Section 1021 Of Article 1. Generally From California Fish And Game Code >> Division 2. >> Chapter 3. >> Article 1.
1021
. (a) The department may take feasible actions to conserve
monarch butterflies and the unique habitats they depend upon for
successful migration. These actions may include, but are not limited
to, habitat restoration on department lands, education programs, and
voluntary agreements with private landowners.
(b) The department may partner with federal agencies, nonprofit
organizations, academic programs, private landowners, and other
entities that undertake actions to conserve monarch butterflies and
aid their successful migration, including the Monarch Joint Venture.
(c) When undertaking actions to conserve monarch butterflies and
their habitats pursuant to this section, the department shall use the
best available science and consider, as appropriate and feasible,
all of the following:
(1) Restoring or revegetating monarch caterpillar habitat using
regionally or locally appropriate native milkweed species.
(2) Restoring or revegetating adult monarch butterfly habitat
using regionally or locally appropriate native nectar plant species.
(3) Controlling nonnative weed species that threaten native
milkweed species, and controlling pests and disease, using current
best management practices consistent with integrated pest management
principles that pose low risk to monarch butterflies and their
habitat.
(4) Incorporating diverse tree species, structures, and
arrangements when restoring or establishing winter habitat sites to
match monarch butterfly preferences for temperature, light, moisture,
wind, and other microclimate characteristics.
(5) Increasing the number of partnerships and making the most of
partnerships to use residential and institutional landscaped areas,
agricultural noncropped lands, transportation corridors, and
conservation easements to create, restore, or enhance monarch
butterfly habitat.
(d) The fact that a project applicant or landowner does not enter
into a voluntary agreement to protect monarch butterflies shall not
be grounds for denying a permit or agreement or requiring additional
mitigation beyond what would be required to mitigate project impacts
under other applicable laws, including, but not limited to, the
California Environmental Quality Act (Division 13 (commencing with
Section 21000) of the Public Resources Code).