COMMISSION

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SVRA environmental scientists conduct annual meetings to collaborate on
monitoring programs, data management and analysis, and methods to evaluate
habitat health, species diversity,
and biological trends. The
meetings have included training
and evaluations from subject
matter experts and academic
peers on topics such as avian
and vegetation monitoring,
soil conservation, storm water
management, and statistical
analysis and reporting. OHMVR
Division managers, Department
of Parks and Recreation (State
Parks) Natural Resource Division staff, and State Parks Legal Counsel attend these
meetings to discuss resource management priorities, current regulations, and ways
to implement BMPs.
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Since 2014, the OHMVR Districts have hired senior environmental scientists to
oversee natural resource programs at the SVRAs. The OHMVR Division has
environmental scientists and cultural resource specialists to manage OHMVR
Division-wide resource programs and to provide assistance to field staff. Field
staff consults with environmental scientists at SVRAs and at the OHMVR Division
regarding implementation of BMPs.
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The OHMVR Division has contracted with private consultants and academic
researchers to work with Districts to identify and implement BMPs. The contractors
provide peer review of monitoring programs and HMS reports and provide technical
assistance on storm water management (MS4 permits), noise and ambient sound
monitoring, vegetation monitoring, herpetology studies, avian and bat monitoring,
paleontological studies, and cultural resource inventories.
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Carnegie SVRA has been modernizing the trail system to comply with its Storm
Water Management Program and Soil Standard BMPs. The project is being
implemented in each Resource Management Area (RMA) within the SVRA. In 2015,
Harrison Hill was the most recent RMA trail system completed. Results from trail
monitoring already show an increase in vegetation, more storm water friendly trails,
and a lower overall trail footprint.
Environmental Scientists’ Annual Meeting
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Hungry Valley SVRA completed a major capital outlay project in 2015, known as
the Honey Valley Pavilion and Group Campground. The project used BMPs when
designing the site drainage and grading plan that sheds water and minimizes
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California State Parks, Off-Highway Motor Vehicle Recreation Commission