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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 4, 2011 - 06:00pm PT
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In Brief Feb.2011
USDA Forest Service · Pacific Southwest Region
Williamson Rock & the Mt. Yellow-legged Frog
Background
The Southern California mountain yellow-legged frog (MYLF), a distinct population segment of the MYLF species, was listed in 2002 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Small, localized populations currently exist within the Angeles and San Bernardino national forests, in the San Gabriel, San Bernardino, and San Jacinto mountains. These populations are vulnerable to various potential and existing threats, including: spread of non-native fish and amphibians; loss of breeding pools from siltation or declining surface water; disease, and; disturbance of individuals and egg masses from recreation and land use activities in key breeding locations. The mountain yellow-legged frog is at high risk of extinction.
Williamson Rock on the Angeles National Forest (ANF) is regarded as one of the unique rock climbing resources in Southern California with over 300 mapped climbing routes spanning all ranges of difficulty, and relatively easy access from public roads. In the absence of developed access hiking routes to the rock from Angeles Crest Highway, the public has historically utilized a series of intertwining user-created trails, which has led to unregulated recreation in the adjacent upper Little Rock Creek.
Critical Habitat Designation (FWS)
The FWS deferred proposing designated critical habitat when the MYLF was listed in 2002, and was sued in 2004 by the Center for Biological Diversity for failure to designate MYLF critical habitat. Under court order, the FWS issued a final rule in September, 2006, that included designation of approximately 8,283 acres within the Angeles and San Bernardino national forests as critical habitat.
Protection of MYLF in Cooper Canyon, Little Rock Creek (FS)
By law, the Forest Service is required to manage National Forest System (NFS) lands so that viable populations of existing native plant and animal species are maintained. To protect known populations of the MYLF in the segment of Little Rock Creek running through Cooper Canyon on the ANF, the Agency is evaluating ongoing activities that may affect the frog and its habitat.
NEPA Analysis
Coinciding with the FWS’s proposed Critical Habitat designation, on December 29, 2005, the ANF Forest Supervisor issued a temporary closure order of approximately 1,000 acres within the upper reaches of Little Rock Creek, an area including Williamson Rock. The original closure was intended to be temporary, but has been renewed as the ANF has gone through the NEPA process to analyze measures for area management. Complicating the analysis, the Williamson Rock area was also found to be home to peregrine falcons and Forest Service-listed sensitive plant species. In addition, most of the Forest Service project files were burned along with the Santa Clara-Mojave Rivers Ranger District Office in the 2007 Buckweed Fire. The project files needed to be re-created and reassembled to continue the NEPA process.
The Interdisciplinary team, reorganized in late 2008, developed a new analysis for the resolution of the area closure. The resulting proposed action included development of facilities along Angeles Crest Highway, designation and development of a single access trail to Williamson Rock, designation and development of a primary staging area in order to manage recreational use at Williamson Rock, closure of areas on both permanent and seasonal bases, as necessary, to protect the habitat and reproductive success of species; management of recreational use to protect the primitive solitude of climbing and the quality of the visitor experience, as well as perpetuate resource protection in the Williamson Rock vicinity; and Strategic management to restore habitat and implement recovery actions for TES populations.
Current Situation
2009 Station Fire
As the process was undergoing analysis in late 2009, the 160,000-acre Station Fire burned through the San Gabriel Mountains. The short-term and long-term effects of the fire represent a change in environmental circumstances for analysis; hence the ANF has had to re-assess the conditions surrounding the closure at Williamson Rock.
Analysis tied to the Station Fire indicates that one or more of the ANF units of the MYLF (outside of Williamson Rock vicinity) have been severely impacted – both from direct burning effects and anticipated post-fire sedimentation effects to the ecosystem. The population in the Williamson Rock area is currently considered to be the most viable MYLF population on the Forest. Unfortunately, all of the remaining units of the Southern California MYLF DPS have been confirmed positive for presence of chytrid fungus, elevating the level of concern for the species.
As a result of the analysis of changed circumstances post-Station Fire, the following measures are being proposed:
1. Temporary closure of the Williamson Rock area to protect the habitat and reproductive success of species during natural burn area recovery.
