Habitat Management Plan

The Northstar California Habitat Management Plan (HMP) was developed in cooperation with Sierra Watch, the Mountain Area Preservation Foundation, Northstar, and East West Partners in an effort to balance resort land uses with natural resources. The goal of this plan is to maintain and enhance the values of late seral habitat forests, aquatic, riparian and meadow habitats while providing for operations of a four-season resort.

The HMP is working toward establishing a large Habitat Conservation Area at the resort that is managed to maintain and enhance wildlife habitat, open space and low intensity, non-mechanized recreational use.

Late Seral Forests

Late seral forests contain wildlife habitats suitable for uncommon and unique wildlife communities including the Northern Goshawk, California Spotted Owl, Pileated Woodpecker and American Marten, as well as other ecological functions that are distinct from those of younger forests.

Northstar contains approximately 92 acres of mature, late seral forests. These trees, mostly located below Sawtooth Ridge, have canopies dominated by larger and taller trees, and have a more complex canopy structure than younger groups of trees.

Access and use restrictions help to protect wildlife resources during critical nesting seasons.

Riparian Wildlife Areas

In the Sierra Nevada, riparian wildlife areas are among the most productive and species-rich areas. Along with late seral forest habitat, riparian and aquatic habitats are among the most ecologically significant resources on Northstar lands due to their instrumental role in soil conservation and water quality improvement for both surface runoff and water flowing into streams through subsurface or groundwater flow.

Riparian zones provide important wildlife habitat and water quality benefits including habitat for uncommon and unique wildlife communities such as Mule Deer, Willow Flycatcher, Mountain Yellow-Legged Frog and the Sierra Nevada Mountain Beaver.

Birds

There are a variety of types of birds that call the Truckee and Northstar area home including the Northern Goshawk, California Spotted Owl, Blue Grouse, Mountain Bluebird (female, left), Mountain Chickadee, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Yellow Warbler, Stellar’s Jay and Olive-sided Flycatcher.

The Blue Grouse is abundant on Northstar property and feeds on pine needles and succulent berries and bugs. This bird is as big as a chicken and is sometimes called the forest chicken.

The Mountain Chickadee is often referred to as the cheeseburger bird because its song sounds exactly like “cheeseburger.” The chickadee nests in cavities in dead trees that are excavated by woodpeckers. Snags, or standing dead trees, are an important habitat component for many birds, including the mountain chickadee.

The Stellar’s Jay, a bright blue bird, is the raucous parrot of Tahoe forests. In late spring while courting and nest-building, its loud squawks often irritate homeowners. Jays often mob potential predators, and when numerous jays are screaming from one location, chances are an owl or hawk is perched nearby.