Invasives Management

Non-native plants have far-reaching effects when they invade native vegetation communities. Many invasive species effectively out-compete native plants, degrade water quality, increase the risk of flooding, alter flow regimes and provide little or no value to wildlife. We are working with the San Dieguito River Park and other agencies to combat invasives throughout the San Dieguito Watershed with grant funding and public education.

Stewardship Projects Location Map

Click here to view larger map. 

Download map & project descriptions here.

Download Eucalyptus & Fire Management information here.

To view the Conservancy’s stewardship accomplishments and current projects PowerPoint presentation, click here.

Current projects include:

Current projects include:

Invasives Control in San Pasqual Valley – The Conservancy has received funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to treat giant reed, tamarisk and other non-native plants along the San Dieguito River in San Pasqual Valley, east of Escondido.  The funds will also allow revegetation with native riparian trees and shrubs to restore habitat for birds and pollinators.

Riparian Restoration in Del Dios Gorge –The Conservancy has received funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to remove eucalyptus and other non-native species along the San Dieguito River in Del Dios Gorge, east of Rancho Santa Fe.  The funds will also allow revegetation with native riparian trees and shrubs to restore habitat for birds and pollinators.  The Conservancy partnered with the San Dieguito River Park on a $1,049,368 proposal for River Parkways funding to continue the restoration project, and the funding was received in 2010.

For more information, click here for a Fact Sheet, download the Managing Eucalyptus brochure, or see our Fall 2009 Currents newsletter.

Perennial Pepperweed Control – Perennial pepperweed is a persistent, highly-invasive non-native plant that severely degrades native vegetation communities.  The Conservancy received funding from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in 2007 and from SANDAG in 2009 toward a long-term program to treat pepperweed in San Pasqual Valley and at the San Dieguito Lagoon, where it threatens newly-restored coastal wetland habitat.

Background

In 2006, the Conservancy formed a stakeholder group to address the problems of invasive plants and formulate a long-term strategy for weed management in the San Dieguito watershed. The ten-member group, operating as a working group of the San Dieguito Watershed Council, brings together technical and programmatic expertise to identify effective treatment methods and public funding sources. Since 2006, the Conservancy has received more than $900,000 in outside funding for invasives control and habitat restoration projects throughout the River Park.

How You Can Help

The Conservancy hosts monthly volunteer work events to remove non-native plants and restore native habitat in the western end of the River Park. Check our Volunteer Events page for upcoming dates or contact us at volunteer@sdrvc.org.  Also when gardening be sure to chose water saving, non-invassive plants.

Download Plants of the San Dieguito River Valley guide here.