§ A three-year closure for the Williamson Rock area in order to monitor the critical habitat of the Upper Little Rock Creek MYLF population while the nearby 2009 Station Fire burn area naturally recovers. A renewed assessment of the species, based upon interim survey data, should determine whether there has been sufficient progress at the end of three years to consider reopening the area.
§ All pullouts and potential access points from along CA-2 would be posted with closure signage, and physically modified to prevent unrestricted access to the upper Little Rock Creek vicinity.
§ All Williamson Rock ‘user-created’ braided trails and paths along scree slopes, which have historically provided direct access into MYLF habitat, would be subject to continued closure and (where warranted) limited rehabilitation at their outlets.
§ All measures would be subject to compliance monitoring; as feedback dictates, additional measures may be determined necessary. If response has been insufficient at the end of three years, future decisions may include renewal of the closure, or assessment of a more permanent solution in order to protect the critical biological habitat.
2. Strategic management to restore habitat and implement recovery actions for TES populations.
§ In 2002, the ANF participated in the development of the Conservation Assessment and Strategy for management and recovery of the MYLF. The Forest is committed to utilizing that document in management of the Williamson Rock area.
§ As funding permits, ongoing tri-annual surveys by the USGS of the MYLF populations in the ANF and annual supplemental condition surveys would be conducted for all sensitive botanical and biological species within the area by Forest personnel.
§ The Forest would also continue planned projects for fish barriers and removal in MYLF habitat within the ANF in order to aid in species recovery.
Next Steps
The ANF distributed the Environmental Assessment for comment in October, 2010, and the Forest is consolidating the response to the comments received. A decision is anticipated to occur spring, 2011.
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neebee
Social climber
calif/texas
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hey there say, pud... is the same situation that we were asked to send in notes about, a bit back... ?
thanks for sharing...
didn't know what happened...
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2011 - 06:54pm PT
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Hey neebee,
The decision will supposedly be based on the community feedback given back in October 2010.
Edit:
Last time my oldest son was there he was under 2 yrs old.
He follows 5.6 now.
Maybe this will be the summer we get our crag back!
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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So just to make sure I understand it, they're proposing a three year closure to monitor the results of their prior year and a half closure since the Station Fire?
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2011 - 07:15pm PT
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Yes.
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Tony Bird
climber
Northridge, CA
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i think there are several aspects to this issue which need to be gone over, and i think the forest service owes us an informational meeting with experts prepared to weigh in.
1. the endangerment of a subspecies--how much of a "subspecies" is this, really? what's the big picture for the whole species? i've been told the MYLF has two subspecies, but the dividing line is around king's canyon, not the antelope valley, which separates the rare riparian habitat of southern california mountains from the sierra, where the MYLF is more lake-bound.
2. if the MYLF of southern california mountains is distinct enough to classify as an endangered species, we have to consider whether it's an endemic. there never are a lot of endemics. their habitat is defined by geography. an endemic isn't becoming endangered unless there is sufficient history established to determine whether it is significantly depleted from its population in the past.
3. factors--this is the big one. what's doing it? acid rain? ozone depletion and increased ultraviolet? a fungus? trout were a big factor in the sierra lakes--should climbing be shut down here because of what the government itself did stocking those lakes, thoughtlessly, for the fishing crowd? just how much can climbing be reasonably expected to stress the frog population? a hell of a lot less than fishing.
i understand that the government itself took 25 frogs out of the ecosystem and attempted, unsuccessfully, to breed them. am i right about this, pud? just a rumor at this point. i heard that all 25 died. there are 9 frogs--yes, an average population of 9 frogs--in upper little rock creek, which is the area adjacent to williamson gorge. 9 frogs. you can kill 25 frogs trying to "save" them. 9 frogs, i'll bet, will continue frogging along just fine with climbing going on 200 yards away. just a hunch. but this is the issue.
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EdBannister
Mountain climber
13,000 feet
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is the road open?
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 4, 2011 - 08:45pm PT
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Road is closed @ Islip Saddle. 2 miles East of Williamson. So yes, Hwy 2 is open to the Eagle's Roost (Williamson) area.
Tony,
You may be right about the Sub-species theory, I don't know.
The failed tadpole growth effort in San Diego did take place.
