We're sensitive about protecting the environment

I get phone calls and questions about different aspects of highway construction projects here in Monterey County every day. Some are easy to answer; others require a little more research. Here's a question I received on Monday - it took me a little while to get all the information, but research like this is always interesting and fun.

Q: What’s all that orange netting-like stuff we see now along Hwy 101 near Prunedale?

A: The orange netting is a type of fence that is put up to identify Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs) that need to be protected during the construction of the Prunedale Improvement Project (PIP), which begins construction this week. ESAs are defined as “any area in which plant or animal life or their habitats are either rare or especially valuable because of their special nature or role in an ecosystem and which could be easily disturbed or degraded by human activities and developments.” The ESA fencing minimizes effects to the natural environment.

The Prunedale Improvement Project is designed to address safety and operational concerns along the Highway 101 corridor between North Salinas and Echo Valley Road. At the same time, we also need to ensure the safety and continued viability of our state’s rare and valuable species and habitats.  To do this Caltrans and Granite Construction, the contractor for the PIP, use biologists to do pre-construction surveys to identify creeks, and areas where rare and/or sensitive species and habitats are located. Then those areas are marked with the orange fence netting you see, so that those working on the project are aware that these areas are not to be disturbed. These biologists continue to be involved throughout construction, conducting onsite biological monitoring to maintain these environmentally sensitive areas.

The native plant species considered rare, valuable, and sensitive along the construction area include the Coastal Live Oak, Pajaro manzanita, Monterey ceanothus, branching beach aster, and the Monterey spineflower.

Sensitive animal species found in some of the ESAs include the southwestern pond turtle, which is a subspecies of the western pond turtle – the only native turtle in California; Red-legged frog, California tiger salamander, Monterey dusky-footed wood rat, Cooper’s hawk, and yellow warbler.

Caltrans works with a number of regulatory agencies, including the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Fish and Game and the Regional Water Quality Control Boards, to preserve California’s natural resources and assets, while providing a safe transportation system for all.

Please feel free to call or email me with your questions and/or concerns. I can be reached at sharon@tamcmonterey.org or 831-775-4415.