San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy wraps up successful safety project at Lusardi Creek County Preserve

The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy (SDRVC) is beginning the final quarter of its California Fire Safe Council $18,664 Fire Prevention Grant for work at Lusardi Creek County Preserve, owned by the San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation.

The completed eradication

(SDRVC)

Partnering with the California Native Plant Society, and Urban Corps of San Diego from October 2019 through December 2020, workers conducted fire-fuels reduction and habitat restoration entailing the eradication of invasive salt cedar (Tamarix ramossissima) and giant reed (Arundo donax) and revegetation with native riparian plant species.

Explained Jonathan Appelbaum, SDRVC Conservation manager, “The outcome is complete eradication of these high-risk fire fuels/invasive species from within the preserve and greatly improved wildlife habitat for deer, coyote, bobcat, hawks, owls, and riparian songbirds.”

In April 2014, the Bernardo Fire burned from the Black Mountain/Rancho Bernardo area through the Lusardi Creek riparian corridor into the San Dieguito River Valley and destroyed homes in Fairbanks Ranch and Rancho Santa Fe. —-News release