29 tadpoles, three years, two short lived frogs.
The entire issue has been mired in bureaucratic mismanagement for over six years.
The chytrid fungus has been found in all remaining frogs in the Williamson Rock area.
The Forest sevice knows this. They cannot continue to blame climbers for the demise of this species.
A decision will be made soon.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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"29 tadpoles, three years, two short lived frogs."
Yeah, that's how it works with frogs. The big ones eat the little ones. No matter how many tadpoles you start with, you'll end up with only two frogs, the two who are too big to be eaten by each other.
I know that - from experience - and I don't have a biology degree.
I could have saved them some trouble - and a hell of a lot of money - if they had just asked around on here.
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apogee
climber
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Ouch. That sounds especially draconian, and gives the impression that someone has an anti-climbing agenda.
Don't get me wrong- I'm as conservationist as the next dread-headed liberal- but I can also recognize an ulterior motive when I see one.
The Station Fire is now being used as a convenient rationale to justify a 3 year closure of WR so that further studies and analysis can be done? Sheesh.
Word (or two) of advice: Don't take for granted your ability to climb at your favorite crag. And, get involved in climber advocacy groups, either locally &/or nationally. Silence = acceptance
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Iron Mtn.
Trad climber
Riverside, Ca.
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I agree, this seems very anti-climber to me as well. I'm pretty sure encroachment, pollution, etc. is a bigger factor in the frog's decline. I'm also sure that any climber here, that had tangible information proving that climbing was the culprit in this would gladly forfeit their privileges at this crag. This whole thing has been mired in bureaucracy and a lack of information from the beginning. That latest report is an extension of that . I think I know where all the money from the Adventure Pass is going to now....
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Tony Bird
climber
Northridge, CA
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ACH is open, but not from la cañada, you have to go up tujunga canyon and then take that road that crosses on the north side of strawberry peak. i've heard that it was opened to wrightwood last year, though it's probably still closed by snow at some point right now.
fyi, you can climb at spring crag, some short but sweet marshall routes there, and there is development of the tunnel crags by the islip tunnels, just a half mile from williamson gorge, same kind of rock. you can thank the notorious medusa for putting up a few moderates there recently.
funny, isn't it, how climbers are going to endanger the frogs, but ACH, with its pollution and noise, even closer to the prime frog habitat at the source of little rock creek, goes trundling on.
%$#$%^(*&^%$@!!!!!!
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Batrock
Trad climber
Burbank
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I have been climbing at Williamson since I was 11 y/o, I'm 44 now and have kids of my own who were born around the time of the closure. I'm bummed to say the least that I cant take my kids up there like my mom and dad took me. IMO the NFS cares very little about the climber and it's just easier and cheaper to close the whole area and play shell games in the meantime to keep climbers hopes up.
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Tfish
Trad climber
La Crescenta, CA
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The road is closed at Cedar Springs (Just past Snowcrest). I guess it washed out a little bit right around Williamson. So you'd have to still walk in a little bit to get to the Tunnels or pretty far to Spring Crag. Cal Trans sucks at life.
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pud
climber
Sportbikeville & Yucca brevifolia
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 6, 2011 - 12:46pm PT
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Batrock,
I couldn't agree more. I have three boys of which only one has been to Williamson when he was 3.
The FS cannot continue to ignore the climbing community.
Like any beauracracy, they are primarily concerned with the finacial bottom line.
This same issue can manifest itself at any of our National Parks pretty much overnight.
If we allow these small 'enviromental' groups to dictate how goverment agencies deal with endangered species through threat of lawsuit(s), we will continue to see closures throughout our national park system.
That is the reality of the Wiliamson Rock closure.
I'm not giving up.
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Fat Dad
Trad climber
Los Angeles, CA
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the NFS cares very little about the climber and it's just easier and cheaper to close the whole area
And we have a winner. That's essentially the land manager's first option when dealing with use issues. It's always far easier (and cheaper) to close an area than regulate it.
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Like any beauracracy, they are primarily concerned with the finacial bottom line.
The purpose of every bureaucracy is to preserve and grow its funding. They never ever willingly shrink. There must be more money and jobs in the business of closure and study than in opening the area to the people.
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