Conservation Strategic Plan 2021 2030 - Shelli Herman
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Conservation Strategic Plan
2021 – 2030
The Conservancy's vision is to inspire a lifetime of exploration and stewardship of the natural
and cultural world by encouraging experiences with the wild that deepen understanding of the
connections between nature and self. We preserve and restore the environment on Catalina,
promoting and modeling ecologically sustainable communities to create a healthier future for
this Island and our Earth.
The mission of the Catalina Island Conservancy is to be a responsible steward
of its lands through a balance of conservation, education and recreation.
January 2021
Avalon, CA
Table of contents
Core Values ............................................................................................................................. 3
Why safeguard and cherish Catalina Island? .......................................................................... 4
Purposes of the conservation plan........................................................................................... 5
1. Long term resiliency ........................................................................................................... 6
2. Plant communities and species ........................................................................................... 7
3. Animal populations and species.......................................................................................... 8
4. Research and partnership development .............................................................................. 9
5. Cultural resources ............................................................................................................. 10
6. Sustainability and balance................................................................................................. 11
Appendix 1: Endemic Animal Species ................................................................................. 12
Appendix 2: Endemic Plants ................................................................................................. 14
Appendix 3: Invasive Plant Management Approach ............................................................ 16
Appendix 4: Conservation Plan Framework ......................................................................... 18
2
Core Values
All actions of the Conservancy – its Board, staff and volunteers – are guided by shared core
values integrated across all aspects of our work:
We value and appreciate Catalina Island and its marine environment as a natural wonder, a
haven for rare and native species, a place of enjoyment and respite in nature, and a
treasured piece of California history.
We believe that responsible stewardship of Catalina Island should be a thoughtful balance
of conservation, education and recreation where each is pursued in ways that enhance the
other without degrading the overall health of the ecosystem.
We believe that 21st century conservation must be based in sound science and value both
the current and future needs of society.
We believe that life-long learning and educational experiences in nature can inspire people
to become responsible stewards of the Earth.
We believe that responsible and informed nature-based recreation is a powerful vehicle for
engaging people in the on-going stewardship of natural and cultural resources.
We believe that collaboration both with those who enjoy Catalina Island, and the
organizations and individuals who can lend needed expertise, is fundamental to protecting
nature’s wild places and ensuring that they remain accessible.
We believe that sustainable conservation - protecting Catalina’s wildlands in perpetuity -
requires a robust financial and operational model that holds the organization to the highest
ethical, safety and management standards, and includes social enterprise as well as
philanthropy.
We value and appreciate the Conservancy’s dedicated staff, volunteers, supporters and
partners, without whom it could not be successful in its mission.
We believe that the success of the Conservancy on Catalina Island will become a model for
helping to address the world’s environmental challenges and for shaping a sustainable
future.
3
Why safeguard and cherish Catalina Island? Catalina Island is a special ecosystem beloved by millions of people with a unique opportunity to use conservation to educate and create enjoyable experiences for everyone into the future. In 1972, when the Catalina Island Conservancy was formed, much of southern California’s coastline was still wild. Today, Catalina Island, 20 miles offshore of the burgeoning Los Angeles metropolis, is one of the largest privately held wild areas in the state and among the best- preserved examples of undeveloped coastline in the region. More than 88% of its lands are under protection (owned and managed by the Conservancy) and 98% of its surface is designated open space in the Local Coastal Plan. Catalina Island is a haven for biodiversity with 16 unique and rare plant communities and at least 60 known species of plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Catalina lies within The California Floristic Province, a biodiversity hotspot represented by the Mediterranean-type climate characterized by hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters. The California Floristic Province is one of the global 36 ―biodiversity hotspots,‖ the most diverse and threatened places on Earth, and is home to more than 3,000 species of vascular plants, 60% of which are endemic to the Province. It is also one of the most threatened places on Earth, having lost more than 70% of its primary native vegetation. Additionally, the Island possesses a number of archaeological sites and cultural artifacts. Each of us is part of the natural world, with our survival depending on healthy, functioning ecosystems that provide the soil under our feet, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. Open spaces and natural areas are our supermarkets and our pharmacies; they are also places to build physical health and seek intellectual and spiritual renewal. Natural places are the source of our well-being – not an indulgence or an option, but a necessity. Catalina Island is such a place. Catalina Island offers the kind of peace and respite usually found in more remote areas: clean air, breathtaking vistas and unparalleled opportunities for people to connect with wild nature. As wild spaces decline and the demand for access to those that remain rises, the Catalina Island Conservancy will be ready to meet society’s desire for recreation and enrichment. Catalina Island is changing. Its natural communities are evolving in response to new conditions brought about by human activity, arrival of non-native species, climate change and varying water availability. Our management goal therefore cannot be the preservation of Catalina Island as a static landscape, an ideal fixed in time. The challenge of conservation is to maintain robust, resilient ecosystems and healthy species while allowing for change, rather than to defend an imagined historical ideal. We are informed by the past, but not beholden to it. Our guiding principles include: a) Ecosystem change is inevitable and includes both positive and negative elements; b) Management flexibility is necessary to this changing world; c) Adaptive conservation requires innovative thinking and testing of new approaches; d) Our organization, and the Island community as a whole, must adjust to the ongoing changes in the environment.
Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
Purposes of the conservation plan
Catalina Island Conservancy 2030 Conservation Plan aims to present:
Our vision for conservation on Catalina, conservation department goals and extra-
departmental coordination plans.
An adaptive conservation framework that can be critiqued, tested, improved and re-
prioritized as new knowledge, threats and opportunities arise. We will update and revise
the strategy at two-year intervals and conduct a rigorous “mid-term” evaluation of our
progress and of this strategy by 2025.
A logical plan for our daily activities that collectively will lead to short-term objectives
and long-term desired outcomes (Appendix 4).
An approach that inspires investment and partnerships on individual projects that
contribute to the “big picture.”
A process to help Conservancy staff communicate and collaborate with agencies,
organizations and individuals concerned with our conservation ambitions.
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Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
1. Long term resiliency
An Island whose ecosystem is resilient and has the
capacity to adapt to future changes.
Catalina Island is a dynamic, evolving ecosystem that cannot
be managed towards a static, ideal state. One of our primary
goals is to plan for the long-term future of the Island. We
need to understand our ecosystems in order to develop
strategies to guide their inevitable changes due to factors such
as groundwater availability, climate, fires and arrival of new
species.
Resiliency issues we will address:
The inevitability of ecosystem changes and their impacts
require adaptive resource management. Our practices must be Balanced use of water
continually informed by evolving knowledge and research. Fire mitigation
Understanding these complex processes and acting Invasive species management
Climate change adaptation
accordingly is critical to ensuring our Island’s ecosystem is
resilient and adaptable to future changes.
Goal 1.1 Strategy to manage surface and groundwater resources to balance the needs
of the Island’s ecosystem and human population.
Goal 1.2 Natural and man-made fire management plan compatible with conservation
objectives without compromising life and property.
Goal 1.3 Complete removal of introduced mule deer.
Goal 1.4 Management of invasive plant species so that native species, their
communities, and the Island ecosystem are not adversely affected.
Goal 1.5 Development of sufficiently precise climate change models so that the effects
of climate change can be incorporated into land and water system
management decision-making.
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Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
2. Plant communities and species
An Island with resilient natural plant communities in
which common and abundant species and rare and
endemic flora communities are not at risk.
Plants link the abiotic and living worlds, transforming
inanimate matter and energy into the materials necessary for
life. As such, they are the foundation of every terrestrial
ecosystem and make possible the vast array of life forms
comprising our biosphere. The health of a landscape can be
read in the health of its plants. Programs we will implement:
Catalina Island offers a snapshot of southern California’s Maintain rare, listed and endemic
vegetation as it might have looked before the population plants
th
growth and its resultant development in the 20 century. Our Support rare plant communities
Island is steadily recovering from years of overgrazing by Conserve native plant taxa
domestic animals and continues to experience heavy grazing Monitor characteristic plant
impacts by certain non-native mammals. While showing communities
Restore oak woodland and
some signs of recovery, oak habitats are still declining and a
chaparral
range of endemic species continue to be limited in
distribution. While recognizing that a return to some imagined “pristine state” is impossible, we
aim to protect and manage all native floristic biodiversity while guiding landscape recovery.
Goal 2.1 Viable populations of all Catalina endemic and state- and federally-listed
plant species are maintained through appropriate and necessary survey,
inventory and management activities.
Goal 2.2 Viable native plant communities are maintained and supported through
appropriate survey, inventory and management activities.
Goal 2.3 A genetic repository comprising at least 90% of Catalina’s native plant taxa
is developed and maintained through seed banking, as well as conservation
plantings—both in-situ and ex-situ.
Goal 2.4 The Island-wide conservation status of characteristic plant communities is
assessed periodically so that evidence-based management decisions can be
made and evaluated.
Goal 2.5 Reverse the 60-year decline of the oak (Quercus pacifica and Q. tomentella)
woodland, estimated at 5,000 acres (or 31% of the Island).
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Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
3. Animal populations and species
An Island with resilient native animal populations
where rare and endemic Island fauna are not at risk.
