How much habitat loss on San Bruno Mountain is due to scrub advancing, and how much is due to building since the HCP went in to effect?
Since the HCP came into effect 26 years ago, 330 acres of habitat have been permanently destroyed (new houses and roads), and 230 acres temporarily and perhaps permanently disturbed — that’s a total of 560 acres. Most of the disturbed land never returns to native habitat, and some has perpetual erosion problems. In that same time period, 122 acres were lost to coastal scrub succession. The HCP will sunset in 2012. During its duration, far more habitat will have been lost to development and accompanying disturbances than to coastal scrub advance. It would be prudent to see successful methods at work on San Bruno Mountain before any more habitat is taken. • Can’t the disturbed areas be restored? We take issue with the HCP definition of restored habitat since it doesn’t speak to successful restoration, or describe the amount of biodiversity of a restored site compared to the native site. Even by the meager HCP definition, only 2 to 2.5 acres have been successfully restored in 26 years. T
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