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4 -. <br />2.2 Key Trends and Issues <br />Biological Resources <br />The richness of local biodiversity is illustrated by the fact that, <br />in 2001, Maria ranked 17 "' among the 58 California counties <br />in the number of special status species documented here. In <br />fact, Lagunitas Creek supports the most important remnant <br />population of federally threatened wild coho salmon in <br />central California. Despite these positive indicators, however, <br />loss of habitat, habitat fragmentation, and invasion by exotic <br />species pose significant threats to native plants and animals. <br />Additional concerns include loss of wildlife movement <br />corridors, filling of wetlands, and loss of oak woodlands to <br />disease. <br />Water Resources <br />Providing adequate water for human use while supporting <br />habitat for fish and other aquatic species is an increasingly <br />difficult challenge. Water demand among Maria residents has <br />risen, while fish populations have declined in response to a <br />variety of factors. Human impacts are adversely affecting water <br />quality. Urbanization increases die rate of storm runofl'to <br />local creeks. The runoff scours creeks and causes habitat loss. <br />Mineral Resources <br />The County is required by the State to preserve mineral <br />resource sites and ensure that nearby land uses are <br />compatible with extraction. The underlying rationale - that <br />construction materials should come from sites close to <br />consumer markets - supports the County's sustainability <br />goals, including reducing transportation impacts associated <br />with imports. The volume of deposits remaining in local <br />quarries needs to be determined, and reclamation plans need <br />to be updated. <br />Atmosphere and Climate <br />Transportation and energy production are among the <br />activities associated with the combustion of fossil fuels that are <br />increasing the amounts and concentrations of greenhouse <br />gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) in the <br />atmosphere that contribute to global warming. The U.S. <br />Environmental Protection Agency estimates that by 2100 <br />"Trend is not destiny. <br />Rene Dubois <br />Key Trends and Issues <br />MR� <br />