Session IV, Headslope Wildfire Mitigation Stewardship in the Upper Canyon, February 28, 2009, by Mary Millman
Photos by Mary Millman and Marilyn Goldhaber
The temperature was about 65 degrees as we watched the gathering clouds for Sunday's rain that might bring us above 75% of normal. We had a great turnout for this session of eucalyptus spotting in areas that were logged before 2004 by the University. As Tom observed, lots of generals and only one foot soldier--Tom Klatt. Tom arrived with an as yet unworn pair of loggers' boots, since he would be working on close to 100% grade. All the rest of us would be on more level ground spotting eucalyptus sprouts and telling him what to do. In about 2 hours we found and Tom (and Lynn) cut more than 60 eucalyptus stems in the Phase 1 and 2 area to the south of Claremont Ave at Four Corners. This was more than we expected and pretty much, cleaned out the area.
From the southwest corner, we took the little trail that parallels Grizzly Peak Blvd. to the southwest. Because the ground was wet, there were some mushroom surprises including a large ring of cinnamon colored mushrooms at the base of a eucalyptus stump. Jerry Kent noticed numerous wood rat lodges--evidence of a "keystone" species the healthy presence of which indicates the general welfare of the entire ecosystem.
As we cheerfully sent Tom into large stands of poison oak to cut down blue gum sprouts, we also noticed that spring was just beginning; red flowering currant blossoms were everywhere, and native gooseberry foliage was just emerging. We walked back up toward Grizzly and on the way noticed a mature Monterey Pine that had recently been logged. We stopped to count the rings--25 to 40 years old.
When we reattained Grizzly Peak, we spotted a hillside of copiced red gum eucalyptus. This sent Joe Engbeck and Lynn Yamashita over the edge toward Tom to get the sprouts. But we also noticed that this particular spot had been used recently to dump computers, car parts, spa parts!, and garden waste. A real mess. Lots of this was too heavy to drag up and leave on the edge of the road.
Most of us had to leave around noon but Tom was determined to get the maximum use out of those shoes. So he headed for the north side of Claremont Ave, the upper portion of the nine acres we worked in the January session. Even from across the canyon we could see that there were eucalyptus sprouts still standing in the highest regions. Either Tom got them all or he is still up there trying.
Next and final session, Saturday, April 4, 2009. We will finish up the work on the ridge and review what we did.
Session III, Headslope Wildfire Mitigation Stewardship in the Upper Canyon, January 3, 2009, by Mary Millman
U C's Tom Klatt and I conducted the third session of our Headslope Wildfire Mitigation stewardship on the frosty morning of January 3, 2009. As usual, our stated purpose was to search the nine acres of what is known as Phase 4 for eucalyptus, pine, and acacia sprouts. By the end of the morning, we had pulled out two pine sprouts and 196 blue and red gum eucalyptus stems, most of them over two feet high. Considering that the entire population of eucalyptus logged from this area in 2004 numbered about 900, it is easy to see both the invasive nature of eucalyptus, and also the necessity for annual or more frequent manual culling. In its absence, the entire stand of eucalyptus taken out in 2004 would have been reestablished by the morning of our session.
Situated on the northeasterly slope of Claremont Canyon, Phase 4 is an east-west oriented sliver of land, which, starting at four corners, is bounded above by Grizzly Peak Blvd and below by Claremont Ave. The eastern portion of Phase 4 is primarily open grassy meadow and bay laurel stands. Above Grizzly Peak, EBMUD's groves of "thinned" eucalyptus dominate the crest of the north slope and probably provide a portion of the seed bank that produced the 196 stems that we pulled up. The western terminus is an old growth bay laurel grove that shelters the seasonal creek (sometimes called Telegraph Creek) that feeds Claremont/Harwood Creek a little farther down the Canyon.
Eradication of eucalyptus from Phase 4 took place in 2004 as a collaborative effort between U C, PG&E, and the Conservancy. (See: "Thousands of invasive trees cleared in U C Berkeley fire project" Sept 21, 2004). It is not generally remembered, but evidence abounds, that many of the Phase 4 eucalyptus logged in 2004 were copiced sprouts from heritage trunks that themselves had been logged in the early 1970s after the freeze of that decade. Our photo shows the previously logged heritage trunk on the left and the equally large copiced trunk logged in 2004 on the right. Tom Klatt pointed out that under favorable conditions a eucalyptus stem can grow up to 15 feet a year.
