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Press Release from the sDRVC Contact: Leslie Woollenweber, MBA, Resources Specialist
San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy Begins Riparian Restoration Project to Benefit Endangered Bird Species San Diego, CA – The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy, a non-profit land trust dedicated to open space preservation in the San Dieguito watershed, announces today it has begun work to improve habitat for sensitive bird species along the San Dieguito River below Lake Hodges. The Conservancy received $143,750 in funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2008 for the restoration project to benefit least Bell’s vireo and southwestern willow flycatcher, two federally-endangered birds. Yellow warbler and yellow-breasted chat, both State species of special concern, will also benefit. The funds will cover the removal of non-native plants along the river channel as well as the purchase of native trees and shrubs for habitat restoration. The Conservancy is cooperating with the County of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, San Dieguito River Park, one private property owner and Rincon Consultants, an environmental firm overseeing management of portions of the project area, on this important undertaking. Riparian habitat in the San Dieguito River below Lake Hodges is severely impacted by eucalyptus trees and other non-native species. Eucalyptus effectively displace native vegetation through allelopathic competition, eliminating the dense cover upon which riparian birds, including migratory species, depend for forage and nesting habitat. To accomplish the project goals, 5.5 acres of non-native trees will be removed. The tree removal will be logistically difficult in this area due to the terrain and will require mostly manual methods. The project also involves treatment of invasive species in other areas below the Lake Hodges dam to improve the quality of native habitat. Replanting will occur in accessible areas using volunteers where native vegetation is not likely to recover quickly on its own. The project is part of a large-scale effort begun in 2006 to control invasive plant species in the San Dieguito watershed. The Conservancy formed the San Dieguito Invasives Management Group as a 10-member stakeholder partnership to coordinate efforts to obtain funding and implement invasives control measures in the western half of the watershed. At 346 square miles, the San Dieguito watershed is San Diego County’s fourth largest and is impacted by high priority invasive species such as giant reed, tamarisk, perennial pepperweed and eucalyptus. Invasive plants degrade ecosystems by displacing native vegetation, provide little to no habitat value for wildlife and can increase the risk of flood and fire. The Conservancy has received more than $900,000 in grant funding over the past 24 months to launch invasives treatment and habitat restoration projects throughout the 94,000-acre San Dieguito River Park. The San Dieguito Invasives Management Group is implementing a long-term program to combat invasive plants in the watershed, and together its partners have obtained nearly $2,000,000 in funding for the effort.\ or the eucalyptus removal project, the Conservancy received $123,750 in funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, a division of USDA, in 2008 through its Wildlife Habitat Incentives Program, which supports the restoration of rare and declining native habitat for the benefit of special status species. $20,000 was also received from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife program. Additional grant funds are being sought by the Conservancy to complete the multi-year project along 1.85 miles of the San Dieguito River corridor between the Lake Hodges dam and Calle Ambiente in Rancho Santa Fe. The California Conservation Corps, a State agency that provides job training and educational opportunities for young people between the ages of 18 and 25 interested in the environment, will provide contract labor to carry out the tree removal. Youth and community service organizations as well as individual volunteers will assist with revegetation efforts. “While this is only the first phase, we are excited to get underway with this important restoration project. It’s a big step in terms of invasives removal and a great way to get local residents involved in a scenic and biologically valuable stretch of the San Dieguito River,” stated Leslie Woollenweber, Resources Specialist with the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy. The initial phase of work will take place through mid-March 2010.
About the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy
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