Restoring Habitat through Invasive Plant and Brush Removal
Thanks to grant funding from the San Diego River Conservancy, a state agency established to enhance the San Diego River watershed, the nonprofit Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Foundation has launched a habitat restoration and invasive plant removal project at MTRP.
This project aims to increase the park’s fire resiliency, reduce the likelihood of fire within the park and in nearby neighborhoods, as well as expand and improve critical native habitat. The multi-year grant will support ongoing maintenance and build capacity within the MTRP Foundation to address the park’s needs for brush and invasive removal, and habitat restoration.
The MTRP Foundation has engaged contractor RECON Environmental and is collaborating with staff from City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department staff on this project.
Why is this project important?
This project is important to help reduce fire risk within the park and the nearby communities by removing harmful fire fuel, like dead brush and fire-prone invasive plant species. Additionally, this project will help support and maintain the critical habitat and biodiversity at Mission Trails. San Diego is a biodiversity hotspot, meaning there is great variety in the flora and fauna, and is one of the most biodiverse areas in the nation. Unfortunately, San Diego us also home to the greatest number of plant and animal species threatened with extinction anywhere in the country. One of the greatest threats to biodiversity and endangered habitat is the introduction of invasive species.
What is an invasive species?
An invasive species is a nonnative, introduced species to an ecosystem that causes or is likely to cause economic or environmental harm or harm to human health. Read more here about common invasive plants in San Diego.
Who is managing this invasive and brush removal project?
Mission Trails Regional Park (MTRP) Foundation is working in partnership with the City of San Diego to implement this multi-year project.
MTRP Foundation hired RECON Environmental, Inc to conduct invasive species and brush removal to improve habitat and mitigate the risk of wildfire. RECON is a full-service environmental and habitat restoration firm with over 50 years of experience in southern California. This project launched in September 2024 and will be ongoing. We hope to not impact park users time in nature, and the RECON crews will only operate during normal working hours on weekdays. This project will pause during nest bird season, in accordance with City of San Diego regulations.
Who is funding this project?
The San Diego River Conservancy is an independent, non-regulatory state agency established to preserve, restore and enhance the San Diego River Area. The Conservancy’s 18-member Governing Board consists of both state and local representatives, creating a diverse partnership dedicated to conserving this highly valued resource of statewide significance. Learn more at https://sdrc.ca.gov/
Who should I contact if I have questions about this project?
If you have questions or concerns regarding this project, please email MTRP Foundation’s Stewardship Manager Kindra Hixon at khixon@mtrp.org.
