Site Prep and Reforestation
Summary
SCH Number
2026100801
Public Agency
Ventura County Resource Conservation District
Document Title
Site Prep and Reforestation
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
10/22/2026
Document Description
Ventura County RCD plans to plant 4000 native trees and 2180 native companion plants within degraded oak and riparian sites. The purpose of this project is to restore native tree canopy to areas that were historically covered in riparian and oak forest. Oak woodland sites have lost tree canopy from 21 century wildfires (i.e. Thomas Fire) and from oak logging that occurred between 1800--1950's, particularly Valley oak logging in upper Ojai. Valley oak woodlands were cut down to make way for non-native walnut orchards. This project seeks to restore valley oak and coast live oak trees to these sites. Riparian forests have been degraded as a result of Arundo donax, a non-native invasive bamboo like plant. This project will include staking native willow, cottonwood, and sycamore tree plantings into upland riparian banks to increase soil stabilization and restore native tree species canopy to areas that were historically native riparian forest. Beneficiaries of this project will include human residents, native birds, deer, and various other organisms that rely on native oak and riparian forests of Ventura County.
Contact Information
Name
Kevin Mason
Agency Name
Ventura County Resource Conservation District
Job Title
Fire Preparedness Team Lead
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency / Project Applicant / Parties Undertaking Project
Phone
Email
Location
Cities
Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Ventura
Counties
Ventura
Regions
Southern California, Unincorporated
Total Acres
100
Jobs
3
Parcel #
90019049; 163016047; 169023061; 030013004; 030013010; 035004054; 035004065; 35023021; 110029101
Other Information
Also these APN's: 60022015; 108016111; 17028005; 017033030
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15304, Minor Alterations to Land
Reasons for Exemption
The project will include site prep to make way for native tree plantings. Site prep activities will include saw work, minor brushing, thinning, chipping, and pile burning of deadwood and non-native invasive trees (i.e. pepper tree and eucalyptus) leftover from recent wildfires. Some sites will include grazing and mowing in non-native invasive grasslands (i.e. star thistle, Bromus diandrus, Bromus rubens, and Avena fatua) to make way for native tree plantings. This project will reduce the risk of fire spread, protecting communities of people and critical ecosystems. No impacts to hazardous or critical resources and no cumulative effects from successive projects will occur. The District finds that this project does not have the potential to significantly degrade environmental factors, such as aesthetics, agriculture/forestry, long-term air quality, biological/cultural/tribal resources, geology/soils, greenhouse gases, hydrology/water quality, land use, minerals, population, public services, recreation, transportation, or utilities and is therefore, categorically CEQA exempt.
County Clerk
Ventura
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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