Santa Catalina Island has a wider diversity of animals than most
of the other Southern California Channel Islands due to its
larger size and proximity to the mainland. While the terrestrial
habitat is slowly recovering from grazing, significant pressures
remain for the Island’s known and unknown animal denizens –
predation by cats and rats on mammals and birds, spread of
aggressive invasive ants and the vulnerability of oak, mesic and
aquatic habitats. We need to remain highly vigilant.
Programs we will implement:
The most emblematic mammal, the Catalina Island fox, remains
listed as “threatened” by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a Maintain Island fox population
term that recognizes their incredible recovery from near Protect rare, listed and endemic
extinction while retaining protection against the enduring animal species
threats on this heavily-visited Island. Though the population is Manage introduced animal species
currently healthy, ongoing conservation work is necessary to
ensure this Island ambassador continues to thrive.
Exciting conservation opportunities remain. In 2020, during a remote camera research effort, a
live Catalina Island Shrew, an endemic species listed as a Species of Special Concern, was
observed for the first time since 2004. In the upcoming decade, the Conservancy will increase its
effort to document, understand and manage the lesser-known animals representing Catalina’s
diversity though strong research partnerships.
Goal 3.1 A healthy, resilient population of Santa Catalina Island foxes within the
carrying capacity of the Island is maintained.
Goal 3.2 Sufficient knowledge of the population sizes and habitat requirements as well
as the threats to rare, listed and endemic animal species to take management
actions.
Goal 3.3 Introduced animals (e.g., cats, honeybees, bullfrogs, rats, ants, starlings) are
not having a widespread detrimental effect on native animal communities.
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Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
4. Research and partnership development
Catalina Island Conservancy is maximizing
opportunities for research and collaboration with
partners in academia, research institut ions, NGOs and
other land trusts to expand the knowledge and
educational base for its own and society’s management
needs.
Landscape level conservation management requires an Programs we will implement:
interdisciplinary approach where ecologists, taxonomists,
archaeologists, geologists, historians, botanists, wildlife Develop and share
biologists, social scientists and others work together to increase geospatial information
understanding of the Island’s natural systems. The Conservancy and analysis
employs a group of specialized biologists and land managers, Collaborate with outside
knowledgeable of the Island’s resources and logistics, who researchers
partner with researchers and volunteers in the development and Contribute to the
protection of nearshore
implementation of long-term studies and provide data and
marine systems
information in support of research. These opportunities will
continue to grow as more conservation issues are addressed and
new tools are developed. These partnerships provide key information to support the management
decisions by the Conservancy, are a source of future staff and provide a cost-effective way to
expand the reach of the organization.
There are several important conservation challenges and questions that need long-term and
focused research efforts to be answered effectively. Research on these conservation priorities is
essential for the Conservancy to continue to make sound, science-based decisions about the
management of the resources in its care. Unlike many islands that are isolated and hard to reach,
Catalina is ideally placed just 20 miles off the coast of Southern California for external input and
collaboration. Numerous universities and their scientists and educators are eager to collaborate
with the Conservancy to leverage knowledge and resources. More than 100 current and past
researchers have studied aspects of Catalina’s unique biodiversity and we look forward to
developing hundreds of new collaborations in the future.
Goal 5.1 Develop robust and up-to-date geospatial information to support
Conservancy management and, as appropriate, make available to public,
government and university collaborators.
Goal 5.2 Catalina Island is viewed as a living laboratory for the exploration of all
manner of applied and theoretical questions through robust and long-term
research collaborations.
Goal 5.3 Nearshore terrestrial and marine ecosystems (e.g. kelp forests) are abundant,
healthy and secure from negative hydrological and ecological alterations.
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Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
5. Cultural resources
An Island where the rich, multi -millennia human habitation
of Catalina Island is inventoried, mapped and managed in
ways that reflect its value to future generations and, for
pre-historic sites, a sensitivity to the Native American
community while complying with applicable local, state and
federal laws.
Catalina has a rich history of human occupation. Native Americans
began to inhabit Catalina approximately 9,000 years ago. Removed
from the Island in the early 1820s, they left behind some 2,000 sites
of archaeological significance. Additionally, remnants of the Civil Programs we will implement:
War and World War II eras are scattered across the Island joined by
historic buildings, the Wrigley Memorial and Botanic Garden, relics Preserve indigenous
cultural resources
from mining, and cattle and sheep ranching.
Protect historic
cultural resources
For prehistoric sites, a comprehensive plan should include Maintain healthy bison
cataloguing archeological sites and assessing their current condition; population
what measures and technologies can be used to protect and preserve
delicate archaeological sites (including soapstone quarries, pictographs and petroglyphs and
other remnants); and how these sites (or a selection of them) can be best protected and
interpreted for the public. Through partnerships with appropriate experts, additional activities
may include documenting which groups besides the Tongva or Gabrielinos (the last indigenous
people known to reside on the Island) lived here; managing and storing major archaeological
collections; and what kinds of non-invasive explorations are possible given the locations and
types of resources.
