Location: Santa Barbara County
Project Type: Restoration, Restoration Planning
Status: Current
Habitat Type: transition zone, upland
Cost: $12,000,000
Funding Gap: $1,000,000
Project Footprint: 19 acres
Assembly District: 37
Senate District: 19
Congressional District: 24
Project Lead/Grantee: Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration (Lisa Stratton, stratton@ccber.ucsb.edu)
Project Lead Website: ccber.ucsb.edu/restoration-management/restoration-area-so-hil-xus
For more information, visit scwrp.org
Ellwood Marine Terminal is a 19 acre site on the UCSB Campus that has had the oil and gas infrastructure removed and the soils remediated. The site has been regraded to restore the primary historic landforms and to protect wetlands. The site is the high point on Ellwood Mesa and the project will reconnect the natural seep to the Dune Pond on COPR. Plant communities to be restored include seasonal wetlands, perennial native grassland, coastal sage scrub, oak woodland and mixed woodland. Benches will be installed along an overlook trail to invite the public to this open space. A working relationship with coastal members of the Chumash will be maintained to allow for ceremonies and gatherings in support of their cultural revitalization. Together we have selected the name s’ o’ hil xus (Bear Spring) as the Chumash name for the site. Interpretive themes are being developed collaboratively to honor the heritage of the Chumash from this region.
