Site Prep and Reforestation

Ventura County RCD plans to plant 4000 native trees and 2180 native companion plants within degraded oak and riparian sites. The purpose of this project is to restore native tree canopy to areas that were historically covered in riparian and oak forest. Oak woodland sites have lost tree canopy from 21 century wildfires (i.e. Thomas Fire) and from oak logging that occurred between 1800--1950's, particularly Valley oak logging in upper Ojai. Valley oak woodlands were cut down to make way for non-native walnut orchards. This project seeks to restore valley oak and coast live oak trees to these sites. Riparian forests have been degraded as a result of Arundo donax, a non-native invasive bamboo like plant. This project will include staking native willow, cottonwood, and sycamore tree plantings into upland riparian banks to increase soil stabilization and restore native tree species canopy to areas that were historically native riparian forest. Beneficiaries of this project will include human residents, native birds, deer, and various other organisms that rely on native oak and riparian forests of Ventura County.