The Marin Conservation League has been following closely the progress of Vegetation Management Plans (VMPs) for both the Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) and the Marin County Open Space District (MCOSD). Between the two agencies, more than 37,000 acres of land are involved.  These plans focus particularly on the need to control invasive species and manage fire hazard.  We do so because we want to ensure that these plans  take due consideration of the need also  to protect natural resources, enhance biodiversity, and employ best management practices to protect the environment.  As MMWD reminds us in their January issue of The Inside Source,  “The Mount Tamalpais watershed is part of the Golden Gate Biosphere Reserve, which means that it is an internationally recognized biodiversity ‘hot spot,’ and home to over 900 species of plants and 400 species of animals, including 77 rare, threatened, and endangered species.”  That statement says it all and underlines what is potentially at risk with our rich watershed and open space lands. Both of these planning processes will be moving forward rapidly this year.

Invasive Broom, photo by Doug Greenberg, flickr cc

The MMWD Board is expected to award a contract to Leonard Charles and Associates to prepare the Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for their VMP.  A public review draft of the VMP itself was expected to be released for comment in April but has not yet been seen.  Public EIR Scoping meetings are also upcoming and the Draft EIR is scheduled to be completed by year end.

The VMP for the Open Space District is on a similar schedule.  Two series of public outreach meetings have already taken place regarding VMP goals and objectives.  Later this spring MCOSD will report to the public on draft strategies for the VMP, followed in the summer with a draft VMP. They expect to complete the environmental review during the summer and fall and adopt the VMP early in 2011.

MCL will continue to monitor these plans in the coming months.  We encourage you to help us ensure that these Vegetation Management Plans achieve a balanced approach to preserving and protecting our county’s diverse natural resources along with controlling fire risks and invasive plant species such as French broom, pampas grass, and many others.  Both Districts offer volunteer opportunities for you to engage directly in protecting our watersheds and open space preserves.

Invasive Pampas Grass, photo by Lynn Schnitzer, flickr cc