Albany staff and consultants present phased plan to remove some eucalyptus, restore native habitat on Albany Hill

City staff and consultants presented the near-final Albany Hill Forest Management and Habitat Restoration Plan to the Albany City Parks, Recreation and Open Space Commission, outlining phased eucalyptus removals, habitat restoration and pilot plantings to balance wildfire risk, monarch-butterfly habitat and native vegetation recovery.

The presentation, led by Margo Cunningham, Natural Areas Coordinator for the City of Albany, and consultants from Restoration Design Group, asked the commission for final comments before staff sends the plan to the City Council for approval. "We're here to present the just about final Albany Hill Forest Management and Habitat Restoration Plan," Cunningham said.

Why it matters: Albany Hill has been used seasonally by monarch butterflies and contains a mix of eucalyptus stands and remnant native habitat. The plan seeks to reduce hazardous fuel near homes and roads while protecting the sections used by overwintering monarchs and retaining or salvaging native plants to support long-term habitat recovery.

The plan and approach The consultants described three primary objectives that shaped the plan: reduce fire risk, maintain monarch habitat where it currently exists, and restore native habitat. The project is organized into seven phases: three phases of removals and four phases of restoration. Work will proceed from the exterior of the site inward to minimize risks to adjacent properties and infrastructure and to preserve known monarch aggregation areas until later phases.

The team emphasized a public-bid approach that separates tree-removal contractors from restoration contractors so each contractor can be selected for relevant expertise and so the work can be performed carefully. Consultants said they will salvage and store native plants for reinstallation and protect important existing…