In addition, the Conservancy maintains a non-native and historic herd of bison on Catalina Island
as a connection to an important historical period and an educational tool. These animals link to
one of the earliest conservation programs in the United States, the connections to filmmaking,
the transition of ranching to conservation and the value of tourism in educating a broader public
on the value of conservation.
Goal 5.1 Significant prehistoric cultural resources are identified, preserved and
protected when possible (middens, habitation sites, lithic scatters, human
remains, etc.).
Goal 5.2 Historic cultural resources (buildings, Wrigley Memorial and Botanic
Garden, mines, etc.) are appropriately and safely managed to reflect their
value to current and future visitors to the Island.
Goal 5.3 Bison population is maintained within an acceptable population size and
distribution, balancing ecosystem impacts with their recreational, historical
and cultural value.
10Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
6. Sustainability and balance
An organization that is a model in sustainability and in
which conservation efforts, education and recreation are
highly synergistic.
Conservation department will work closely with other
departments to achieve our organization’s mission to be a
responsible steward of its lands through a balance of
conservation, education and recreation.
Catalina Island provides a unique “living classroom” to engage We will support and closely
collaborate with our colleagues
children, families, students and professionals in life-long learning
addressing:
about the natural and cultural history of Catalina, its conservation
challenges and the sustainable behaviors that will ensure its long- Land stewardship/
term health and protection. We will continue to work hand-in- recreational presence
hand with our colleagues from the Education and the Operations
Communications Departments to provide information for Communication
education and public outreach programs that extend the Education
Conservancy mission to external audiences. Sustainability best
practices
An important element of managing a multiple-use landscape is
the determination of how much use is too much and the development of tools to define, measure,
monitor and enforce carrying capacity limits. We will collaborate with our colleagues from the
Operations Department to develop methodologies to set these limits and implement the best
management practices to achieve a balance between the impact of the various uses and the
resilience and recovery of the Island’s ecosystems.
We are also committed to providing thought leadership on formation and implementation of
sustainability policies and practices for the Conservancy in support of our organization’s vision
of “promoting and modeling ecologically sustainable communities.”
6.1 Sustain and promote excellence in sustainable nature-based recreation and
ecotourism ensuring the long-term protection of Catalina.
6.2 Sustain and promote excellence in environmental education and communications in
support of the Conservancy’s conservation management goals, and promote
conservation values and behaviors to Catalina’s residents, visitors and a global
society.
6.3 Develop and implement sustainable practices in the operations of the Catalina
Island Conservancy including, but not limited to energy use, water use and
discharge, waste/recycling, responsible sourcing practices and greenhouse gas
emissions.
11Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
Appendix 1: Endemic Animal Species
MAMMALS
Catalina California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi nesioticus)
Santa Catalina Island fox (Urocyon littoralis catalinae)
Santa Catalina Island deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus catalinae)
Santa Catalina Island harvest mouse (Reithrodontomys megalotis catalinae)
Santa Catalina Island shrew (Sorex ornatus willetti)
BIRDS
Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii catalinae)
Catalina California quail (Callipepla californica catalinensis)
Catalina Hutton’s Vireo (Vireo huttoni unitti)
INVERTEBRATES
Avalon hairstreak butterfly (Strymon avalona)
Scarab beetle (Coenonycha clypeata)
Scarab beetle (Coenonycha fulva)
Scarab beetle (Phobetus ciliatus)
Scarab beetle (Serica catalina)
Catalina Walkingstick (Pseudosermyle catalina)
Catalina shield-back cricket (Neduba propsti)
Catalina orangetip butterfly (Anthocharis cethura catalina)
Dasytastes insularis
Dasytastes catalinae
Jerusalem cricket (Stenopelmatus n. spp.)
