Invasive Species Management for Shaded Fuel Break Maintenance (Memorial County Park & Sam McDonald County Park)

Treatment of invasive species (French broom and Bailey acacia) is required within and adjacent to the footprint of two previously completed fuel reduction projects on San Mateo County Parks (Parks) land. The projects are: 1) 2023 shaded fuel break with Memorial County Park covering along Pescadero Creek and Wurr Roads, and 2) 2024 La Honda Fuel Break which created a regionally critical defensible space for the town of La Honda, which included portions of Ridge and Upper Towne fire roads within Sam McDonald County Park. Adjacent areas include patches near campsites and infrastructure. These projects were created to reduce fuels along critical evacuation routes and strategic wildfire fighting lines. Both initial project had similar specification including understory mastication of trees and shrubs <10" dbh, raising low hanging branches form trees >10" dbh to a height of 6' or 15' near roadways, and removal of specifically identified hazard trees. French Broom as emerged in these treated areas, and require maintenance for continued fuel reduction. The treatment areas vary in vegetation type and include specific polygons within Redwood dominated mixed evergreen forests, chaparral, and oak woodlands. Project specifications will include operational practices, BMPs, and environmental requirements to protect and avoid any rare, threatened, endangered species and plants of ecological significance, plus appropriate erosion mitigation and minimal disturbance practices.