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River Partners implemented Phase 1 of a comprehensive riparian restoration and enhancement plan of 55 acres on the County of San Diego's Lawrence and Barbara Daley Preserve (Preserve). A major goal of Phase 1 was to remove invasive non-natives plants in order to enhance the local habitat and promote ecosystem health in the downstream portion of the watershed by limiting the amount of invasive seeds and propagules being transported. In addition, a comprehensive restoration plan was designed in order to direct future restoration efforts of native vegetation (Phase 2). Restoring native vegetation to riparian and coastal scrub habitat, while targeting the desired habitat structure of the California gnatcatcher (Polioptila califomica), yellow-breasted chat (lcteria virens), and other neo-tropical migratory birds will greatly expand their available habitat and resources as well as thwart the re-colonization of non-native invasive species. The Daley Preserve Project is important because it contains patches of both live oak riparian forest (MSCP Tier I habitat) and Diegan coastal sage scrub (MSCP Tier II habitat). Biological surveys have shown that Dulzura Creek is also an important wildlife movement corridor, as well as breeding and foraging grounds for several MSCP covered species such as the coastal California gnatcatcher. The enhancement and restoration of 55 acres of riparian and coastal scrub habitat along Dulzura Creek will improve the quality and continuity of habitat for a variety of neo-topical migratory and resident birds, including several threatened and endangered species, as well as other native wildlife. Additionally, the project is a valuable component to the success of downstream restoration efforts in that it is important to remove invasive species and restore native vegetation in upstream reaches in order to suppress the subsequent reinfestation of invasive species and their spread downstream.

The purpose of this Biological Diversity Baseline Report for the Lawrence and Barbara Daley Preserve is to provide the County of San Diego with information on existing biological conditions to assist in the development of Area Specific Management Directives. The approximately 597-acre1 Preserve is located in the south central portion of San Diego County, in the community of Dulzura, north and east of Highway 94 and south of Honey Springs Road. Technology Associates International Corporation (Technology Associates) assisted by the San Diego Natural History Museum, conducted baseline biological surveys at the Preserve on behalf of the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation. Baseline surveys were conducted in the winter, spring, and summer of 2009-2010. Biologists conducted the following surveys to assess the current status of biological resources onsite: (1) mapping of vegetation communities, (2) a floral inventory including rare plant surveys, (3) butterfly inventory surveys, (4) pitfall trapping for amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals, (5) arroyo toad surveys, (6) aquatic herpetofauna surveys, (7) diurnal avian point count surveys, (8) nocturnal avian surveys, (9) acoustic bat surveys, (10) small mammal trapping, and (11) track and camera station surveys for medium and large mammals. Due to the 2007 Harris fire that burned all of the Preserve, results of these surveys may under-represent the diversity of plant and wildlife species that occupy the Preserve. Ten vegetation communities were mapped within the Preserve and consist of Diegan coastal sage scrub, coastal sage-chaparral scrub, southern mixed chaparral, native grassland, non-native grassland, southern riparian woodland, coast live oak woodland, eucalyptus woodland, disturbed habitat, and urban/developed habitat. The most abundant vegetation community on the Preserve is Diegan coastal sage scrub, which makes up approximately 417.20 acres or 70% of the total area. Floristic surveys documented 355 plant taxa occurring on site. These include both native and non-native species along with eleven sensitive (California Native Plant Society List 1-4) plant species, including: desert fragrance (Ambrosia monogyra), San Diego needlegrass (Achnatherum diegoensis), Palmer's sagewort (Artemisia palmeri), San Diego sunflower (Bahiopsis [Viguiera] laciniata), delicate clarkia (Clarkia delicata), Palmer's goldenbush (Ericameria palmeri var. palmeri), chocolate lil

This review prioritizes infrastructure improvements of 35 existing undercrossings inspected by wildlife experts in the field along 14.6 miles of SR-94 where the highway bisects conserved lands—particularly between the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge (SDNWR), where a box culvert has been designed specifically for this undercrossing, between Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve (RJER) and Hollenbeck Canyon Wildlife Area (HCWA), and between Bureau of Land Management (BLM) lands and the Lawrence and Barbara Daley Preserve (LB Daley). In total, SR-94 crosses >10 miles of conserved lands with only three bridges—at the Sweetwater River, Dulzura Creek, and Campus Grove bridge in Dulzura. Following is a summary of improvements recommended for existing undercrossings and proposed new undercrossings, by segment, presented in this document.