Horsehair worm
Thief ant (Solenopsis texana catalinae)
Silk-spinning cricket (Cnemotettix miniatus)
Catalina cicada (Okanagana hirsuta)
Strigota seclusa
Darkling beetle (Metoponium insulare)
Darkling beetle (Eleodes omissa catalinae)
Oligomerodes catalinae
Fuzzy weevil (Trigonoscuta catalina)
Euvrietta catalinae
Soldier beetle (Cantharis hatchi dorothyae)
Painted tiger moth (Arachnis picta meadowsi)
Scavenger moth (Holocera phenacocci)
Tortricid moth (Eucosma avalona)
Cambrid snout moth (Evergestis angustalis catalinae)
Blotched leaf miner (Amauromyza insularis)
Evylaeus avalonensis
Anthophora urbana catalinae
Cuckoo bee (Nomada avalonica)
Catalina long-horned bee (Exomalopsis cockerelli)
12Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
Catalina long-horned bee (Melissodes scottii)
Monkey grasshopper (Morsea californica catalinae)
Snout beetle (Stenoptochus inconstans)
Catalina crab spider (Misumenops importunes belkini)
Catalina millipede (Bollmaniulus catalinae)
Small millipede
Catalina centipede (Pectiniunguis catalinensis)
Catalina centipede (Pectiniunguis heathi catalinae)
Catalina mountain snail (Radiocentrun avalonense)
Avalon land snail (Micrarionta beatula)
Catalina Island snail (Micrarionta rufocincta)
Catalina snail (Micrarionta catalinae)
Catalina cactus snail (Xerarionta kellettii)
Catalina lancetooth snail (Haplotrema catalinense)
13Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
Appendix 2: Endemic Plants
14Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
15Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
Appendix 3: Invasive Plant Management Approach
A. Survey and map all known Avalon populations of:
Ailanthus altissima
Arundo donax
Caesalpinia spinosa
Delairea odorata
Tamarix ramosissima
These five species have been eradicated in the wildlands in the past with known populations in
the Avalon area. To continue this success story, we map these populations and monitor them
with the possibility of eradication Island wide.
B. Survey/control all known active wildlands populations of:
Ailanthus altissima Hedera helix
Arundo donax Lathyrus tingitanus
Asphodelus fistulosus Malephora crocea
Caesalpinia spinosa Pennisetum setaceum
Centaurea solstitialis Pittosporum undulatum
Centranthus ruber Plecostachys serpyllifolia
Cortaderia selloana Spartium junceum
Cotoneaster pannosus Stipa tenuissima
Cynara cardunculus Tamarix ramosissima
Dimorphotheca fruticosa Tragopogon porrifolius
Eriogonum fasciculatum Tribulus terrestris
Genista linifolia Vinca major
Genista stenopetala
These species are known to dominate ecosystems and there are plenty of examples of them doing
so on the Island. Where they dominate, they alter plant communities and ecosystem function.
The most profound example would be flax-leaf broom (Genista linifolia) increasing erosion in
the Avalon area. These species are already prolific, and eradicating is not an option, so we
instead find areas to control so they do not continue spreading.
C. Conduct early detection surveys in Avalon, Two Harbors and a prioritized subset of roads
and trails for Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) target species:
Acacia cyclops Arctotheca calendula
Aegilops triuncialis Brassica tounefortii
16Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
Cenchrus echinatus Lepidium draba
Cenchrus longispinus Melinis repens
Centaurea cyanus Malephora crocea
Centaurea diluta Oenothera xenogaura
Centaurea solstitialis Oncosiphon piluliferum
Chrysanthemoides monilifera Parthenium hysterophorus
Cytisus scoparius Pilosella aurantiaca
Cytisus striatus Rhamnus alaternus
Delairea odorata Rytidosperma caespitosum
Dittrichia graveolens Rytidosperma penicillatum
Elaeagnus angustifolia Senecio leptophyllus
Euphorbia helioscopia Senecio linearifolius
Euphorbia terracina Senecio quadridentatus
Galenia pubescens Senna didymobotrya
Helminthotheca echioides Tribulus terrestris
Hypericum canariense Volutaria tubuliflora
Lepidium chalepense
These are highly invasive species. If any of these species are found in the wildlands, they will
end up costing our program significant time and money. These species have the potential to alter
ecosystems – especially our more sensitive areas such as riparian herbaceous, coastal marsh and
maritime cactus scrub. Preventing them from entering the wildlands is one of the most cost-
effective pieces of our program.
17Conservation Strategic Plan 2021-2030
Appendix 4: Conservation Plan Framework
185 year priority
Target No.
Goal No.
ranking
TARGET DESIRED STATE PROGRAM GOAL OBJECTIVES 2025 Results
Complete a multi-phased, comprehensive review
of surface and groundwater availability and water
use requirements for the ecosystem and
Review existing literature pertaining to freshwater on Catalina Island and create a process for data review,
Strategy to manage individual watersheds in the context of competing
An Island whose management and regular stakeholder interactions by 2022.
surface and demands for water in a changing climate.
ecosystem is resilient
Long-term Balanced water groundwater resources
1 and has the capacity 1.1. Create a prioritized resource plan and coordinate funding to finance project launch in 2023.
resiliency use to balance the needs of Develop innovating model to envision water use
to adapt to future
the Island's ecosystem and climate change including Middle Canyon as a
changes. Create a logistical plan for filling in water resource data gaps on Catalina Island by 2024.
and human population. priority project by 2025.
