Common use of NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT Clause in Contracts

NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. In accordance with the Service’s Safe Harbor Policy (64 FR 32717), “net conservation benefit” means that management activities that are part of the Agreement are expected to provide an increase in the Covered Species’ population or distribution, and/or the enhancement, restoration, or maintenance of Covered Species habitat. The net conservation benefit will be sufficient to directly or indirectly contribute to recovery of the Covered Species. Implementation of activities to enhance and restore ponds and their associated aquatic, wetland, and adjacent upland habitats would be beneficial to California red-legged frogs and California tiger salamanders, and the creation of additional breeding ponds would be highly beneficial to these populations at the Park. Controlling non-native vegetation within the coastal terrace prairie grasslands and supporting an increase in number and distribution of native grasses and shrubs (i.e., seacliff buckwheat and coast buckwheat) would be beneficial to the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. Maintaining and supporting the current population of Xxxxx’x piperia and its habitat at the Park, and increasing its numbers and distribution, would be beneficial to Xxxxx’x piperia. The District will carry out activities, as identified in Part 5 of this Agreement, to benefit the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia within the Enrolled Property. The California tiger salamander population at the Park is not known to be hybridized with non- native tiger salamanders (Xxxxxx Xxxxx and Associates, Inc. 2008); an increasingly rare occurrence along the Central Coast. Developing and implementing activities that would enable the increase in number of California tiger salamanders and the opportunity to increase its distribution at the Park would be highly beneficial to the California tiger salamander along the Central Coast. The District has developed a management plan for the grasslands at the Enrolled Property (McGraw 2007). Under this plan, the grasslands within the Enrolled Property will be managed in a manner to benefit the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, including the management of cattle grazing. Cattle grazing is an important component of grassland management to control non-native invasive vegetation, particularly non-native annual grasses. Reducing the threat of the reduction in suitable habitat for Xxxxx'x blue butterfly as a result of non-native invasive plants out- competing its host plants and other native grassland vegetation is beneficial to the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. Additionally, cattle grazing as a method to control non-native invasive vegetation can promote the recognition of host plants by Xxxxx'x blue butterflies and increase their identification of sites for ovipositing of eggs. Although the Permit would authorize the incidental take of Xxxxx'x blue butterflies via the damage or loss of up to 204 host plants within the Baseline area per year over the 30-year period, the area of suitable habitat for the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, which coincides with the Baseline area for the species, would not be reduced in quality or quantity even if the maximum number of plants were lost each year. The Enrolled Property contains several thousand host plants within the Baseline area. Management activities in this Agreement are anticipated to increase the abundance and distribution of host plants by reducing competition with non-native plants and expanding the area occupied by host plants, thus increasing the area of suitable habitat for the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly at the Enrolled Property. Additionally, the District would conduct research to inform their management of the Park to improve the status of the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly and its habitat. These management activities would be beneficial to the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. Over the duration of this Agreement, the increase in abundance and distribution of host plants is anticipated to be greater than any loss of host plants that would be authorized in the Permit. The authorized incidental take in the Permit would not interfere with achieving a net conservation benefit for the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. The status of the Enrolled Property as an area dedicated to open space and conservation of natural resources, and thereby protected from development, provides a benefit to listed species and other native plant and wildlife species. The District will maintain the Park in a natural state where the native habitats will be maintained and remain mostly undisturbed over the long-term, thereby serving as a refuge for the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia where suitable habitat exists. The restoration and enhancement of listed species habitats within areas dedicated to open space and conservation of natural resources further promotes the conservation and recovery of these species by providing future area for each of these species to expand its current range once habitat has been restored or enhanced. The Beneficial Management Activities described in Part 5 of this Agreement have been developed to support the conservation and recovery of the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia. The securing of land and protection from development, the control and removal of non-native species, the maintenance of suitable habitat, the restoration and enhancement of habitat, the development of management plans, and conducting education and outreach activities are recovery actions for the California red-legged frog, Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, and Xxxxx’x piperia, as identified in their respective recovery plans (Service 2002, 1984, and 2004a). A recovery plan for the California tiger salamander has not been developed; however, the removal of non-native species, the maintenance of suitable habitat, and the restoration and enhancement of habitat would reduce threats to the California tiger salamander, and therefore provide a conservation benefit to the species and contribute to its recovery (Service 0000x, Xxxxxxxxx 2002). Additionally, the District will manage the ponds and grazing in a manner to benefit the California red-legged frog and the California tiger salamander by incorporating recommendations from amphibian studies conducted at the Park by Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxx (2005 and 2006), and Xxxxxxxxx and D’Amore (2008); these recommendations coincide with Service- recommended recovery actions. Furthermore, the District has supported a study of the effects of cattle grazing on the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, its host plant, and habitat, which is a recommendation made by the Service in a recent status review of the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly (Service 2006). Therefore, management activities associated with this Agreement would benefit the California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, and Xxxxx’x piperia by contributing to their conservation and recovery. The Service anticipates that implementation of these management activities will produce a net conservation benefit to the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia by:  Providing areas where existing suitable habitat for the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia will be maintained or increased in quantity and quality.  Providing areas where suitable habitat for the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia will remain relatively undisturbed.  Providing habitat for the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia to increase in population numbers or distribution.  Maintaining movement corridors and habitat connectivity.

NET CONSERVATION BENEFIT. In accordance with the Service’s Safe Harbor Policy (64 FR 32717), “net conservation benefit” means that management activities that are part of the Agreement are expected to provide an increase in the Covered Species’ population or distribution, and/or the enhancement, restoration, or maintenance of Covered Species habitat. The net conservation benefit will be sufficient to directly or indirectly contribute to recovery of the Covered Species. Implementation of activities to enhance and restore ponds and their associated aquatic, wetland, aquatic and adjacent upland habitats, and to reduce visitor contact with aquatic habitats within the Enrolled Property would be beneficial to the California red-legged frogs and California tiger salamanders, and the creation of additional breeding ponds would be highly beneficial to these populations at the Parkfrog. Controlling non-native vegetation within the coastal terrace prairie grasslands scrub and supporting an increase in number and distribution of native grasses and shrubs (i.e., seacliff buckwheat and coast buckwheat) would be beneficial to the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. Maintaining and supporting the current population of Xxxxx’x piperia and its habitat at the Park, and increasing its numbers and distribution, would be beneficial to Xxxxx’x piperia. The District DPR will carry out activities, as identified in Part 5 of this Agreement, to benefit the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia within the Enrolled Property. The California tiger salamander population at the Park is not known to be hybridized with non- native tiger salamanders (Xxxxxx Xxxxx and Associates, Inc. 2008); an increasingly rare occurrence along the Central Coast. Developing and implementing activities that would enable the increase in number of California tiger salamanders and the opportunity to increase its distribution at the Park would be highly beneficial to the California tiger salamander along the Central Coast. The District DPR has developed a management plan for the grasslands habitats and Covered Species at the Enrolled Property (McGraw 2007DPR 2013). Under this plan, the grasslands areas supporting seacliff buckwheat within the Enrolled Property will be managed in a manner to benefit the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, including the management of cattle grazing. Cattle grazing is an important component of grassland management to control non-native invasive vegetation, particularly non-native annual grasses. Reducing the threat of the reduction in suitable habitat for Xxxxx'x blue butterfly as a result of non-native invasive plants out- out-competing its host plants plant and other native grassland coastal scrub vegetation is beneficial to the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. Additionally, cattle grazing as a method to control controlling non-native invasive vegetation can promote the recognition of host plants by Xxxxx'x blue butterflies and increase their identification of sites for ovipositing of eggs. Although the Permit would authorize the incidental take of Xxxxx'x blue butterflies via the damage or loss of up to 204 100 host plants within the Baseline area per year over the 3015-year period, the area of suitable habitat for the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, which coincides with the Baseline area for the species, would not be reduced in quality or quantity even if the maximum number of plants were lost each year. The Enrolled Property contains several hundred thousand host plants within the Baseline area. Management activities in this Agreement are anticipated to increase the abundance and distribution of host plants by reducing competition with non-native plants plants, and expanding once trails are closed and revegetated, the area occupied by host plantsplants is anticipated to expand, thus increasing the area of suitable habitat for the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly at the Enrolled Property. Additionally, the District would conduct research to inform their management of the Park to improve the status of the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly and its habitat. These management activities would be beneficial to the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. Over the duration of this Agreement, the increase in abundance and distribution of host plants is anticipated to be greater than any loss of host plants that would be authorized in the Permit. The authorized incidental take in the Permit would not interfere with achieving a net conservation benefit for the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly. DPR’s management plan (DPR 2013) also includes the removal of two existing unimproved creek crossings that will benefit the California red-legged frog. The implementation of construction and maintenance BMPs will avoid and minimize effects to California red-legged frogs and their habitat. Implementation of the trail improvements and closure of user-made trails will benefit the California red-legged frog by removing visitor access to the species’ habitat and reducing the likelihood of disturbance of California red-legged frogs or their habitat by a visitor. Although the Permit would authorize the incidental take of two (2) adult or juvenile California red-legged frogs within the Baseline area per year over the 15-year period, the area of suitable habitat for the red-legged frog, which coincides with the Baseline area for the species, would not be reduced in quality or quantity. The status of the Enrolled Property as an area dedicated to open space and conservation of natural resources, and thereby protected from development, provides a benefit to listed species and other native plant and wildlife species. The District DPR will maintain the Park in a natural state where the native habitats will be maintained and remain mostly undisturbed over the long-term, thereby serving as a refuge for the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia where suitable habitat exists. The restoration and enhancement of listed species habitats within areas dedicated to open space and conservation of natural resources further promotes the conservation and recovery of these species by providing future area areas for each of these species to expand its current range once habitat has been restored or enhanced. The Beneficial Management Activities described in Part 5 of this Agreement have been developed to support the conservation and recovery of the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperiaSpecies. The securing of land and protection from development, the control and removal of non-native species, the maintenance of suitable habitat, the restoration and enhancement of habitat, the development of management plans, and conducting education and outreach activities are recovery actions for the California red-legged frog, frog and Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, and Xxxxx’x piperia, as identified in their respective recovery plans (Service 2002, 2002 and 1984, and 2004a). A recovery plan for the California tiger salamander has not been developed; however, the removal of non-native species, the maintenance of suitable habitat, and the restoration and enhancement of habitat would reduce threats to the California tiger salamander, and therefore provide a conservation benefit to the species and contribute to its recovery (Service 0000x, Xxxxxxxxx 2002). Additionally, the District will manage the ponds and grazing in a manner to benefit the California red-legged frog and the California tiger salamander by incorporating recommendations from amphibian studies conducted at the Park by Xxxxxxxxx and Xxxx (2005 and 2006), and Xxxxxxxxx and D’Amore (2008); these recommendations coincide with Service- recommended recovery actions. Furthermore, the District has supported a study of the effects of cattle grazing on the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, its host plant, and habitat, which is a recommendation made by the Service in a recent status review of the Xxxxx'x blue butterfly (Service 2006). Therefore, management activities associated with this Agreement would benefit the California red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, frog and Xxxxx'x blue butterfly, and Xxxxx’x piperia butterfly by contributing to their conservation and recovery. The Service anticipates that implementation of these management activities will produce a net conservation benefit to the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia by:  : 1. Providing areas where existing suitable habitat for the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia will be maintained or increased in quantity and quality. 2.  Providing areas where suitable habitat for the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia will remain relatively undisturbed. 3.  Providing habitat for the Covered Species and Xxxxx’x piperia to increase in population numbers or distribution. 4.  Maintaining movement corridors and habitat connectivityconnectivity for the Covered Species.