Cooperative Agreement F22AC03122

THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AND SURROUNDING REGIONS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HOST MANY RARE AND VULNERABLE SPECIES, INCLUDING SENSITIVE WILDLIFE ENDEMIC TO THE REGION, SUCH AS THE SAN JOAQUIN KIT FOX, CALIFORNIA CONDOR, BURROWING OWLS, AMPHIBIANS, REPTILES, MIGRATORY BIRDS, POLLINATORS, AND MANY LOCAL SPECIES MOST OF THESE ANIMALS SUFFER FROM HABITAT LOSS AND FRAGMENTATION, THIS HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WILL RESTORE APPROXIMATELY 55 ACRES OF RIPARIAN HABITAT AND GRASSLAND, BY PROVIDING RIPARIAN FENCING, AND INSTALLING PIPELINES, TROUGHS, TANKS, AND ASSOCIATED MATERIALS NEEDED TO MANAGE CONSERVATION GRAZING, ANNUAL GRASSES AND PLANTING NATIVE RIPARIAN VEGETATION TO IMPROVE HABITAT DIVERSITY AND STRATIFICATION WITHIN THE RIPARIAN CORRIDOR THE ACTIVELY GRAZED RANCH PROVIDES SUITABLE HABITAT FOR SEVERAL RARE AND UNIQUE SPECIES INCLUDING SAN JOAQUIN KIT FOX, GOLDEN EAGLES, POND TURTLES, BURROWING OWLS, CALIFORNIA CONDOR, CALIFORNIA RED LEGGED FROG, AND CALIFORNIA TIGER SALAMANDERS THE PRIMARY USE OF THE LAND IS CATTLE PRODUCTION, FOR WHICH THE RANCH IS WORKING TO IMPLEMENT A CONSERVATION GRAZING PLAN, WHICH WILL IMPROVE CONSERVATION STRATEGIES AND RANCH OPERATIONS THIS RIPARIAN FENCING AND HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECT WILL PROVIDE FURTHER ENHANCEMENTS BY ENCLOSING FENCING APPROXIMATELY 20 ACRES OF RIPARIAN AREA, WHICH INCLUDES APPROXIMATELY 0 8 MILES OF ACTIVE STREAM CHANNEL THE PARTNERS FOR FISH AND WILDLIFE PROGRAM PROJECT WILL IMPROVE THIS NATIVE GRASSLAND RIPARIAN HABITAT WHILE CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO PROMOTE CONSERVATION GRAZING NEEDED TO BENEFIT MANY PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN THE AREA INCLUDING USE BY BOTH PERMANENT AND MIGRATORY WILDLIFE, FROM BIRDS AND MAMMALS TO AQUATIC SPECIES, AND INSECTS