Document potential threat from loss of soil by
2024.
Natural and man-made
fire management plan Develop a comprehensive fire ignition reduction Minimize fire prevention physical disturbances to the land (fire breaks and vegetation alteration for
Fire management compatible with and fire management strategy with relevant defensible space).
1.2.
plan conservation objectives stakeholders (Avalon fire department, LA County
without compromising fire department) by 2023. Ensure that rare plant communities are not unnecessarily impacted during fire control efforts.
life and property.
Present to the CIC board a deer removal roadmap with policy, technical, financial and risk-management
Complete removal of analyses in 2021.
1.3. Full deer removal from the island by 2031.
introduced mule deer.
Gain Board approval, put together a resource plan and begin fundraising in 2022.
Impact of invasive Continue current control and prioritization efforts under existing grant commitments and plans.
species
Management of
By 2022 complete resurvey of island for invasive plants using ground, drone and helicopter survey
invasive species so that
methods.
native species, their Continuously eradicate or manage to low levels
1.4.
communities, and the ecosystem threatening nonnative plant species.
By mid-2022 complete the revision of invasive plant management plan.
Island ecosystems are
not advserely affected.
By 2027, eradicate or reduce to low maintenance levels all target invasive species.
Follow and promote phytosanitation best practices within the CIC and public in Avalon.
Development of
sufficiently precise
climate change models
In collaboration with outside researchers, develop Catalina-specific climate models to predict effects of
so that the effects of
Develop climate change models by 2025 and climate change on Catalina Island and aid in management decisions and prioritization (e.g., restoration of
Climate change 1.5. climate change can be
adaptation strategy by 2027. riparian habitats, mesic coves, north-facing microrefugia, aquatic habitats, and prioritization of sensitive
incorporated into land
species, habitats and ecological processes.
and water system
management decision-
making.5 year priority
Target No.
Goal No.
ranking
TARGET DESIRED STATE PROGRAM GOAL OBJECTIVES 2025 Results
An Island with Viable populations of all
resilient natural Catalina endemic and
plant communities, state- and federally-
Plant in which common listed plant species are Yearly inventories of all rare plant taxa, with collation and analysis of data.
Rare, Listed and Locate, evaluate status, and manage as necessary
2 communities and abundant 2.1. maintained through
Endemic Plants key rare and endemic flora
and species species and rare and appropriate and Where appropriate, completion of seed bulking- and vegetative propagation efforts.
endemic flora necessary survey,
communities are not inventory and
at risk. management activities.
Viable native plant
communities are
maintained and
Rare plant Locate, evaluate status, and manage as necessary Research and management actionstaken to protect and restore: mesic coves, ironwood and island oak
2.2. supported through
communities key rare and endemic plant communities. groves, riparian habitats, Coreopsis thickets, beach/dunes, salinas.
appropriate survey,
inventory and
management activities
A genetic repository
comprising at least 90%
Plant
of Catalina’s native Maintain floristic biodiversity at genetic and
Conservation
plant taxa is developed organism level, provide local provenance plant
Program (ex-situ, Continue current ex-situ, in-situ and seed conservation efforts and activities. Formalize relationships with
2.3. and maintained material for restoration projects, climate change
in-situ, seed off-island seed and genetic banks with formal MOU.
through seed banking, and disturbance (catastrophic fire) hedge in
conservation; incl.
as well conservation perpetuity.
nursery)
plantings—both in-situ
and ex-situ .
The island-wide
conservation status of
characteristic plant Develop Catalina Island biodiversity scorecard by 2023.
Key internal, long-term or episodic ecological data
Long-term communities is
collection activities and programs required to
Community 2.4. assessed periodically, so Develop a plan for long term monitoring (inclding plots).
manage Island ecosystem using "adaptive
Monitoring that evidence-based
management" approach.
management decisions Develop updated vegetation map by 2022.
can be made and
evaluated.
Reverse the 60 year
decline of the oak
Follow up on the findings of Oak Symposium.
Oak woodlands (Quercus pacifica and Develop an oak restoration plan by end 2021.
and chaparral 2.5. Quercus tomentella )
https://www.catalinaconservancy.org/index.php?
restoration woodland, estimated Implement the plan through 2025 and beyond.
s=wildlife&p=oak_symposium_proceedings
5000 acres (or 31% of
the Island).5 year priority
Target No.
