Bear Creek Redwoods Preserve Plan

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Goals and Objectives

Public Use and Facilities

• Allow general public access and enhance recreational opportunities in the preserve
  • Follow appropriate steps to responsibly open the preserve to the public for low intensity recreation and enjoyment
  • Expand and improve the preserve trail system
  • Introduce a safe pedestrian crossing on Bear Creek Road to connect the preserve’s east and west sides
  • Where appropriate, allow bicycle use; consider a multiuse trail facility
  • Expand and improve preserve parking capacity
  • Provide trail-related amenities
• Provide low-impact, high-value site-sensitive interpretation and education activities
  • Ensure any new visitor access features are sited and designed to protect landscape visual character
  • Provide opportunities to learn about natural resources and foster public appreciation of open space values
• Expand opportunities for people with diverse physical abilities to enjoy the preserve
  • Expand and improve ADA parking
  • Provide loop trails and connection to parking areas and key destination sites, as well as those with a wide range of difficulty to reflect a diverse population
• Provide regional and local trail connections
  • Strive to provide connections with key preserve destinations and adjacent open spaces and parks
  • Seek to attain easements, where needed, to make key trail connections to adjacent open space
  • Provide an appropriate and safe pedestrian road crossing to enhance site and trail linkages
• Actively involve the public in the use and management of the preserve
  • Provide opportunities to learn about and support resource management activities through docent, volunteer, and other outreach programs
  • Encourage and engage the public and neighbors in future plan amendments that affect the use and management of the preserve

Natural Resource Management

• Increase the acreage of protected habitat and connectivity to wildlife corridors
  • Continue to purchase properties and conservation easements to expand and protect the preserve’s natural resources, aesthetic values, and connectivity
  • Maintain working relationships with other land owners and stakeholders in the vicinity of the preserve to coordinate efforts to identify and retain habitat linkages
• Protect habitats that support diverse biological resources, are unique, or are important for the conservation of rare, threatened and endangered species
  • Protect and enhance special-status species habitat and other sensitive biotic communities
  • Protect and, where appropriate, enhance forest habitat
  • Plan public access features to avoid adverse impacts and habitat fragmentation
  • Identify wildlife movement corridors; work cooperatively with neighboring landowners and agencies to identify and preserve corridors and habitat linkages
  • Restrict access to areas that require intensive resource management or support sensitive biotic resources
• Protect native wildlife
  • Identify, protect, and monitor special-status wildlife populations
• Repair and monitor ecologically damaged and disturbed areas
  • Control key invasive plant species
  • Manage Sudden Oak Death
  • Restore degraded or disturbed areas
• Protect waterways and associated natural lands to maintain water quality, watershed function, and healthy aquatic habitat
  • Protect water quality and improve stream habitat
  • Treat stormwater runoff and monitor potential sources of sediment and pollutants
  • Identify and maintain existing springs, water infrastructure and water rights

Cultural Resource Management

• Protect and interpret significant historical and cultural resources
  • Organize and increase the Midpen's knowledge of the preserve’s cultural resources
  • Implement cultural resource protection measures and protect historically significant structures
• Within Midpen’s basic mission, rehabilitate the former Alma College site so it can be integrated into the preserve, while respecting the site’s history, character and cultural landscape
  • Restore and reuse the former Alma College site according to federal guidelines for the rehabilitation of cultural landscapes
  • Preserve historic structures that retain integrity and significance to the cultural landscape
  • Ensure the safety and security of visitors to the site
  • Interpret the site’s history in a compelling and engaging manner
  • Balance Midpen’s mission with potential improvements and programs

Maintenance and Operations

• Maintain trails and facilities to protect the natural environment and provide for a quality visitor experience
  • Maintain a high quality, low maintenance, safe and enjoyable road and trail system
  • Reduce potential user conflicts
  • Reduce and control sources of road and trail-related erosion and sedimentation
  • Use best management practices during facility construction and maintenance to control erosion
• Address environmental hazards
  • Retrofit existing structures and site new trails and facilities to reduce seismic risk
  • Remediate contaminated areas and other hazards associated with past landowners and former land use practices
• Reduce wildfire risk
  • Manage wildland fuels and reduce fire hazards to natural resources, structures, and facilities
  • Facilitate wildland fire response and suppression
  • Develop fire response procedures and plans for lease areas
• Ensure that all leases, easements, access agreements, and other legal arrangements are consistent with preserve plan goals and Midpen’s mission
  • Work cooperatively with lessees to ensure lease facilities are maintained in working and safe condition as part of the Bear Creek Stables site plan
  • Ensure conditions of easements and other access agreements with neighboring landowners are met
  • Work cooperatively with lessees to improve facilities and provide educational opportunities