What's new
By:
Filters

Endangered species habitat? Anyone have experience?

2big bronco

2big bronco

Og irate
Joined
May 19, 2020
Member Number
188
Messages
4,344
Loc
Prunedale ca
Im looking at a naturally accuring deep 1 acre pond for sale down the road from my house with 20-30' of grass surrounding it. The current owner is sub dividing thier land and needs to off this so that they can build on the remaining 2 acres. (You are allowed to sub divide down to .8 acres but are not allowed to build on a parcel deemed to be a habitat of an endangered species).

Anyhow this pond is deemed to be a protected habitat for the "red legged tree frog". That doesnt bother me at all as i would just want a cool private pond for my kids to be able to ride thier bikes to and do kid stuff. The problem i am having is figuring out what uses would be allowed. Can i toss an old wooden boat in there to float around on? Allowed to fish? RC boat races? Stocking a catfish or 10 might cure the frog problem. The county is not being helpfull due to covid so i figure id try reaching out to the local fish and game officer tommorow.

Anyone have any ideas?+
 
Only that an area North of Las Vegas we were developing into an OHV area got visited by BLM folks on a pretty regular basis if they saw our rigs there. One time it was a biologist and she was telling us about the Desert Bighorn Sheep in the area, (we had seen them there right from the beginning), and we asked about the endangered desert tortoise, and she said, "Oh no, this is too far north for their range. We didn't say shit, because we had seen several.

I think if you ask, you will put it on their radar, and nothing good can come of that.
 
Dethmachinefab said:
Don't dredge, dirt work around it, or cause anything to runoff into it. Clearing vegetation can also be an issue. That's what it's like on this side of the country.
Click to expand...

Seems resonable. They are going to pull it off the market next week because they have gotten 0 offers in 6 months. They are asking $45k and my agent said if i was interested now would be the time to lowball them. Maybe im being totally unrealistic but im thinking if i could get it for $20k and have a cool pond for my kids and friends kids it would be worth it.
 
Void_of_Light said:
That just seems like a headache nobody needs. I wouldn’t want it in my name even if they payed me to take it.
Click to expand...

Thats another thought ive had.... but im wondering what the headache would/could be if i dont actually want to use it for anything other then recreation.



Ponds are not common around here and i never had one i was actually allowed to be at so i guess it seems like some super cool thing.
 
2big bronco said:
Thats another thought ive had.... but im wondering what the headache would/could be if i dont actually want to use it for anything other then recreation.



Ponds are not common around here and i never had one i was actually allowed to be at so i guess it seems like some super cool thing.
Click to expand...

Depending on the level of protection for that species, using the property for recreation could potentially be viewed as “harassing” the endangered animal. I’d steer clear without guidance from the Fish and Game folks.
 
2big bronco said:
Thats another thought ive had.... but im wondering what the headache would/could be if i dont actually want to use it for anything other then recreation.



Ponds are not common around here and i never had one i was actually allowed to be at so i guess it seems like some super cool thing.
Click to expand...

Never once since the invention of the words endangered species, has it been beneficial to the land owner to have one on their land. I doubt you could do much more than look at the pond from a distance. You may even be responsible for any damage that happens to it and be required to fix said damage. It’s just a really really bad idea.
 
Void_of_Light said:
Never once since the invention of the words endangered species, has it been beneficial to the land owner to have one on their land. I doubt you could do much more than look at the pond from a distance. You may even be responsible for any damage that happens to it and be required to fix said damage. It’s just a really really bad idea.
Click to expand...

This is probably what i need to hear. Going to still see what fish and game has to say
 
An environmental inspector might be able to give you some insight also. I'm guessing you guys don't deal with them much in the concrete jungle?
 
[486 said:
;n362676]You know how I bought a piece of shit?
I don't regret it too much yet.

I wouldn't touch that property.
Click to expand...

Yeah, my house was probably a bigger piece of shit then yours so obviously my judgement may be flawed at times.
 
Dethmachinefab said:
Start conservancy group, donate your money to the organization for it's maintenance and preservation. Seems like a good way to reduce your tax burden.
Click to expand...

That’s what I was thinking.

“Yep this is my nature preserve, we teach the young folk about conservation and what not.”

Gotta be some sort of tax write off/credit of some sort in there. But then again I try to avoid dealings with the government as much as possible so I actually have no idea.
 
The red legged tree frog is the “go too” critter for the California enviro-nazis in Northern California.

Personally, I think that frog is everywhere, it’s just used as an excuse. A few years ago we were looking into splitting the property into two parcels. As soon as the guy from the county asked another county guy, “Isn’t that Swainson hawk habitat?” I knew it was pointless.

And to this day I have yet to see one of those hawks :shaking:
 
Last edited:
Byro said:
That’s what I was thinking.

“Yep this is my nature preserve, we teach the young folk about conservation and what not.”

Gotta be some sort of tax write off/credit of some sort in there. But then again I try to avoid dealings with the government as much as possible so I actually have no idea.
Click to expand...

Another thought might be to donate it to a conservation for the apraised value of an acre here and write that off. The cheapest acre around here is over 200k
 
Dude, it's california, and (near) bay area CA at that. Do you really think this is remotely likely to end well???

Something else you might want to think about is what potential liability you would have as the landowner to protect the habitat. Not just from the perspective of you not being allowed to do stuff, but you being liable for what some other moron does - i.e. random idiot dumps trash in the lake any the EPA comes after you to fix it since you the pond even though it's not your trash.
 
Last edited:
If you can get it for 20k and you and your kids can enjoy it for 5, 10, maybe 15 years before a neighbor bitches and fucks it up you will be money ahead in smiles. Then sell it to a conservancy group for what you paid for it if not more.

Like someone said, just dont go digging it up, making it bigger or altering it substantially and you will be fine.

In short, your pockets ain't deep enough for them to do anything other than bitch you out and threaten you with a fine.
 
2big bronco said:
do you like fish sticks?
Click to expand...

I like my fish stick, besides typing this, I have no fucks to give about anyone else's

I guess its just common sense hence it wasn't mentioned, be mindful of uses or traffic that would cause erosion. there was a pond with a bumpout. a 15 kid half circle, that area became a soggy muddy mess in minutes, the adults said hey look what's happening, ok this needs to dry there's a whole pond but here's where all the dumb sunny's were biting bare hooks :laughing:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Back Refresh