Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Habitat Enhancement Project

The project proposes to enhance five acres of dune habitat at Rancho Guadalupe Dunes County Park, which supports the endangered California least tern (Sternula antillarum), western snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus nivosus), and other California rare plants. The project includes planting 500 California-native and rare dune species selected for their habitat relevance and ecological compatibility, removing almost five acres of invasive species, primarily iceplant (Carpobrotus spp) and narrowleaf iceplant (Conicosia pugioniformis), and establishing post-project monitoring of plant survival and dune stability. The project will also install up to 300-ft of sand fencing to protect newly planted native dune vegetation from wind erosion and sand burial. The project directly addresses impacts from the Related-Transportation Facility, which involved replacing a 600-foot new road and 1,400-foot repaired segment, resulting in approximately 0.48 acres of temporary and 0.25 acres of permanent impacts to dune habitat. The project will provide additional habitat mitigation and enhancement efforts beyond mitigation measures required per Permit No. 23EMP-00004/24CDH-00034 to further restore habitat functionality and resilience. The project aims to increase biodiversity by reintroducing native species suited to foredune conditions and enhance ecological resilience, which will help buffer against and recover from future natural disturbances and climate change. This project was submitted for funding under the California Natural Resources Agency’s Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program for the 2025 grant cycle.