Conservation Program
Enviros and UC Merced Reach a Win-Win Accord
For the past two years CNPS (along with Butte Environmental Council, Defenders of Wildlife, Protect Our Water, San Joaquin Raptor/Wildlife Rescue Center, San Joaquin Valley Conservancy and The Nature Conservancy) have been meeting with the University of California and the regulatory agencies to discuss conservation issues related to the Merced campus. These meetings resulted in a stronger conservation strategy and a smaller campus. On Friday, October 5, 2007, the University issued a press release announcing the reduction of their footprint and the intention to start the environmental review process over.

Much of the proposed campus location will be permanently protected by a conservation easement. More easements to protect vernal pools and to contain sprawl are also expected as the new campus plan unfolds. |
The agreed upon reduced footprint will protect an additional 670 acres of pristine vernal pool habitat that would have been destroyed by the current plan. Many additional occurrences of threatened and endangered plants and animals will also be conserved by the reduced footprint. CNPS applauds the University of California for coming to the table with a willingness to work out a compromise that works both for the environment and for the campus.
The UC’s announcement marks the beginning of a new public process for the campus expansion. Previous permit applications will be withdrawn. A new application will be submitted that will trigger a joint EIR/EIS for the campus and community. CNPS and others will continue to participate in the public process.
Background Information
For links to the press releases and news articles as they are published visit www.vernalpools.org/UCMerced.
CNPS Statement of Policy
- Wetlands
CNPS Policy and
Guidelines on Vernal Pool Mitigation
CNPS Policy on
Appropriate Application of Ex Situ Conservation
Techniques
CNPS Wetland
Source Book 2000 (PDF, 137k)
Fremontia Vol. 27 No. 4 and Col. 28 No. 1 -- Special Issue: Vernal Pools
Vernal
Pool Ecosystems Conference Proceedings (1998 CNPS Press) also available in PDF
Format
CNPS
letter on the UC's 404 Permit Application to fill wetlands and
the Biological Assessment that accompanied the application (PDF, 4/12/02)
CNPS
letter on the Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) for the
UC Merced campus and Phase I construction (PDF,
1/15/02)
CNPS
letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the
UC Merced campus and Phase I construction (PDF,
10/3/02)
CNPS
letter on the Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) for the
University Community Plan (PDF, 10/3/02)
CNPS
comments upon the NCCP/HCP Scientific Advisors proposal asking
that clarification be made (PDF, 7/11/01)
CNPS
sends second packet of vernal pool information to California
Legislature. Vernal pools and their associated grasslands are
an ecosystem in peril (PDF, 5/21/01)
CNPS
comment letter on the revised Campus Parkway Notice of Preparation
(NOP) statingthat the highway project is still a part of the proposed
UC Merced campus project (PDF, 5/14/01)
CNPS
Invites members of the California Legislature and their staff
to a tour of Mather Field Vernal Pools (PDF,
4/5/01) and Press
Invitation (PDF, 4/24/01)
CNPS
comment letter on the campus and community Notices of
Preparation (NOPs) -- CNPS believes that a new site
selection alternatives analysis is required under CEQA 15162. (PDF,
3/19/01)
CNPS
sends packet of vernal pool information to California
Legislature urging conservation of this unique and
irreplaceable resource (PDF, 2/7/01)
CNPS
comment letter on the Campus Parkway NOP (PDF,
1/28/01) and CNPS
East Bay Chapter comment letter on the Campus Parkway NOP (PDF,1/26/01)
CNPS
sends Regents education packet about vernal pools including
October 1976 and January 2000 Fremontia as well as Vernal Pool
Ecosystems (PDF, 9/19/00)
CNPS
press release and letter to Greenlining Institute regarding
August 9 rally at the Capitol (PDF, 8/8/00)
CNPS
comment letter to UC and County regarding inadequacies of the "1999
Special-Status Plant Survey Report" (PDF,
6/17/00)
Resolution
of CNPS concerning the siting of a University of California
campus at Lake Yosemite, Merced County -- the proposed UC
Merced campus (PDF,
6/10/00. 238k)
CNPS letter
to UC regarding changes in scope and impacts since the
original 1994 site selection EIR for the UC Merced campus
location (PDF, 5/23/00, 329k)
Wetlands and Vernal
Pools Web Links
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Additional Information
For more
information, contact desert cnps.org.
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