Los Padres National Forest

Zaca Fire (2007) 240,207 Acres

Jesusita Fire (2009) 8,733 Acres

Fire Restoration Grant Program to inform post-fire habitat restoration

1. Survey every maintained trail, road and firebreak within

both fire scars for rare and invasive plants. • 290 Miles Surveyed • 590 Miles round-trip

2. Identify areas in need of recovery projects.

Project Goals: Where are the weeds?

Spartium junceum Spanish broom

Ricinus communis castor bean

Nicotiana glauca tree tobacco

Foeniculum vulgare fennel

Centaurea melitensis tocalote

Centaurea solstitialis yellow starthistle

Arundo donax giant reed

Ailanthus altissima tree-of-heaven

Other Species

Ageratina adenophora Euphorbia terracina Araujia sericifera Ficus carica Carduus pycnocephalus Hirschfeldia incana Cistus incanus Marrubium vulgare Conium maculatum Oxalis pes-caprae Delairea odorata Pennisetum setaceum Dimorphotheca sp. Salsola sp.

Vinca sp. Cal-IPC Rating: High Moderate Limited Watch Not Rated

Forest Service Listed Species

Centaurea melitensis Centaurea solstitialis Foeniculum vulgare Nicotiana glauca Ricinus communis Spartium junceum

Euphorbia terracina Cistus incanus

21 Weeds

6 Rare Plant Taxa

Restoring Degraded Habitat

Forest Service Listed Species

Centaurea melitensis Centaurea solstitialis

Cal-IPC Rating: High Moderate Limited Watch Not Rated

Other Species

Brassica nigra Hirschfeldia incana Bromus tectorum Marrubium vulgare Carduus pynocephalus Silybum marinum Elymus caput-medusae Tamarix sp.

Rare Plants

Invasive Plants

Rare Plants

Invasive Plants

C. melitensis

C. solstitials C. solstitialis C. melitensis

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Low Medium High

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C. solstitialis Abundace vs. Use

Low Medium High

Are there other weeds

we can control?

Tamarix sp.

Eriophyllum lanatum var. hallii CNPS 1B.2

Caulanthus lemmonii CNPS 1B.2

Layia heterotricha CNPS 1B.1

Rare Plants

E. caput-medusae

Rare Plants

Invasive Plants

Rare Plants

Invasive Plants

Take-home Messages Zaca Fire scar

1. Lower use, fewer weeds

2. Protect refugia for rare plants

3. Potential for species control

Jesusita Fire scar

1. Higher use, lots of weeds

2. Recommend habitat restoration

3. Community engagement opportunity

Weedy area in the Jesusita Fire scar Sidalcea hickmanii var. parishii (CNPS 1B.2) on the Mission Pine Trail

Acknowledgements: National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Jack and Judy Stapelmann U.S. Forest Service Los Padres Forest Association Santa Ynez Band of Chumash California Native Plant Society Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Staff Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Volunteers

Thank You!

Use Decision Tree Accessible Trailhead

or Entrance?

Accessible: zero obstructions

(locked gate, 4x4 road) to trailhead access

Not Accessible:

obstructions present (locked gate, 4x4 road)

Accessible to Forest Service

Only: Closed to public, but used by

Forest Service/special use permits

Yes No

High Use?

Yes No

High Medium Medium

Use: A relative measure of # of

individuals encountered on each trail (hikers, bikers, etc.) or of documented land use (grazing, dozer lines, etc.)

Accessible by Forest Service and/or Special Use?

High Use?

Yes No

Low

High Use?

Yes No

Medium Low