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Qualifications for
Conservation Planning


TRA has special expertise in preparing habitat conservation plans (HCPs) and natural community conservation plans (NCCPs) for threatened and endangered species. HCPs are authorized under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA Section 10(a)(1)(B)) for take of listed endangered or threatened species on private lands, while NCCPs are authorized under the California state Fish and Game Code (Section 2835) to provide for effective protection and conservation of California's wildlife heritage while continuing to allow appropriate development and growth.

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TRA prepared the first HCP (San Bruno Mountain), which was adopted in 1983, and has managed the habitat program on San Bruno Mountain for the County of San Mateo ever since. We also prepared and the second HCP in 1985, the Coachella Valley Fringe-toed Lizard HCP. Both of these plans supported applications for Section 10(a) permits which were subsequently approved by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Based on the San Bruno Mountain experience, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was amended in 1982 to include a provision for an incidental take permit supported by an HCP.

Other HCPs prepared by TRA are listed in the matrix below. Nearly all of the HCPs TRA has prepared were ultimately adopted and resulted in a Section 10(a) permit being granted. To date, the Metropolitan Bakersfield HCP, Seascape Uplands Santa Cruz Long-toed Salamander HCP, Metro Air Park HCP, Kern Water Bank HCP, Quail Hollow Quarry HCP, and the Stallworth Preserve HCP are completed, permitted, and being implemented.

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We are currently overseeing the day-to-day implementation of two plans authored by our firm - the San Bruno Mountain HCP and the Kirby Canyon Conservation Plan. Three HCPs are in various stages of preparation: the San Luis Obispo Coast Beaches HCP for the California Department of Parks and Recreation, the U. C. Davis HCP, and the Placer County Conservation Plan (HCP/NCCP).

TRA has also prepared NEPA documents for several HCPs including environmental assessments for the San Bruno Mountain, Metropolitan Bakersfield, Seascape Uplands, and the Kern Water Bank HCPs, and an EIS for the Metro Air Park HCP.

One major value of our HCP experience is the consensus building process that is part of every HCP. A successful HCP depends upon a partnership between the public and private sector and other stakeholders such as local conservation organizations. Public agencies (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, California Department of Fish and Game, and National Marine Fisheries Service) and environmental advocacy groups must find that the Plan is scientifically based and meets conservation objectives for the species. Local agencies (cities and counties and their departments) must find that the Plan meets local planning objectives and is adequately funded. Private sector landowners must find that the process gives them a certainty of future development actions and leaves them sufficient flexibility and value for their land. All of these competing objectives make the consensus process difficult. TRA's involvement has provided the linkage between scientific data, land use, and economic concerns in guiding all of the parties toward workable solutions.

TRA has also been involved in directing more comprehensive, ecosystem-wide efforts in conservation planning. Beginning in 1992, Tom Reid had the role of coordinator to the Scientific Review Panel (SRP) of the Coastal Sage Scrub Natural Communities Conservation Plan. The SRP was charged with developing Conservation Guidelines for this pioneering regional vegetative community-based planning effort. Tom Reid was technical author of the Conservation Guidelines that were accepted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service allowing the California Department of Fish and Game to take the lead in conservation planning for the Federally-listed threatened California gnatcatcher in a five-county study area in southern California.

From 1996-1999, TRA provided assistance to the State of California Resources Agency for the Headwaters Forest project. We prepared a conservation strategy for the marbled murrelet, Coho salmon and other species of concern; provided technical review of the HCP, and reconciliation of the HCP and Sustained Yield Plan (SYP). We also provided administrative review of the EIS/EIR (prepared by others). A key component of the EIS/EIR was the preparation of the Mitigation and Monitoring Plan, which specified exactly what measures are to be taken to reduce all listed impacts to less than significant levels.

Central to our expertise are computer-based mapping and modeling tools that have been used to identify and classify habitat lands by biological, geomorphic and political characteristics. We use ArcView the most widely-used geographic information systems (GIS) software and AutoCad, the most widely used engineering and architectural design software to provide database compatibility and mapping integration for detailed project analysis.