HELIX prepared an Open Space Management Plan for the 760-acre Barnett Ranch property located in the County of San Diego in Ramona. The Open Space Preserve within Barnett Ranch is both within and adjacent to the Pre-approved Mitigation Area in the County Multiple Species Conservation Program's San Vicente corridor. The HELIX team performed vegetation mapping, general biological surveys, rare plant surveys, coastal California gnatcatcher surveys, Quino checkerspot butterfly surveys, small mammal trapping and tracking, herpetological array trapping and bird counts. HELIX prepared a biological resources report that documented the flora and fauna of the site. An Archaeological Resources Report and Wildland Fire Management Plan were prepared by subconsultants.

From this data, HELIX prepared the Area-specific Management Directives (a resource management plan) for the Preserve. The property has been subject to extensive previous agricultural activities and was burned by the Cedar Fire. Recommended management actions focus on recovery (especially weed management) from these disturbances, protection of sensitive biological and cultural resources, reduction of the potential for catastrophic fire in the future, and provision of appropriate public access and education opportunities. These documents will provide the basis for the management of the Preserve as required by the County's Multiple Species Conservation Program Implementing Agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the California Department of Fish and Game. To simplify implementation of the plan, HELIX prepared a detailed matrix of management duties, including priorities and schedules.