Goal No.
ranking
TARGET DESIRED STATE PROGRAM GOAL OBJECTIVES 2025 Results
Continue to implement the following actions: 1) Annual fox trapping program including vaccine
An Island with A healthy, resilient administration for distemper and rabies, 2) weekly aerial radio surveys of radio-collared "sentinel" foxes, 3)
resilient native population of Santa capacity to respond to reports of fox mortality by evaluating cause of death (e.g. paying for necropsy) and
Animal Maintain low threat from disease through aerial
animal populations Catalina Island foxes rehabilitating injured animals (e.g. Quail Valley vet clinic, Avalon Veterinarian), 4) perform or collaborate
3 populations Island Fox 3.1. telemetry, vaccinations, annual population
where rare and within the carrying with outside researchers on necessary or appropriate research about the Island fox; 5) continue to
and species monitoring and health evaluation.
endemic Island fauna capacity of the Island is participate in Island Fox work group.
are not at risk. maintained.
Continuously re-evaluate CIC involvenemnt and effort on managing Island fox.
Sufficient knowledge of
By 2023, advance basic knowledge of key taxa (e.g. shrew, deer mouse, townsend bat, Hutton vireo)
the population sizes
sufficient to make decisions about need for additional research.
and habitat Locate, evaluate status and threats, and manage
Rare, Listed and requirements as well as as necessary key rare and endemic fauna (e.g.,
Develop research collaborations focusing on gaps in basic biodiversity knowledge of Catalina Island
Endemic Animal 3.2. the threats to rare, Catalina shrew, Townsend's big-eared bat, Island
especially invertebrates, herpetofauna and migratory birds by 2025.
Species listed and endemic Loggerhead Shrike, Scripps's murrelets, etc.) by
animal species is 2027.
By 2027, develop and implement species management plans as needed by research results, and initiate ad
sufficient to take
hoc management actions as needed.
management actions.
Continue to implement current early detection of non-native mesocarnivores (e.g. raccoons, possums) by
deployment of game cameras at baited traps in Two Harbors and other locations and capacity to respond
Introduced animals are
to all reports of mesocarnivores on Catalina Island.
not are not having a Reduce threat to island ecosystem and fauna from
Introduced
3.3. widespread detrimental introduced animals (e.g. introduced, feral) by
Animals By 2030, or earlier if feasible, develop management plans for other introduced animals and obtain funding
effect on native 2035.
for research and management
communites.
Evaluate the impact of ground squirrel herbivory on restoration efforts
Catalina Island
Conservancy is
maximizing
opportunities for Develop robust and up-
research and to-date geospatial
collaboration with information to support Take the following actions: 1) continue to maintain up-to-date geospatial information in the Conservancy's
Maintain an essential mapping and analysis
Research and partners in Geospatial Conservancy geospatial database including regular acquisition of data layers 2) Collaborate with California State
function for conservation research and
4 Partnership academia, research Information and 4.1. management and, as University Long Beach (CSULB) to develop database for housing research, geospatial and long-term
management, sustainable operations, and nature-
Development institutions, NGOs Analysis appropriate, make monitoring data, 3) In collaboration with outside researchers, perform sophisticated landscape and
based recreation.
and other land trusts available to public, predictive modeling analyses of species, habitats and communities on Catalina Island
to expand the government and
knowledge and university collaborators.
educational base for
its own and society's
management needs.5 year priority
Target No.
Goal No.
ranking
TARGET DESIRED STATE PROGRAM GOAL OBJECTIVES 2025 Results
1. Create a tiered strategic research plan and prioritize research goals and interests of Conservancy to
support its core conservation mission and which can best benefit from third-party partnerships by 2022.
Establish Catalina Island Conservancy as a relevant 2. Use a new business model approach to reimagine and define costs and cost-recovery associated with
player within California Islands conservation different models of research station support and logistics.
Catalina Island is
community. 3. Create a template program for interactions with third-party (mostly university) researchers that can be
viewed as a living
shared at an early stage in the interaction with each to manage expectations (complete by end of 2023).
laboratory for the
Establish strong partnerships with academia, For example, Reinvigorate our partnership with USC for logistics, room and board at the USC Wrigley
Outside Research exploration all manner
research institutions, land trusts and government Marine Science Center. Complete a formal agreement with USC for this specific partnership by winter
and 4.2. of applied and
agencies. 2022.
Collaborations theoretical questions
4. Identify new funding opportunities, both for the Conservancy alone or in partnership with universities,
through robust and
Leverage or encourage outside research projects environmental organizations, land trusts, etc. to support the larger research interests on Catalina and set
long-term research
and collaborations to fill knowledge gaps of basic the stage for joint fund-raising each year by 2023.
collaborations.
species diversity or ecosystem processes outside 5. Create a new information portal to both, maintain and update an archive of current and past research,
internal capabilities. especially on species of interest (annually).
6. By 2026 analyze business model for both the internal research and the third-party research partnerships
to evaluate opportunities for expansion of this role and the Field Station model.
