Habitat management – Performing necessary actions in special status species habitat in such a way as to cause a minimum of disturbance. Habitat management actions include removing of debris non-mechanically and preventing the introduction of invasive species.

Protected – Special status species habitat is protected when measures are implemented to ensure that no activity causes the loss of any component of the habitat critical to the survival of a special status species. Actions that protect special status species include: installing appropriate fencing, implementing visitor education and control, acquiring land or easements, imposing and enforcing regulatory restrictions, minimizing disturbance.

Special status species – Any species of plant or animal that is:

• Listed as threatened, endangered, sensitive or petitioned at the federal, state or regional level
• Included in the USFS Biological Species Lists
• Included in TRPA’s threshold species list
• Included in the EIP update document’s list of “other priority species”

Species may be listed because of low population or distribution, declining abundance or other factors that lead them to require special consideration for protection and to maintain biodiversity.

Projects implemented to protect habitat for special status species sites are reported once the project is complete, and progress made in each year should be recorded in the EIP Database before the end of December of that year. 

A project is considered complete and reportable when a protective measure such as a barrier, regulation or land acquisition transaction has been implemented, or when educational material has been distributed.