Atascadero Corridor

This speaks for itself.

Wildlife corridors have been designed for animals that have become victims of habitat fragmentation. Corridors are an attempt to connect animals with the habitat they were born into by mitigating the human built barriers presently interfering with wildlife. A wildlife corridor is a temporal task and takes an immense amount of planning and adaptive management in order to purpose a reasonable plan to the appropriate parties that make it possible for these passageways to be built. 

Map of Mountain Lions.

My concentrated building area is in Atascadero, California. Although a spatial species spread throughout California, one of the main places they are residing in is the surrounding areas of The Atascadero Pine Mountain Cemetery.   This has been intense area for population due geographic isolation, separating the mountain and the open land. This particular corridor is designed to connect the habitats a variety of animals including mountain ranges, rivers, and plains. The cemetery is set on a higher level than the river bed with many impediments including residential areas and roads. Also in this particular area below the elevated roads and houses and since the river bed lies parallel to more obstructions of houses and roads at a lower level this creates an edge effect. This layout forces the animals to first cross through the various kinds of topography that are present. In order to produce such a corridor, there will be a need for human-imposed features such as bridges and barricades to assist in guiding them to the appropriate landscapes. Shrubbery and other natural features will be used to encourage a feeling of safety to the animals.

Destination Free Land from Corridor.

Another view placing corridor location.

Residents of California have been battling the presence of the Puma Concolor, also known as the mountain lion, for numerous years (Scientific Classification). They have become present in public settings and are too close for comfort, according to Atascadero residents. A wildlife corridor could be a potential solution to this problem and not only serves a purpose for the California Mountain Lion, but for many other species of animals as well.  Studies showed that if “mountain lions are actively moving between mountain ranges and if they could continue to do so, they could survive in every linked mountain range” (Beier). Mountain lions are looking to establish their own legacy in a core habitat, called dispersal, leaving out the possibilities of inbreeding and to accomplish genetic interchange (Kidd). Their diversity doesn’t stop there because they are not only looking out for their reproduction abilities and situations, but looking for environments with biotic factors such as food and abiotic factors such as less heat. Mountain lions also are self-regulating meaning they control their birth rates in other words; they control their own population size in balance with the ecosystem without the need for human intervention (Answers to your Questions about Mountain Lions). A corridor would provide them more accessible land to allow for roaming for necessary living arrangements; this would eliminate backyard invasions and public appearances.  These animals have become a problem due to habitat fragmentation: including city activity, and light pollution. These and other animals are becoming barricaded by suburb cities and highways, and they get lost within city limits when searching for a home. “Wildlife biologists know mountain lions are vital and invaluable. It is a keystone species playing an irreplaceable and complex role on the landscape” (Answers to your Questions about Mountain Lions).

Layout of land from opposite aerial view.

Studying to learn about geographic isolation, birth rates, genetic interchanges, and survival needs of these animals will better allow for success.  The effects of the corridor need to be carefully appraised in order to ensure accommodation to not only the Mountain Lion, but other species involved in this transition. Natural and human-imposed features would need to be used together in the corridor to achieve close to success. The use of already present geography including rivers and streams in this particular area is imperative and will allow for an easier transition. A bridge creating a pathway right into the river where the natural migrating occurs without the corridor will be imperative. Constructing a bridge large in width will accommodate all sizes of species and make for a more comfortable conversion. The opening to the bridge will mimic open land as much as possible filled with native vegetation, appearing to be as natural as an open field that the animal feels they are approaching. The more engaging this corridor is to the smaller prey, the more likely it is that the larger species will follow.                          

An adequate linkage design will recommend crossing structures and management practices to restore native vegetation and minimize the impact of exotic species, fences, pets, livestock, and artificial night lighting (Beier). This particular corridor prevents the animals from having to travel too far. The initial distance of travel would only be about a quarter of a mile. It is designed to be straight to the point, requiring the animal to have to cross over only one bridge. The bridge is designed to be accessible from the bottom of the mountain and can also be easily accessed from any area of the mountain or from the other side of the Salinas River. Another accommodating factor is the maintenance required for the corridor. Less maintenance means less human interaction resulting in a more comfortable situation. The weather in Atascadero doesn’t normally induce destruction so this fortunately results in less maintenance for the corridor, as there will not be much debris to be removed. Another great accommodation is that water is just on the other side, and native trees along this path will ensure efficient shelter. 

Work Cited

“Answers to your Questions about Mountain Lions.” Mountain Lion Foundation.FAQS, n.d. Web. 24 June 2014. <http://www.mountainlion.org/FAQfrequentlyaskedquestions.asp#Endangered>

Beier, Paul. “Designing corridors: the big picture.” ExpressionEngine.Corridor Design, 2013. Web. 25 June 2014.

<http://corridordesign.org/designing_corridors/pre_modeling/big_picture>

Cooper, Lanette Estill. “Photo of Atascadero Pine Mountain Cemetery.” Find A Grave. Photograph. 13 October 2007. Web. 24 June 2014.

< http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pis&PIcrid=2154678&PIpi=7927458&PIMode=cemetery>

Kahn, Larry. Reichenberg, Bob.“California’s Salinas River.” Photograph.  Rider Motorcycling at its Best. 6 April 2011. Web. 24 June 2014.

<http://www.ridermagazine.com/travel-features/californias-salinas-river.htm/>

Kidd, Nina. “The Cougar Connection: Mountain Lions Lead the Way to Conservation Solutions.” Mountain Lion Foundation. Cougar Connections, n.d. Web. 24 June 2014. <http://www.mountainlion.org/FAQfrequentlyaskedquestions.asp#Endangered>

“The Lion Map.” Photograph. Keep Me Wild. California Department of Fish and Game. 2011. Web. 29 June 2014. <https://www.dfg.ca.gov/keepmewild/lion.html>

“Mountain Lion Habitat Warning.” Photograph. City of Palo Alto. California Department of Fish and Game. 6 March 2007. Web. 29 June 2014.

<http://www.cityofpaloalto.org/news/displaynews.asp?NewsID=154&TargetID=36,37,81,317,82>

Preciousjules1985. “Urgent! Protect California Mountain Lions! Sign To Help Pass SB 132!/Mountain Lion Foundation.”  Stop Animal Abuse. 11 March 2013. Web. 24 June 2014.

<http://preciousjules1985.wordpress.com/2013/03/11/urgent-protect-california-mountain-lions-sign-to-help-pass-sb-132-mountain-lion-foundation/>

“Scientific Classification.” Heathwood. Animals of the Rainforest. 2002. Web. 29 June 2014. <http://www.heathwood.org/simpson/quicklinks/animalsoftherainforest/classify.htm>

Samantha. “Atascadero, CA: A view of the river from Pine Mountain Cemetery.”  Photograph. 14 July 2014. Web. 24 June 2014.

<http://www.city-data.com/picfilesc/picc33967.php>