California Coast & Ocean

Between May and September the Coastal Conservancy approved a variety of public access and habitat restoration projects along the coast and on San Francisco Bay. Most of these projects were made possible by Propositions 40 and 50, the park and resources bond acts approved by voters in 2002.

Restoration at Ormond Beach
Another step toward an ambitious restoration goal was taken in August, when the Nature Conservancy, using $13 million provided by the Coastal Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Board, bought 276 acres of wetlands at Ormond Beach from the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California and the City of Oxnard. This property adjoins 265 acres of dunes and marshes that the Coastal Conservancy has owned since 2002.

The purchase moved forward a plan to restore much of the 1,000 or so acres of wetlands that once existed along this coastal stretch of Ventura County. The Coastal Conservancy has been working on this plan with the Nature Conservancy, wetlands scientists, local partners, and other public agencies, and has reserved funds for the purchase of at least 200 more acres. Restoration of 750 or more acres—about three-fourths of the wetlands that used to exist here—would be expected to result in a biological system with sufficient freshwater flows and tidal action to sustain its environmental health.

If integrated with neighboring coastal wetlands, including 1,500 acres at Mugu Lagoon, Ormond Beach would be at the core of southern California’s largest coastal wetlands, stretching nine miles from Point Hueneme to Point Mugu.

The newly approved purchase will benefit fish, migratory birds, and six endangered and threatened species, including the western snowy plover and California least tern, which rely on the dune and marsh habitat. About 95 of the 276 acres are farmed and will continue to be leased for agriculture until wetland restoration can take place.

Isla Vista and Cayucos Beach
Stairways to Be Rebuilt
In Isla Vista, three stairways that have often been closed because of storm damage will be rebuilt with the help of $150,000 approved by the Conservancy in September. The stairways down a 40- to 50-foot bluff along Del Playa Drive at Escondido Pass, Camino del Sur, and Camino Pescadero provide access to highly popular beaches and surf spots. The County will contribute $136,000 of its own funding for the reconstruction, and will be further aided by an $80,000 grant from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Shoreline Preservation Fund. The County plans to transfer the stairways to the Isla Vista Recreation and Park District.