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�. �- 50 Interaction with humans Human-related disturbance during construction or similar activities occurring during the clapper rail breeding season, if too near individual rails and nests, "could result in increased competitive interactions, territory boundary shifts, or territory abandonment," suggesting that "increased human activity and associated noise within a rail's established territory can significandy alter the normal behavioral patterns of rails during the breeding season, possibly resulting in extensive movements, lack of reproductive success, or territorial abandonment" (Medlin/USFWS, 1996). Appropriate mitigation would include working between September 1 and February 1, except during periods of extreme high tides, when heightened predator acuvities have been observed. Studies have found that as the level of human activity increases in sensitive areas, the width of buffer zones needs to be increased proportionally to rnini,T,i�e disturbance. Albertson and Evens (2000) state that human disturbance from "recreational use, utilities maintenance, and high-intensity adjacent uses can disturb rails and cause homerange abandonment with subsequent nesting failure." �nother effect of increased human activity is a potential increase in the number and types of predators, drawn by increased food availability. Medlin (1996) cites the example of the clapper rail population along the Greenbrae boardwalk in the Corte Madera Ecological Preserve: four rail breeding territories were documented there in 1983; in 1993, no rail breeding territories were identified, although rail habitat conditions remained unchanged. Disappearance of breeding territories was attributed to a greater number of domestic and feral dogs and cats in the azea due to an increase in the residential population. Recovery Plan Salt Marrh Harvert Moure and Calzfornia Clapper Rail Recovery P/an. 1984. The Tidal I�farsh Ecosystem Recovery Plan, which is under development, will supersede the 1984 plan. The 1984 recover}� plan focused on restoration and enhancement of salt marsh habitat to benefit the rail. The plan identifies Inner Bair Island and parts of neighboring Middle and Outer Bair islands as a "Priorin� 1" area for restoration as habitat essential to the survival and recovery of the clapper rail (Recoverv Task 1224). "Priority 1" actions "must be completed to avert an irreversible population decline or extinction of the species" (Medlin/USFWS, 1996). Bair Island is to be protected in perpetuity as part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National �l"%ildlife Refuge. In March 1999, the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POS7�, through private fund- raising, together with federal and state funds already in place, purchased 1,626 acres of Bair Island, which means that the entire 3,200 acre island can become protected habitat (POST, 1999). Recent Bird Counts In the Redwood Shores Area Clapper rail winter surveys completed annually in the Redwood Shores area between 1995-1996 and 2000-2001 found the following birds: Location Year 1995-1996 1996-1997 1997-1998 1998-1999 1999-2000 2000-2001 2001-2002 Belmont No survey No survey No survey 5 5 4 No surve � Slou h } Bird Island 2* 1* 3` 0� 3 9 No surve Redwood 3* 4 2 4 Ci � Levee 1 2 No surve}� Redwood Citt� 1�larsh No survey 0* 0* 1 0 0 No survey Steinbez er No survec 0* 0* 0* No surve 0* No surve � G