Habitat Improvement and Restoration Projects

Round Valley Winter Range Protection
April 2008

This important project was a partnership between the California Deer Association and the Eastern Sierra Land Trust (ESLT). $50,000 was awarded to the ESLT, which used the funds to procure a conservation easement in a private land tract that is a critical migration corridor for the Round Valley deer herd. Ten acres of land were purchased via private ownership in a developing area, which will protect the land from the surrounding development, any road construction, and vegetation removal. This conservation easement will be tied to the private property ownership and transfers with the sale of the property, preserving this migration route now and in the future.

 

North Mt. Shasta Prescribed Burn Project
Completed February 24, 2006

Pre-burn habitat.

The North Mt. Shasta Prescribed Wildlife Burn Project began on April 2005 in a 240 acre unit of decadent brush within a 20,000 acre deer winter range. The fire resulted in a mosaic of burned and unburned vegetation (refer to attached aerial view). The goal of this project was to promote sprouting for deer forage on the burned vegetation and the unburned vegetation would continue to function as deer cover. In April 2005 a contract crew planted 10,000 bitterbrush seedlings in 12 acres of the burned area. Approximately 50 percent survival of the planted seedlings was observed in May 2005. In 2006 on February 5th and on February 22nd-24th, two additional units totaling 268 acres were burned, again resulting in a mosaic of burned and unburned vegetation. On February 26th an island of the unburned vegetation between the units started burning and the fire escaped the controlled lines. The fire burned approximately 3,000 acres. Half the burn occurred on private land. Monitoring of vegetation growth is occurring throughout the burned area. The Mule Deer Foundation is providing funding for restoration on a portion of the severely burned areas.

During prescribed burn.

Post-burn aerial photo.

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Fawn Rehabilitation Center Project
Redding Chapter, 2004

Project Coordinator
Dean Burroughs, Redding, California

Project Purpose
To create a safer more secure facility for holding orphaned and injured fawns

Current Operation
Operating for the last 10+ years by Shasta Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation with volunteer help and funding. Shasta Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation works closely with the California Fish & Game to Rehabilitate the deer and release them back to their natural environment. They have had a survival rate of approximately 80% one year after fawns have been released back to their natural environment. Project will be run by the Shasta Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation.

Current Project Plans
To have anew holding facility built for holding the fawns for the six months of rehabilitation before being released to their natural environment. Also, to provide a 8' x 10' out building for food storage, and to help supply fawn food needs while being held for rehabilitation. The holding pen will be built of cyclone fencing in accordance with CDF&G specifications.

Future Potential
Possibility of studies to follow rehabilitated fawns with the help of CDF&G using microchips or collaring without the high cost of capturing deer. This could be a great pilot project for other CDA chapters.

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Wright's Creek Burn Project
Prescribed Burn project from 2004

The following photographs are before, during and after photos of the Wright’s Creek Burn Project implemented April 2004 to June 2005. Working in partnership with the Stanislaus National Forest, the CDA provided funding for a prescribed burn. The purpose of the burn was to open dense, mature fields of brush to encourage growth of deer-friendly vegetation for increased forage.

Before: Mature shrub fields targeted for burning.

During:. Fire backing down hill through dense brush field. June 2004.

After (right): Close up of brush two months after burning. Manzanita re-sprouts show heavy browse by deer. August 2005. (Photo by Ruth Abreo, Tuolumne County California Deer Association member.)

After (at left): Fire created a mosaic of burned and unburned vegetation, which regenerated key shrub species used by deer. The burn was stopped mid-slope at a fire break before getting too close to a protected riparian area. As prescribed, the fire promoted a diversity of browse species. Burned areas will provide new sprouts for deer and greater access to the brush field.