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The Simon Preserve (Preserve) consists of approximately 617 acres1 in unincorporated San Diego County. Dudek biologists performed the following baseline biological surveys from spring through fall 2009: vegetation mapping, focused botanical surveys, exotic species mapping, general butterfly surveys, herpetological pitfall trap surveys, avian point count surveys, bat surveys, small mammal trapping, and large and medium mammal surveys. This report documents the methods and results of these surveys, and provides various management recommendations to preserve and enhance the function of the Preserve as biological open space in the context of the regional conservation goals of the draft North County Multiple Species Conservation Plan (North County MSCP). The County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) proposes to manage the Preserve in accordance with a Resource Management Plan (RMP) including Area-Specific Management Directives (ASMDs) that will be prepared based upon the baseline biological survey information established in this report.

The Simon Preserve (Preserve) consists of approximately 617 acres in unincorporated San Diego County. Dudek biologists performed the following baseline biological surveys from spring through fall 2009: vegetation mapping, focused botanical surveys, exotic species mapping, general butterfly surveys, herpetological pitfall trap surveys, avian point count surveys, bat surveys, small mammal trapping, and large and medium mammal surveys. This report documents the methods and results of these surveys, and provides various management recommendations to preserve and enhance the function of the Preserve as biological open space in the context of the regional conservation goals of the draft North County Multiple Species Conservation Plan (North County MSCP). The County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) proposes to manage the Preserve in accordance with a Resource Management Plan (RMP) including Area-Specific Management Directives (ASMDs) that will be prepared based upon the baseline biological survey information established in this report. Based on species composition and general physiognomy, a total of 15 native or naturalized plant communities, including disturbed forms and mixed vegetation types, were identified on site: Diegan coastal sage scrub, disturbed Diegan coastal sage scrub, chamise chaparral, coastal sage scrub-southern mixed chaparral, disturbed coastal sage scrub-southern mixed chaparral, southern mixed chaparral, non-native grassland, southern coast live oak riparian woodland, southern cottonwood-willow riparian forest, southern riparian woodland, southern willow scrub, arrowweed scrub, coast live oak woodland, open Engelmann oak woodland, and eucalyptus woodland. In addition, disturbed habitat, developed land, and orchard land covers were identified. A total of 203 vascular plant species were recorded on the Preserve during surveys. Four specialstatus plant species were observed, of which three are covered under the North County MSCP, and one, San Diego thorn-mint (Acanthomintha ilicifolia), is federally and state listed. A total of 93 wildlife species were observed or detected on the Preserve during surveys, including 8 reptiles, 52 birds, 16 mammals, and 17 invertebrates. Seventeen special-status wildlife species were observed or detected on the Preserve, including five species covered under the North County MSCP.