Coyote Canyon Mitigation Site
Coyote Canyon, a mid-century landfill closed in 1990, serves as a special linkage for native wildlife between the San Joaquin Hills and Upper Newport Bay.
Quick Facts
Background
Coyote Canyon, a mid-century landfill closed in 1990, serves as a special linkage for native wildlife between the San Joaquin Hills and Upper Newport Bay. Four years after its closure, the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency (SJHTCA) began replanting the landfill with buckwheat, sage and other native plants, creating habitat for the federally listed California gnatcatcher. It was the first time that native habitat for an endangered species had ever been planted on a closed landfill. By the end of the official monitoring period in 2000, 10 breeding pairs of gnatcatchers had 53 chicks, proving the restoration was successful.
Current Activities
Today, Coyote Canyon is a thriving, self-sustaining habitat that supports native wildlife.
Species
Coyote Canyon is home to a variety of wildlife species, including:
- California Gnatcatcher
- Coastal Sage Scrub
- Coyote
- Desert Cottontail
- Cooper's Hawk
- Turkey Vulture
- Spotted Towhee
