Type: report

Article abstract: This report provides the proposed adaptive management and monitoring strategy to be implemented as part of the County of San Diego?s Quino Checkerspot Butterfly Amendment (Quino Amendment) to the Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) Subarea Plan (County Subarea Plan). By providing a concise summary of the proposed adaptive management and monitoring strategy, this report will facilitate review by staff, analysts, consultants, property owners, and the Wildlife Agencies (California Department of Fish and Game and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service). It is assumed that reviewers of this report have prior knowledge of the County Subarea Plan and Quino Amendment. Other aspects of the Quino Amendment (i.e., conservation policies and financing) are addressed in separate review processes. Additionally, information in this report is additive to management actions in the Framework Management Plan (County of San Diego 2001). Below, aspects of Quino checkerspot butterfly (Quino) habitat requirements, metapopulation dynamics, and existing threats relevant to the design and implementation of the adaptive management and monitoring program are summarized. Next, specific adaptive management and monitoring goals are described, along with proposed strategies for reaching those goals. Adaptive management and monitoring will be focused in preserves within the South County, Alpine-Jamul, and San Vicente Quino Management Units (QMU) (Figure 1). The adaptive management and monitoring program is intended to be flexible enough to allow for adjustments as new information is available and more is learned regarding appropriate strategies for maintaining Quino populations.