Bolsa Chica Wetlands Restoration

The Bolsa Chica wetlands are located in Orange County, surrounded by the City of Huntington Beach. This project is one of the largest wetland restoration projects to be constructed in southern California. Approximately 370 acres were re-introduced to full tidal influence. The project also improved muted tidal circulation to 200 acres, retained 120 acres of … Continued

Serrano Creek Stabilization and Restoration

Serrano Creek, a coastal stream corridor, is a tributary of San Diego Creek draining an area of about 2,590 acres at Trabuco Road within the City of Lake Forest. The proposed project will stabilize the creek beds and banks, restore riparian habitat, and reduce sediment loadings to Newport Bay. Serrano Creek has undergone substantial erosion … Continued

Upper Newport Bay Eelgrass Restoration Project

This project restored 1.417 acres of eelgrass adjacent to the newly restored habitat in the Upper Newport Bay Ecological Reserve. While the main goal of the project was to restore eelgrass throughout its historical range in Upper Newport Bay, researchers also developed and tested effective, innovative, and cost-effective strategies of restoring and managing this important sea grass … Continued

Santiago Park Nature Reserve Restoration

The project will complete a service learning habitat restoration program for one year at Santiago Park Nature Reserve. Monthly volunteer events will be held at the Reserve, at which local students and community members will remove invasive, non-native species, seed and plant appropriate native plant species, and monitor the habitat. Community members and student volunteers … Continued

Gospel Swamp Natural Area Restoration Effort

This project will ultimately lead to the restoration and improvement of marsh and riparian habitat as well as an additional 2-acres of terrestrial habitats that surround the marshlands. The project will engage the community through special events and educational programs to create a sense of ownership and spirit of stewardship at the site.

Big Oak Canyon Restoration Project

This project will restore a natural, seasonal tributary that feeds into the perennial Shrewsbury Spring, which flows to Silverado Creek in Orange County’s Silverado Canyon. Objectives include restoring the above ground riparian corridor by clearing the area of invasive plants, transplanting locally sourced native vegetation, implementing ecologically sound erosion control measures, creating a dry-season low … Continued

Bolsa Chica Dune Habitat Enhancement

This project plans to expand dune habitat at the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, including the rare dune plant Coastal Wooly Head. In addition, the project will increase nesting and foraging areas for the endangered California Least Terns, threatened Western Snowy Plovers, and other migrating resident shorebirds and waterfowl. The initiative’s goal is three-fold: (1) remove … Continued

Invasive Removal in Bell Creek at Audubon Starr Ranch

Community volunteers will remove periwinkle, smilo grass, and English ivy from a 1.5 acre work area in Bell Creek, a tributary of San Juan Creek. A crew of at-risk young adults from the Orange County Conservation Corps will remove olive and palm trees from the entire length of the 4.71 miles (125 acres) of Bell … Continued

Bayview Habitat Restoration Project

The project completed and integrated four nearly restored projects into one complete 10 acre restoration of coastal sage scrub, native grassland, riparian and upper salt marsh habitat. The work involved the temporary fencing and revegetation of areas damaged by illegal trail activity, and the remediation of other areas that were unsuitable for community-based planting activities … Continued

Zedler Marsh Meadows and Hellman Lowlands Restoration at Los Cerritos Wetlands

This project expanded the community-based restoration efforts at Los Cerritos Wetlands to the newly purchased Hellman Ranch Lowlands, while restoring the plant community in 6 acres of alkali meadow in the Zedler Marsh restoration area. This work will be incorporated into a public program focused on wetlands education, community outreach, stewardship and conservation for the … Continued

Trabuco Creek Fish Passage Project at the Metrolink and I-5 Bridges

This fish passage project at the Interstate 5 bridge array and Metrolink Railroad Bridge crossing on Trabuco Creek addresses some of the most significant fish passage barriers in Southern California. Trabuco Creek is in the San Juan Creek watershed in Orange County, a high priority steelhead recovery river identified in the National Marine Fisheries Services … Continued

Serrano Creek Stabilization & Restoration Phase II: Reach 2 & 3

This project aimed to stabilize the creek beds and banks of Serrano Creek, to restore riparian habitat, and to reduce sediment loadings to Newport Bay. Serrano Creek has undergone substantial erosion in recent years due to changes in the watershed. Serrano Creek, a coastal stream corridor, is a tributary of San Diego Creek draining an … Continued