Hidden Ridge Oak Tree Mitigation

HELIX is providing oak tree mitigation services for the Watt Communities Hidden Ridge Project, located in the Fair Oaks community, a census designated place in the County of Sacramento. The project is being implemented as mitigation for a residential development, required by the County of Sacramento. Prior to planting, HELIX prepared an Oak Tree Planting Plan to satisfy a mitigation requirement of the project’s Mitigation and Monitoring Plan. The plan detailed planting method, timing, and location, which was determined by conducting an aerial soil analysis. Following plan approval, HELIX installed 500 oak trees at Sacramento Valley Conservancies Deer Creek Hills Preserve. Each tree was installed with hardware cloth, trenched to protect against underground herbivory, and wrapped in barbed wire to prevent cattle grazing. Trees were installed with grasshopper netting and a five-gallon temporary watering device. The trees will be watered and maintained for a period of three years. HELIX will conduct monitoring on a quarterly basis during the three-year period. At the completion of each monitoring year, the biologist will conduct an annual assessment of the oak trees and prepare an annual report detailing the status of the oak planting effort.