of plant species native to an area intermingle.. The prddominant plant communities which occur in Rolling Hills are Coastal Sage Scrub, Chapparal, and (along stream beds) Willow - Riparian. These native plant communities provide the habitat necessary to sustain our local and migratory birds, butterflies and small mammals.. Incorporating native plants on your property allows continued enjoyment of natural, wildlife beauty in your own backyard.. For gardening puposes, native plants can be divided into two categories based on their water requirements.: 1. Plants that accept common garden condillons_ These are native plants from soils which have some source of moisture for most of the year: streambanks, meadows, and wooded areas. These plants can be incorporated in landscaped areas of your property or areas that have a naturally occuring source of water. 2. Drought -tolerant plant& These include a variety of beautiful plants from coastal sage, chaparral and rocky slopes which will, once properly established, accept dry garden conditions.. These are the plants to use in order to reduce water consumption, and in spots not reached by your water system.. DRAFT RESOURCES HANDBOOK OF WILDFLOWERS. WEEDS. WILDLIFE. AND WEATHER by Donald Moore Gales, Foldaroll Company, Palos Verdes Penn., CA 1988. This book conatins detailed drawings of most plant species occring in the wild on the Palos Verdes Penninsula. The book also contains useful information on local wildlife and weather conditions. ROLLING HILLS NATIVE PLANT DEMONSTRATION GARDEN. Located off Poppy Trail in Rolling Hills, CA The demonstration garden and adjacent nature trail includes many of the most attractive and popular native plants . Most plants have been identified with signs indicating their common name, and more detailed information pamphlets are available at the garden. SOUTH BAY CHAPTER OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY (310)831.2872 This organization can provide information regarding obtaining and planting native species in our area. NATIVE PLANTS FOR YOUR GARDEN. a Collection of Articles on Gardening with California Native Plants California Native Plant Society, Sacramento, CA (916) 447-2677 BUTTERFLY GARDENING By Xerces Society/ Smithsonian Institution, Sierra Club Books, San Fransisco, CA , 1990 SOUTH COAST BOTANIC GARDEN 26300 CRENSHAW BLVD. PVP, CA (310) 544-6815 DRAFT Relandscaping? Don't forget the Wildlife! find out why.. Preseruing natural uegetation and incorporating natiue plants in your landscaping plans benefits wildlife ecosystems while adding to the natural beauty of your property. A publication of the Wildlife Preservation Committee DRAFT WHY PLANT WITH NATIVES? • Native plants have adapted to the soil and growing conditions which occur naturally in our area and thus, require less mainteneance and less water than most non- native plants. • Plants native to our climate, generally have deep and vigorous root systems which provide excellent erosion control especially on steep or rocky slopes. • The wide variety of flowering native plants produce year-round displays of color in your garden, and many species produce colorful berries in the winter as well. • Natural vegetation provides the food source and habitat necessary to sustain the varied wildlife that visits or inhabits our area on a permanant basis. • Maintaining your natural areas and replanting with natives will encourage birds and butterflies to visit your property. Our natural areas, canyons and stream beds form wildlife corridors which provide habitat and safe haven for the fauna in our area. Promoting wildlife protection in our area improves the quality of life we all enjoy in Rolling Hills! WHICH NATIVE PLANTS ARE RIGHT FOR MY PROPERTY? Native plants can have a place in practically every kind of garden situation: mixed flower borders, shrub and tree borders, plants for hedges, as well as in our natural canyon areas and open fields and meadows. The best way to choose which natives to grow on your property is to study them in the wild. A visit to the Native Plant Demonstration Garden or the South Coast Botanic Garden where you can see a variety of natives in their respective blooming season will give you an idea of which plants will fit in best with your landscape project. Next, consult with your landscape professional or local nurseryman to see if the native plant you desire is available and suitable for your needs. If the plant you want is not in stock, it may be ordered from one of the many nurseries speciallizing in native plants. Don't transplant native plants species into your garden from the wild. Not only will you have better luck with nursery stock, but you will also be preserving our local native plant species and habitat. In selecting wildflower seeds, be careful to purchase seed species native to our area. In general, these seeds will germinate and grow better than species native to other areas. But more important, introducing wildflowers from outside a geographic area can upset the natural botanical balance. Often, these introduced species can become invasive and destructive weeds which take over and destroy important plant communities. Examples of such invasive plants in our area include, Castor Bean, thistle, nettle, pampas grass, iceplant and Algerian ivy. HOW TO PLANT NATIVES Remember, Mother Nature is the best gardener, and thus, protecting exiisting, natural vegetation , especially along canyons and stream beds is the easiest way to promote native plants on your property. Most native plant specimens can be incorp5ted in your exisiiting landscaped areas in the same manner as you would prepare other landscape plants. For planting drought -tolerant species, it is usually recommended that a drip irrigation be set up for the first year to ensure that the plant's root system has become established. In open fields, slopes, and pastures you can create colorful blankets of wildflowers by planting free -flowering Annuals such as Lupine and the perennial California Poppy It is best to sow or broadcast the seeds of wild annuals in late Autumn, just before a soaking rain. As an altemaflve to "disking " open fields and slopes, (which often causes soil errosion), mowing or "dragging" these same areas will maintain exisitng root systems and encourage a repeat performance of wildflowers the next year. It is always best to consult your landscape professional before planting to ensure the success of your project. BEFORE EMBARKING ON ANY RELANDSCAPING PLAN, ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR LOCAL ARE DEPARTMENT TO ENSURE THAT YOUR PLAN WILL CONFORM TO WEED ABATEMENT AND FIRE CONTROL REGULATIONS. DRAFT 91NUTEB OF ROLLING HILLS WILDLIFE PRESERVATION COMMITTEE Apr 15. 1996 Recorder: Donald Gales Presents Roger Sommer presiding, Ralph Black., Loren DeRoy, Don Gale*. Arvel Witte. Staff' Craig Nealis, Craig Mooneyham. NM C t Absents Brent Barnes, Margaret Higgins, Steve Shultz, an e• Meeting called to order 6:42 p.m. when quorem was present. 1.1 Minutes of March meeting approved. 2.1 PUBLIC COMMENTS, None: OLD BUSINESS Agenda Items' • 3.1 Don reported Mix Ring Guzzler still inoperative for repairs to t' -e ring. • 5.2. Sightings' (One attached.) Plso 2 pheasants at 42 F.B. Road. A flock of parrots were seen at DeRoy's home. • 3.3 Pam absent for progress on the video. Don examined the WPC Videc with most tapes assembled on it, rated them for quality, and conclui:c' tnat 90% is of unsuitable quality for our work. Also it would be too time consuming to sort them to fit the story board. He recommended reshooting videos more deliberately to fit the story board sequence. Rather than abandon the project, the WPC agreed to talk to Cox Cable and possibly take a free course from them on vidiography. ACTION: Don and Arvel will consult with Cox and maybe proceed. • 3.4 No report on publicity. • NEW BUSINESS: . 4.1 Loren's revised WPC brochure on Landscaping was discussed and approved. ACTIONt Mrs. Marilyn Kern retype and reformat it. • 4.2 Strategic Plan. Arvel discussed the plans, a few revisions and proposed costs for the 1996-97 4200 budget. The Committee voted approval, and Mr. Nealis will present it the City Council in May. • 4.3 Loren, coordinating with Caballeros, reported the joint breakfast and activities are set for Sat., May 11 beginning at 9 am: f1CTIONSt Don will lead a nature walk into canyon; 10 am' bird relea=e by Steve as well as a continental breakfast (Loren?)t 11 am roping demonstrationat Ring. WPC will split costs with Caballeros; Publicity by Craig. Ralph will advise WPC about need for weeding before the date. Weeding was done April 6 by Arvel, Pam and Roger. Arvel not9c! that signs of both groups needed repainting. .4.4 Annual Nature Fair for 1997 was discussed and should be open for all interested South Bay and Peninsula groups. Don felt the meeting should preceed the most of the other many springtime meetings and suggested the guest speaker be a return of Mitch Heindel on birds and cats, as we hoard last month. • Feral cats and their control were discussed. Craig believes licencin.7 would be very difficult. ACTION; He will look at how other cities manage them and what the Humane Society and SPCA are doing about it. Don said our WPC can be most effective, as in other wildlife prob)ene. we are trying to solve, by educating the community about the harm cats do to nature versus any benefits gained by protecting these predators. ACTION: Don will find Arvel's report on Saratoga City's study. The matter was left open for future agenda discussions. 5. Meeting adjourned 8,30. Next WPC meeting 6 pm March 15 at City H..11: with consideration of a later starting time for members' convenience.