University of California, Irvine Ecological Reserve
We funded the implementation of a coastal sage scrub restoration project on the UCI campus within its open space preserve.
Quick Facts
Background
The San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency (SJHTCA), in collaboration with the University of California, Irvine (UCI) and the Nature Reserve of Orange County received a grant in 2010 to restore habitat for the coastal cactus wren along the Bonita Creek and Coyote Canyon Corridor. The cactus wren is a target species of Orange County's Natural Community Conservation Plan (NCCP). Loss of habitat from fires, as well as other environmental factors have reduced the numbers of Cactus Wren and have isolated some populations throughout the range of this bird in coastal Southern California. The project focused on the restoration of cactus scrub habitat to facilitate the movement of cactus wren between breeding populations from the Upper Newport Bay to the San Joaquin Hills.
Current Activities
The UCI Ecological Reserve is self-sustaining.
Species
This supports the Coastal Cactus Wren and numerous other birds, reptiles and amphibians, including:
- Coastal California Gnatcatcher
- Cactus Wren
- White-Tailed Kite
- California Horned Lark
- Robinson's Pepper-Grass
- Many-Stemmed Dudleya
