NATURE COLLECTIVE

HABITAT CONSERVATION:THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON RESTORATION PROJECT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST WETLAND RESTORATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. OUR PROJECT INCLUDES NEW MUDFLATS AND TIDAL DREDGING IN THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE IN ENCINITAS, CA. MUDFLATS ARE A KEY HABITAT FOR MANY ANIMALS ESPECIALLY WATERFOWL. WITHOUT RESTORATION, WE WOULD HAVE LOST THESE VITAL HABITATS NOW RESTORED AND ENHANCED FOR SEA LEVEL RISE.KEEPING LAGOON LANDS AND WATERS HEALTHY MEANS INCREASING TIDAL CIRCULATION, A NATURAL PROCESS THAT MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE HAD NEARLY HALTED. BUT WIDER BRIDGE SPANS, AND ENHANCED TIDAL CHANNELS, ARE NOW DELIVERING TIDAL FLOW FARTHER AND DEEPER INTO SAN ELIJO LAGOON. WHEN RESTORATION WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA IS COMPLETE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THROUGH THE NEXT 50 YEARS ENSURING THAT WHAT WE DESIGNED ISWORKING AS SEA LEVELS RISE AND OUR CLIMATE CHANGES.WITHOUT THRIVING PLANT SPECIES INDIGENOUS TO THIS AREA, OUR LANDS AND THEIR ECOSYSTEM AREN'T TRULY HEALTHY. THAT'S WHY WE WORK TO CONTROL INVASIVE PLANTS IN THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, THROUGHOUT THE CARLSBAD HYDROLOGIC UNIT, AND BEYOND. THE MORE PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO THIS AREA FLOURISH, THE MORE THAT ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN CALIFORNIA GET TO RESIDE IN THEIR LIFE-GIVING HABITATS.OUR SCIENTISTS MONITOR INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND FUNCTION IN SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, AND IN LANDS AND WATERS BEYOND. MONITORING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SURVEYS OF THE CONDITIONS OF MULTIPLE PLANT COMMUNITIES, WILDLIFE POPULATIONS, WATER QUALITY, AND HYDROLOGIC CHANGES. DATA ARE SHARED WITH REGIONAL AND STATE AGENCIES FOR WATERSHED MONITORING.

LAND TRUST:A KEY PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT LANDS IN THE ESCONDIDO WATERSHED, AND IN LANDS BEYOND, BY MANAGING HABITATS AND THE IMPORTANT SERVICES THAT NATURE PROVIDES. THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE IS LOSS OF HABITAT. AS A LAND TRUST WE ACQUIRE AND PROTECT LANDS IN THE WATERSHED, INCLUDING THE LATEST ADDITION OF 77 ACRES THAT IS CONSERVING RARE COASTAL SAGE SCRUB AND SOUTHERN COASTAL BLUFF SCRUB HABITATS. INTHESE ACRES, SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS SURVEYED INCLUDE: DEL MAR MANZANITA (FEDERALLY ENDANGERED), SEA DAHLIA AND NUTTALL'S SCRUB OAK. AT LEAST TWO SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES OF CONCERN CALL THIS PLACE HOME, THE SAN DIEGO POCKET MOUSE AND THE CALIFORNIA GNATCATCHER. NATURE COLLECTIVE OWNS 143 ACRES THROUGH FEE-TITLE OWNERSHIP, AND HOLDS MORE THAN 70 ACRES OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY. LANDOWNERS WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR LAND IS PROTECTED FOR GENERATIONS CAN CONTACT NATURE COLLECTIVE ABOUT WAYS WE CAN HELP CONNECT CONSERVATION GOALS. HARBAUGH SEASIDE TRAILS, A 3-ACRE COASTAL OVERLOOK FEATURES FOUR INDIGENOUS PLANT COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC TRAILS. AS A NONPROFIT LAND TRUST, NATURE COLLECTIVE COLLABORATES IN SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE MANAGEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.