It appears that bay laurel had co-existed to some extent with the eucalyptus plantation so that both logging events left a fair number of established trees intact. At all points in Phase 4, one can also see the vigorous reseeding or succession of bay laurel, with few oak and pine sprouts. Probably the loveliest area, however, is the western end which contains an old growth bay laurel grove with an overarching canopy that shelters Telegraph Creek that carries water from Grizzly Peak Blvd and above--a wonderful reminder that all of Claremont Canyon is a watershed.
In our special headslope stewardship series, two distinct areas remain. We will take up the first of these on Saturday, March 7 and complete the series on Saturday, April 4. Hope to see you there.
STEWARDSHIP IN SUPPORT OF HEADSLOPE WILDFIRE MITIGATION
SESSION TWO, DECEMBER 7, 2008 by Mary Millman
The weather for our second session could not have been more lovely--a persistent but gentle breeze and warm sunshine which made the little trek up to U C's logged areas (bounded by Claremont Ave above and the logging road below) easy and delightful.
U C's logging in this area was done partly in 2005 (Phase 5, sect. Z) and partly in 2006 (Phase 6, sects. X and Y) and chip and scatter was the methodology for dealing with the biomass. We noticed that the chips were deeper in the exposed areas at the top. Chips though did not deter three wood rats who had built a compound in a shaded area up there. It is interesting to remember also that this area had been logged in 1975 after the freeze so that the thick forests of pine and eucalyptus that U C removed in 2005-2006 were completely regenerated in that 30-year period. Tom Klatt set out our primary task of spotting eucalyptus, acacia, and pine sprouts, with a lesser urgency of pulling broom from the banks alongside the road.
The oscar for our primary task went to Claudine who noticed that some of the leaves in a nearby bay laurel seemed sort of blue and elongated. Even though we had walked by the trunk several times and never noticed the eucalyptus stem, from a bit of a distance the eucalyptus foliage was distinctive. Following a pattern of reseeding, a eucalyptus seed had settled close to a bay laurel probably last year and had vaulted to the top of the laurel crown some 15 feet without notice. We also found a number of blue and red gum eucalyptus sprouts, but no pine sprouts.
We got to see the progress of the redwood plantings which is impressive, and we pulled up a good amount of broom although eradicating broom will require a strategy and great persistence. It is likely, as Tom says, that the broom problem will finally be solved by the redwoods which will shade them out.
As for native regeneration, bay laurel which leads the succession of native trees, was everywhere abundant and thriving. Probably the most amazing example of rejuvenation in a lesser dimension was the solitary snowberry in full fruit gently inclining over the edge of an embankment from under a pile of chips. We saw native grasses, abundant coyote brush, gooseberries, and lots of poison oak, some sprouting a little and lots in a bare stem state and a few elegant stands of toyon brilliantly colored at this time of year. Finally there were a few mushrooms and one extensive display of rusty capped russulas.
Though we had only five participants, that turned out to be a perfect number for our chosen headslope area. At least for the time being, there are no eucalyptus sprouts up there.
Next session, Saturday, January 3, 2009 at 9 AM.
STEWARDSHIP IN SUPPORT OF HEADSLOPE WILDFIRE MITIGATION
SESSION ONE, NOVEMBER 1, 2008--NO RAIN TILL 11 A M--PROJECT LAUNCHED!
Claremont Canyon Conservancy had a good turnout for the initial session in this important series, even though the first serious rain of the season was threatening. We started at 9 AM and didn't have to run for cover till the first rainband blew through a couple of hours later.
This session's work area was the approximately 10-acre parcel across from the Chert in the upper canyon. Known as Phase 6, this was logged by UC in 2006 to remove eucalyptus, acacia, and pine; there are still substantial piles of chips where exotics as well as natives can easily spout.
