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.
Old Mission Dam Dredging Project
Mission Trails’ Old Mission Dam, constructed between 1812-1816, is a National Historic Landmark and needs occasional maintenance to ensure its structural integrity. Over time, sediment transported along the San Diego River builds up behind the dam creating a heavy load that threatens the dam and the health of the river. To mitigate this and avoid significant damage, the sediment needs to be removed through dredging, a process of removing silt and other material from the bottom of bodies of water.
Dredging at Mission Trails’ Old Mission Dam will begin on December 9. This work is scheduled to be completed within two months from the start date. This project will occur outside of nesting bird season and a qualified project biologist will survey the area before, during, and after work is completed to ensure appropriate measures are in place to protect sensitive species and native vegetation. There will be minimal impacts to the existing vegetation surrounding the dam.
What’s impacted:
- Father Junipero Serra Trail will be closed to vehicle traffic Monday – Friday
- OMD pedestrian access and parking lot will be closed Monday – Friday from December 9th – February 2025
- Oak Canyon Trail junction to OMD trailhead will be closed Monday – Friday from December 9th – February 2025
- Bushy Hill parking lot will be closed every day from December 5th – February 2025
Parking will be available along Father Junipero Serra Trail east of the gate. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic along Father Junipero Serra Trail will not be impacted.
This project is funded by the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department and managed by the City’s Engineering and Capital Projects Department. For questions regarding the dredging work, please submit your questions to the Engineering and Capital Projects Department through this link: https://www.sandiego.gov/ecp/contact/comment
Thank you for your understanding and flexibility during this project, we greatly appreciate it.
FAQ
What will be closed during the Old Mission Dam Dredging Project?
Vehicles will not be permitted to drive on Father Junipero Serra Trail between Gate 1 near the Visitor Center down to Gate 10 near Old Mission Dam Monday – Friday. The road will be open Saturday and Sunday.
The Bushy Hill parking lot will be closed during the project.
Access to the Oak Canyon Trail will not be available via the Dam area parking lot Monday – Friday or gate 10 but it can be reached via the Grasslands Trail or East Fortuna Staging Area.
Where can I park near Old Mission Dam?
The Old Mission Dam parking lot will be closed on weekdays and open on weekends.
The Bushy Hill parking lot will be closed during the project.
Father Junipero Serra Trail on the east side of the dam will remain open for parking, vehicle traffic, pedestrians and cyclists.
What are they dredging and why is it necessary?
Over time sediment is transported from upstream along the San Diego River and builds up behind the dam. These sediments accumulate and place a load on the dam structure that must be managed to protect the longevity of the dam and the health of the river. This is accomplished by dredging the accumulated sediment and removing it from the river.
What safeguards are being taken to ensure the dam isn’t damaged?
The Old Mission Dam was constructed between 1813-1816 and is included on the National Register of Historic Places. In order to protect the historic dam from damage during dredging work, mechanical dredging equipment will maintain a 10 foot buffer from the dam and a qualified archaeologist will be present to ensure that the dam is protected and to monitor for any significant cultural resources present in the dredged material.
Are the Kumeyaay involved in the project?
A Native American monitor will also be present during the dredging work.
What’s being done to protect the surrounding habitat? Will there be restoration afterwards?
All work is occurring outside of the breeding season for protected species in order to avoid impacts to sensitive species during the dredging work. In addition, a qualified project biologist will survey the area prior to, during, and after the dredging work is completed to ensure appropriate measures are in place to protect sensitive species and native vegetation outside of the work area. Only minimal vegetation within the limits of prior dredging work will be removed in order to perform the dredging.
Who is funding and managing the project?
The project is funded by the Parks and Recreation Department and is managed by the Engineering and Capital Projects Department.
Will the dam remain open to the public during construction?
Access to the dam and some areas around the dam will be closed off to the public during construction of the project to protect public safety.
Will Father Junipero Serra Road be closed to the public during construction?
Vehicle access traveling east on Father Junipero Serra Road from the Mission Trails Visitor Center to Dam Parking lot (gate 10) will not be permitted Monday – Friday during construction of the dredging project, but will be open on Saturday and Sunday. The road from the Mission Gorge entrance on the east side to the dam will remain open for vehicle traffic as well as pedestrians and cyclists. The parking lot adjacent to the dam will only be available on weekends; street parking along the side of Father Junipero Serra Road from Mission Gorge will be available for public parking. The Bushy Hill Parking lot will be closed to the public during construction.
Are any trails closed because of this?
Access to the Oak Canyon Trail will not be accessible via the Dam area parking lot or gate 10 during construction of the project. Access to Oak Canyon will be available via the Grasslands Trail or East Fortuna Parking lot.
Will work happen on the weekend?
Weekend work is not expected to occur.
When will the work be completed?
Work is expected to be completed in February 2025.
Who should I contact with questions?
For park visitor questions, please contact the Visitor Center at 619-668-3281. For general questions, please use Ask Parks and Get It Done | City of San Diego Official Website to submit a question. For questions regarding the dredging work, please submit your questions to the Engineering and Capital Projects Department Submit a Comment or Question | City of San Diego Official Website.
