 |
| 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>
There have been numerous dams removed throughout
America especially in the last decade. One dam in California, Horse Creek Dam, was
built in 1969 and is located on Horse Creek approximately 850 feet upstream
from the Sisquoc River confluence within the Los Padres National Forest, San
Rafael Wilderness Area, and Sisquoc River Wild and Scenic River Corridor (Stoecker,
2005).
The dam was built after the Wellman fire, of which was very large, this dam was
intended to block the debris and prevent flooding that would occur downstream in
the following years. The dam was actually never functional after the first year
of being built because of the volume of debris resulting from the fire (Stoecker T. B., 2011). Although this was a
dam that didn’t have the easiest access, it was imperative that something needed
to be done about it. The main reason surrounding the destruction of this dam is
to dramatically improve the upstream salmonid habitat (Stoecker,
2005).
The fish wouldn’t be the only species benefiting from the dam removal. Just as
with any other area where dam removal occurs, much of the other life would gain
from this such as providing water for more plants, other fish, snakes, animals
that feed at streams etc. (Stoecker T. B., 2011). This project was
funded in part through the partnership between NOAA Community-based Restoration Program and American
Rivers (Map of US dam Removals 1936-2013). The project was initiated by Matt Stoecker and Michael Love and Associates (Stoecker, 2005). In my research, it was not apparent to me that there was an further concerns at this time, but the need for rain so the Steelhead can travel upstream more efficiently. 
