Chapters 1 - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Chapter 5
5.3.3 Alternative C (Proposed Action) – Optimize Upland/Wetland Restoration, Improve
Opportunities for Wildlife Observation
Wildlife and Habitat Management
Under Alternative C, the areas of subtidal habitat would not change, but as in Alternative B, areas
of nonnative upland habitat would be restored to salt marsh, mudflats, and transitional habitats.
Although the proposed restoration sites under Alternative C would be generally the same as under
Alternative B, under Alternative C, there would be a greater mix of upland and wetland/upland
transitional habitat than is proposed in Alternative B.
A 21-acre area located to the north of Case Road Pond and a 9.4-acre area to the southeast of 7 th
Street Pond would be restored to a range of habitats including intertidal mudflat, salt marsh,
wetland/upland transition, and coastal sage scrub. The intertidal habitats (i.e., mudflat, salt marsh)
would also include meandering shallow subtidal channels with gentle side slopes to provide a
diversity of microhabitats. A strip of land to the west of 7 th Street, an area at the southwestern end
of the 7 th Street Pond, and the area around the existing drop tower (refer to Figure 3-5) would be
restored to wetland/upland transitional habitat and the area located to the east of the drop tower
would be restored to salt pan habitat. All of the areas proposed for restoration are currently
dominated by nonnative upland vegetation; therefore, no direct impacts to sensitive native habitats
would result from the proposed restoration. To avoid indirect impacts to sensitive native habitats
during restoration, the implementation of the BMPs described in Section 5.2.2.3, would minimize
the potential for erosion or sedimentation in existing native habitat areas. In addition, sensitive
habitat located in proximity to a proposed restoration area would be fenced prior to any
construction activity to ensure that inadvertent entry into sensitive habitat areas is avoided.
Overall, the replacement of nonnative vegetation with native coastal habitat would represent a
benefit to the environment.
Other potential beneficial effects of Alternative C related to habitat include the establishment of
one or more populations of the Federally listed endangered salt marsh bird’s-beak as part of
marsh restoration efforts, improving the quality of the Refuge’s cordgrass-dominated salt marsh
habitat by pumping clean sediment of appropriate grain size and nutrient content onto a portion of
the marsh, and restoration of wetland/upland habitat in the vicinity of the drop tower.
In addition to restoration, Alternative C includes a number of other management activities
intended to support the trust resources on the Refuge. These management activities include those
proposed under Alternatives A and B (the potential effects of which have been addressed
previously), as well as the following additional activities that could have an effect on habitat or
vegetation:
Manage some areas of salt pan and upland habitat to support tiger beetles;
Establish one or more populations of salt marsh bird’s-beak on the Refuge;
Improve the habitat quality of the Refuge’s cordgrass-dominated salt marsh habitat; and
Remove the drop tower located near 7 th Street Pond.
Under Alternative C, a management plan would be developed to determine how best to manage
existing salt pan and wetland/upland transition areas to support the various species of tiger beetles
present on the Refuge. Until the management plan is prepared, it is not possible to determine all
of the actions that may be proposed for implementation; however, it is anticipated that these
actions would result in improvements to existing and/or restored habitat and would not have any
adverse effects of sensitive habitats or vegetation.
5-36 Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge