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DISCUSSION DRAFT East Alameda County Conservation Strategy: A Blueprint for Conservation Action Proposed Technical Approach Revised Apri130, 2007 Task 1: Map Land Cover 1. Develop land cover classification scheme, including limited field work to verify air photo signatures. 2. Determine minimum mapping unit for each land-cover type (suggest 10 acres for most land-cover types; 0.25 acres or less for ponds, wetlands, riparian). 3. Compile existing land cover maps in the study area as a starting point and verification for regional mapping (e.g., Springtown Alkali Sink, N Livermore Specific Plan, SFPUC Alameda Watershed HCP, GAP data, Lawrence Livermore Site 300, Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area). 4. Obtain land cover mapping for areas adjacent to the study area to ensure land cover types match across jurisdictional boundaries (e.g., East Contra Costa County HCP/NCCP, Santa Clara Valley HCP/NCCP). 5. Map land cover in study area using recent color orthophotos. 6. Obtain soil and geology GIS layer and use this to identify land cover types restricted to particular soil types that are not visible on air photos (e.g., serpentine grassland, alkali grassland). 7. Ground truth land cover mapping in representative, accessible areas. Task 2: Map Focal Species 1. Select focal species (e.g., listed species, key "CEQA" species, species as surrogates for wildlife corridors). Use updated list of special-status species in the Biological Resource Report for the County General Plan Update (Jones & Stokes 2003). 2. Determine general biological goals for each focal species. 3. Collect occurrence data for all focal species. 4. Determine habitat relationships of focal species according to land cover classification and other physical parameters. 5. Develop predictive habitat distribution models for each focal species based on land cover map and physical parameters where sufficient data is present. 6. Compile maps of critical habitat of listed species (also to support Programmatic Biological Opinion). Task 3: Compile Land Use and Open Space Data 1. Compile GIS layer of all protected areas in and near the study area that has habitat value, including public and semi-public lands, parks, conservation easements, and mitigation banks. Use the Bay Area Open Space Council data as a starting point. 2. Obtain GIS layers of current general plan designations for County, Livermore, Dublin, and Pleasanton. 3. Overlay general plan layers with land cover map and use expert opinion of local planners to determine where future development is likely to occur. Page 1 of 3