Nearshore terrestrial
and marine ecosystems
(e.g. kelp forests) are Continue the following actions: 1) Co-chair Marine Protected Area Catalina Island Workgroup, 2) Develop
Nearshore Marine Support achievement of nearshore marine goal
4.3. abundant, healthy and long-term research and monitoring collaboration with CSULB or other universities investigating
Ecosystems through successful partnerships.
secure from negative terrestrial/marine ecosystem coupling
hydrological and
ecological alterations.
An Island where the
rich, multi-millennia
human habitation of Consolidate existing Catalina information on
Catalina Island is Indigenous sites and collaborate with PCIAP and
inventoried, the Traditional Council of Pimu to create a living Develop protocols and trainings for all CIC staff and visiting interns and researchers by 12/21, and
Significant prehistoric
mapped, and repository of locational, published, and traditional educational guides by 2025.
cultural resources are
managed in ways knowledge with confidentiality, access and
identified, preserved
Cultural that reflect its value Indigenous distribution protocols by 2025. Create maps for all CIC staff and visiting interns and researchers by 12/21 and educational guides by 2025
5 5.1. and protected when
Resources to future generations cultural resources that integrate confidentiality and protection of the sites
possible (middens,
and, for pre-historic Develop a managment plan with short and
habitation sites, lithic
sites, a sensitivity to longterm curation, interpretation, and education Meet as necessary PCIAP/Tongva Tribal members to promote better communication and quicker response
scatters, human
the Native American for all Indigenous collections under CIC control times to issues and threats
remains, etc.).
community and with PCIAP and the Traditional Council of Pimu by
applicable local, 2025.
state and federal
laws.5 year priority
Target No.
Goal No.
ranking
TARGET DESIRED STATE PROGRAM GOAL OBJECTIVES 2025 Results
Historic cultural
resources (buildings,
Wrigley Memorial
Garden, mines, etc.) are
Historic cultural Complete assessment of historical buildings and create full, actionable project management plans for each
5.2. appropriately and Implement management plans for each by 2030.
resources by 2025.
safely managed to
reflect their value to
current and future
visitors to the Island.
Bison population is Document ecological impacts of bison, and have a
maintained within an plan for taking mitigation actions if necessary by Study potential impact of the bison herd on the ecosystem of zones 2-3, to complete this ecological study
acceptable population 2025. before the end of 2025.
size and distribution,
Bison 5.3.
balancing ecosystem Implement actions (health monitoring, Create a cohesive database, including our historical records of bison presence, to create a conservation
impacts with their reintroduction, birth control) to manage bison department dedicated repository on bison. This data shall be available to the board of directors by end
recreation/cultural population size and health. 2021 (consider capacity).
value.
Land stewardship is balanced with recreational
An organisation that Sustain and promote Create a defined plan for studying this subject, engage partners and pursue financial resources with the
presence through identification of visitor carrying
is a model in excellence in 2023 goal of having a funded process.
capacity.
sustainability and in Recreational Sustainable Nature-
Sustainability
6 which education, presence/ 6.1. Based Recreation and Complete the carrying capacity study that uniquely balances land stewardship and recreational presence,
and balance Implement best practice standards and develop
recreation and operations Ecotourism ensuring gain board approval with specific action items, goals and deadlines by 2025.
efficient ways to evaluate and reduce impacts to
conservation efforts the long-term
biodiversity stemming from development and
are synergistic protection of Catalina. Other results to be developed with Operations crew in 2021.
maintenance of necessary infrastructure.
Sustain and promote
excellence in
Environmental
Education and
Communications in
support of the
Continue to provide information for education
Conservancy’s
Education & and public outreach programs that extend the
6.2. conservation To be developed by 2021 Q2 end
Communications Conservancy mission to external audiences in an
management goals, and
efficient manner.
promotes conservation
values and behaviors to
Catalina’s residents,
visitors and a global
society.5 year priority
Target No.
Goal No.
ranking
TARGET DESIRED STATE PROGRAM GOAL OBJECTIVES 2025 Results
Develop and implement
sustainable practices in
the operations of the
Creation and implementation of a Sustainability Policy for the Conservancy that provides the guidelines for
Catalina Island
Develop a baseline by year 2023 and start implementing and maintaining sustainable practices across the whole spectrum of Conservancy operations
Conservancy including,
Sustainability best implementing a sustainability plan by 2024. and projects. This would be followed by a “green audit” of Conservancy operations and the
6.3. but not limited to,
practices implementation of a Sustainability Plan with a set of criteria, practices and priorities.
energy use, water use
and discharge,
waste/recycling and
greenhouse gas
emissions.You can also read
