The Project involves tree plantings, temporary irrigation, and maintenance of plantings within Los Gatos Creek. Project activities will serve to fulfill mitigation obligations under Streambed Alteration Agreement No. 1600-2017-0152-R4 (Arroyo Pasajero Improvement Project). Approximately 356 native trees and 331 native shrubs will be planted within the Project Area. Access: The Project vicinity of Los Gatos Creek is surrounded by existing dirt access roads that will be used for vehicle access to planting areas. Portions of the existing access roads are located within the streambank. Existing roads will be used in their existing condition and will not be regraded, filled or otherwise improved for the Project. Site Preparation: Vegetation-free patches will be prepared for all planting sites, by hand scalping (scraping the vegetation down to bare mineral soil with a shovel or planting hoe) to remove grasses and herbaceous weeds. Where necessary for planting, weeds will be pulled by hand. An approximately 2-foot by 2-foot area will be cleared for each planting basin. Mowing with a handheld weedwhacker may also be utilized to clear vegetation depending on site conditions. Weed-free organic mulch would be applied after vegetation clearing to prevent reemergence and to help retain soil moisture. Temporary high visibility fencing will be installed around the planting site. Planting Work: Locally native tree and shrubs will be planted with a spacing of approximately 8-30 feet, depending on the species. Wood mulch and endomycorrhizal or ectomycorrhizal inoculum will be used as soil amendments. Planting holes will be excavated using hand augers and other hand tools of sufficient diameter and depth to accommodate the container plants and soil amendments. Foliage and root protectors may be used around each plant to minimize the risk of animal damage. Irrigation: A temporary irrigation system may be installed before planting or following spring, depending on the weather conditions during the initial planting. A solar powered controller and water tank may be installed outside of the stream to provide above ground, drip irrigation to the plantings. Water tanks will be filled using water trucks located outside of the stream. Hand watering may be used immediately following the initial planting if weather patterns indicate early rainfall. Irrigation will be applied for the first three years of plant establishment. Invasive species will be adaptively managed using hand-tools or herbicides during the plant establishment and monitoring phase.
