Work Item
ASTM WK95713
New Guide for The Identification and Evaluation of Critical Habitats in Coastal Sage Chaparral Ecosystems in Southern California Following Wildfires, using Publicly-Accessible Geographic Information Systems
1. Scope
Wildfires are natural components of the coastal sage scrub chaparral ecosystem of Southern California. Following wildfires, homeowners and municipal agencies often seek to rebuild housing in the areas that recently experienced the fire. Critical habitats, including wetlands that have been impacted by wildfires are often subject to further disruption and damage during reconstruction and redevelopment activities. Various layers within publicly available geographic information systems (GIS) can be accessed to identify known critical habitats and areas with the fire-impacted zone that may be suitable for habitat banking and expansion. This guide builds upon the processes described in Guide E3460 to identify layers within a publicly-available GIS to identify critical habitats, ghost wetlands, and areas suitable for the construction of artificial wetlandsKeywords
coast sage scrub, critical habitats, endangered species, CaliforniaRationale
Rebuilding residential and commercial buildings following wildfires in the Santa Monica Mountain entails significant challenges and disruptions to various ecosystems and particularly to critical habitats. Property owners seeking to rebuild must contend with a myriad of federal, state, and local regulations regarding the protection and enhancement of critical habitats. The guide describes the steps property owners and their agents can take to identify critical habitats on or adjacent to the property subject to rebuilding
Work Item Status
Date Initiated: 07-15-2025
Technical Contact: Paul Sonnenfeld
Item: 000
Ballot:
Status: