Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

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Land Management Plan Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy September 2005 Watersheds in the Place are important components of the functioning of ecosystems. They support the Morro Bay National Estuary, Lopez Lake (a domestic water supply), and provide habitat for south central steelhead. Dense riparian vegetation in this Place supports abundant wildlife. The Cuesta Ridge Botanical Area offers an opportunity for viewing and interpreting serpentine plant communities such as Sargent cypress forests. Numerous rare plant species are associated with this unusual parent material. The presence of nearby communities increases concern for wildland fire, including management of the Place as a Wildland/Urban Interface. The area has experienced several large fires in the past that have threatened nearby communities and resulted in losses of homes. The landscape consists of steep mountains and low hills with rounded ridges that have narrow, deep canyons. The ridge tops and steep slopes are dominated by mixed chaparral and are surrounded by private open grasslands. Wildlife is diverse in this Place and includes condors, peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus), steelhead trout in some streams, and a dense spotted owl population in Lopez Canyon. Huffs Hole is both a condor and peregrine falcon breeding area. California State Highway 101 creates a major barrier to wildlife and plant dispersal between East and West Cuesta Ridges. The proximity of the mountains to urban areas makes this area particularly attractive for day-use activities like mountain biking, pleasure driving and hiking. Recreation use is consistently high. Cerro Alto is a popular Developed Recreation Site and is operated by a concessionaire. Dispersed Recreation opportunities are numerous. Another popular attraction is the High Mountain Lookout, which is also a peregrine falcon recovery and California condor interpretive site. There are a number of locations within this Place where access problems exist, or where roads are in poor shape and create a safety hazard. Private land blocks access to the Garcia Wilderness and Trout Creek. Numerous old mining roads and trails on West Cuesta Ridge form an extensive undesignated trail system. Unauthorized OHV use occurs on West Cuesta. Also, because there are numerous private in-holdings within the national forest boundary, especially between Bald Mountain and the Santa Lucia Wilderness, there are conflicts between private landowners and mountain bikers and hikers. The mountains and the California State Highway 101 corridor make this Place a vital location for a variety of special-uses including communication sites, power lines, a railroad line, a water tunnel, high pressure oil and gas lines, and a fiber-optic line. There are also nine livestock grazing allotments in this Place. In addition, there are numerous old abandoned mines. Existing Wilderness: • Santa Lucia Wilderness 18,403 acres Existing Special Interest Areas: • Cuesta Ridge 1,304 acre Existing Research Natural Area: • Black Butte 940 acres Page 50
September 2005 Land Management Plan Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy All acreages shown are within the Place. Total national forest acres--Cuesta Place: 42,187 acres Desired Condition: Cuesta Place is a natural appearing landscape that functions as the scenic backdrop and portal to the coast. The landscape attributes to be preserved over time are: the mosaic patterns of vegetation, the natural skyline silhouette, healthy watersheds, and nonmotorized trail systems. Motorized use is limited to the existing road system. Regional habitat linkages are intact and functioning. Program Emphasis: Implement forest health projects to reduce fuel accumulations and threats to nearby communities and decrease sediments to streams. Designate a trail system for mountain bikes, equestrians, and hikers. Prevent unauthorized OHV use and recreational target shooting. Seek opportunities to increase interpretation of the designated botanical area and geologic resources. Work cooperatively with private landowners and San Luis Obispo County to provide access to the national forest. Continue cooperative efforts for wildlife observations and studies at the High Mountain Lookout and surrounding watersheds. Pursue a strategy of land adjustment to facilitate creation of a wildlife corridor under California State Highway 101 and maintain the habitat linkage between East and West Cuesta Ridges. Page 51
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United States Department of Agricul
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Land Management Plan Part 2 Los Pad
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APPENDIX A - SPECIAL DESIGNATION OV
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LM 1 - Landscape Aesthetics........
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Land Management Plan - Part 2 Los Padres National Forest Strategy

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