San Diego Management & Monitoring Program

Navajo Canyon Open Space and Chollas Radio Canyon Open Space both have recent recorded occurrences of Coastal Cactus Wren. The primary goal is to create, enhance and expand existing Coastal Cactus Wren (CACW) habitat and reduce the threat of wildfire and invasive plant conversion by replacing areas of invasive flashy fuels with native cactus in City of SD Chollas Radio Canyon and Navajo Canyon Open Spaces. The main objectives to reach these goals are 1) to perform brush removal and invasive weed control within newly proposed and existing CACW sites, and 2) harvest and plant cactus cuttings from existing mature native prickly pear and coast cholla to create more CACW habitat. Urban Corps crews will be hired to perform initial and ongoing brush and weed clearing so that City staff can perform herbicide applications to control the weeds in the CACW habitat. Urban Corps labor will also be used to harvest cactus cuttings from existing specimens onsite at both locations and install them in the CACW habitat enhancement sites. Urban Corps crews will also be used to install erosion control materials. City staff will oversee and manage the project. This project will build on past projects performed by AECOM and Urban Corps that worked to create and enhance Coastal Cactus Wren habitat in Chollas Radio Canyon Open Space.