White Atterbury

The White Atterbury project, identified by WCB Project ID 2024105, involves the acquisition of approximately 160 acres of land in San Marcos, San Diego County, for wildlife conservation and habitat preservation. The project is funded through a Wildlife Conservation Board grant and the subgranting of federal funds from a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Nontraditional Section 6 Grant Program Habitat Conservation Plan Land Acquisition grant to The Escondido Creek Conservancy. The primary objective is to protect the habitat of the federally threatened coastal California gnatcatcher, as well as southern mixed chaparral, Diegan coastal sage scrub, open Engelmann oak woodland, and emergent wetlands. This initiative aligns with the City of Carlsbad Habitat Management Plan Northwest San Diego County Multiple Habitat Conservation Program. The project is managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Wildlife Conservation Board, with John P. Walsh serving as the Deputy Executive Director and primary point of contact. A Notice of Exemption was issued on August 28, 2025, claiming exemptions under CEQA Sections 15313 and 15325 for land acquisition dedicated to wildlife conservation. The acquisition covers several specific San Diego County APNs to ensure the permanent protection of these critical native habitats.