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| TIGER SALAMANDER |
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| CLICK PICTURE for More Info on California Tiger Salamander |
TIGER SALAMANDER: In 2002 and again in 2005, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared the Sonoma County Distinct Population
Segment of the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense),an endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973.
As of 2002, only seven known breeding sites of the Sonoma County population remain. At least four breeding sites have been
destroyed or have suffered severe degradation. The planned casino will result in the loss of one of the seven remaining breeding
sites. The impact to the remaining breeding sites will be significant, and will pose and imminent risk to the well-being of
the Sonoma County Distinct Population Segment of the California tiger salamander. The biological assessment of the Graton Rancheria casino site undertaken by U.S. Fish and Wildlife (USFW) concluded that the casino footprint
site is upland habitat for the California tiger salamander, that there are slamanders present on the property, and that construction
activities would kill all animals on the site.
| Flooded CTS traps Winter 2005 |
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| New Station Casinos land |
The picture (right) was taken in 2005 at Station Casinos new property , and shows the traps filled with water - a violation
of protocol, and a death trap for a salamander. Vincent Griego at Fish & Wildlife was told of all these occurences, but
refused to take any action. You can email Mr. Greigo using the link below.
Are you outraged that Fish & Wildlife gave Dennis Hunter - and thus, Station Casinos - a pass on CTS protection? Let them
know-Click Here
| BURKES' GOLDFIELDS |
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| A very rare Vernal Pool species with limited habitat |
BURKE'S GOLDFIELDS: This vernal pool species is known only from southern portions of Lake and Mendocino counties and from
northeastern Sonoma County. Historically, 39 populations were known from the Cotati valley, 2 sites in Lake county, and one
site in Mendocino County. The occurrence in Mendocino County is most likely extirpated. From north to south in the Cotati
Valley, the species ranges from north of the community of Windsor to east of the city of Sebastopol.
Primary threats to the species consist of activities that result in the destruction of the plants or hydrologic changes
in their vernal pool habitats. Such activities include urbanization, industrial development and agricultural land conversion.
This species was listed as endangered by the California Department of Fish and Game in September 1997. The California
Native Plant Society has placed it on List 1B (rare or endangered throughout its range).
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| SHOWY INDIAN CLOVER |
SHOWY INDIAN CLOVER: The species was considered extinct until 1993, when a single plant was discovered on privately-owned
property in Sonoma County. That site has since been developed and the species is no longer present. Another natural population,
consisting of about 200 plants, was discovered in 1996 in Marin County on privately owned property. It now grows on the proposed
casino site.
Originally, it ranged from Mendocino County south to Sonoma, Marin, Alameda and Santa Clara counties, and east to Napa
and Solano counties. The species was found in a variety of habitats including low, wet swales, grasslands and grassy hillsides.
It sometimes grew on serpentine soils.
| SONOMA SUNSHINE |
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SONOMA SUNSHINE: Found in grasslands and vernal pools. The species is restricted to Sonoma County. It is known from 35 sites
in Cotati Valley and 7 other sites in Sonoma Valley. 30 percent of the historic occurrences have been eliminated or seriously
damaged. Most of the remaining sites are threatened by urbanization, wastewater effluent irrigation, and agricultural land
conversion. Westward expansion of the City of Santa Rosa threatens at least half the remaining habitat.
| SEBASTOPOL MEADOW FOAM |
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SEBASTOPOL MEADOW FOAM: The species has not been recorded outside southwestern Cotati Valley, where it occurs in less than
thirty locations. It is found in seasonally wet meadows, swales and vernal pools in the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Sonoma County.
The species ranges from the city of Graton, east to Santa Rosa, southeast to Scenic Avenue, and southwest to the community
of Cunningham, largely surrounding the northern and western perimeter of the city of Sebastopol. Primary threats to the species
consist of activities that result in the destruction of the plants or hydrologic changes in their habitats, such as development
and agricultural land conversion. This species was listed as endangered by the California Department of Fish and Game in
November 1979. The California Native Plant Society has placed it on List 1B (rare or endangered throughout its range).
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