Our task in all six sessions is the control of invasive, exotic species in support of natural conversion to native plant types. U C's Tom Klatt directed our work in this area to problems specific to this parcel: first, pull up all eucalyptus sprouts to exhaust the seed stock; next, pull up or dig up as much sprouting acacia as possible. Search for and pull up all pine sprouts; leave newly sprouted broom or thistle around the baby redwoods to dissuade the deer from damaging them; at this time, don't worry about the broom and the thistle.
We had enough volunteers to thoroughly cover our area and we found quite a few eucalyptus sprouts, including one towering 20-foot interloper who had escaped notice by sprouting in a thicket. Since prior to U C's logging there had been a stand of acacia in the area, sprouts were numerous and vigorous within 20 feet or so of the old stumps, and may be a greater problem than the eucalyptus seed stock. We did not find any pine sprouts.
We did find that the redwoods were thriving, that coast live oak and bay laurel are rebounding, that the willows are healthy and that the stand of native gooseberries looks great. Everyone noted the vigorous growth of coyote brush (both genders which we are learning to distinguish)--great news for the local birds and insects--and the special beauty of the coffee berry shrubs. Also notable, we saw plentiful yerba buena on the slopes and in the thickets. And finally, in a timely appearance, the little black poisonous fruit of Blue Witch glistened in the moisture.
Next month we will move upslope to U C's phase 5, which has not been visited as frequently as our initial area and therefore will likely yield more eucalyptus, acacia, and pine sprouts. Tom Klatt will help us understand and evaluate the unique stewardship signature of this, more remote, area.
Please plan to join us. December 6, 9 AM to Noon, meet across from the Chert, let us know you will be attending.
Mary Millman
CONCLUDING HEADSLOPE WILDFIRE MITIGATION/STEWARDSHIP SESSION
U C'S PHASE 2 SATURDAY MORNING, APRIL 4, 2009
April 4 was a bright Spring morning and Claremont Canyon was brilliant green. We met Tom Klatt at Four Corners and walked south along Grizzly Peak Blvd to Phase 2, about 8 acres that the University had logged in 2002. Phase 2 is the area west of Grizzly, down steep slopes, and over to the boundary of the Marg property. We didn't expect to find many eucalyptus sprouts because the seed bed had exhausted itself long ago and there was no dense stand of trees to the east of Grizzly to shower new seeds on the area. But Tom knew where a few blue and red gums had hidden close to the trunk of bay laurels. He got those, including one foot and a half diameter red gum that required the chain saw and proper felling techniques.
Nevertheless Phase 2 held many surprises. Chief among these were the severe mud slides along Grizzly, the most recent of which is only a couple of months old. One can see clearly that Grizzly's roadbed is being undermined. The slides have dumped the huge eucalyptus trunks that lined the roadside down into the canyon. There is quite a bit of disturbed and loose soil, still moist and sprouting grasses, seasonal natives like miner's lettuce, shrubs and vines--lots of native blackberry intermingled with new poison oak shoots. Once again in this area the vigor of the recolonizing Bay Laurel is everywhere apparent, and the lovely vaulting stand of big leaf maples was in full bloom. The slides appear to be the result of the construction of Grizzly Peak Blvd with little or no attention to how water would flow in a rainstorm.
We encountered the usual inventory of roadside trash--car parts, refrigerator parts, bottles, miscellaneous junk. Tom helped to explain the big pile of black plastic trash bag that held black dirt with lots of perlite--these held the waste products of domestic marajuana cultivation--the roots, the dirt, some plastic webbing, some containers. Tom said it was not unusual to find this kind of dumped material off of Grizzly. We spread the dirt on the side of the road and packed out the bags and junk.
We took a little time at the end of the session to look back over the series. The good folks who came out to help liked the exercise, the environment of the canyon, and the sense of accomplishment that the series provided. They also felt they had learned things valuable from several points of view. I certainly learned a great deal, especially what it takes to keep an area that has been logged of invasive eucalyptus free of regrowth and sprouts. Phase 2 showed me that if regular monitoring is conducted after logging, in less than ten years, there will not be much to do. Phase 4, from which we pulled over 200 sprouts in early January, shows the corrolary--that all of the logged stems will return in less than five years if no attention is paid to sprouts.
In all it was a great pleasure to work with Tom Klatt, the University, and our membes and volunteers on this project. I hope we will be able to repeat this work next winter.
Mary Millman
