Type: report

Article abstract: Introduction The Otay Ranch Preserve (Preserve) is located in southwestern San Diego County and is composed of three major parcels: Otay River parcel, Proctor Valley parcel, and San Ysidro Mountains parcel (County of San Diego 1993). The Preserve boundaries include lands within the city of Chula Vista and the county of San Diego. As of February 2013, lands that had been conveyed to the Preserve totaled 2,978 acres (Figures 1-3 and Table 1). An additional 230 acres of Preserve land are anticipated to be conveyed to the Preserve in Fiscal Year (FY; July 1 through June 30) 2013-14 for a total of approximately 3,208 acres. The Preserve is managed by the City and County, who are referred to as the Preserve Owner/Manager (POM). In 2009, RECON Environmental was contracted to serve as the Preserve Steward/Biologist (PSB). The PSB's role is to perform basic stewardship and conduct required biological surveys and monitoring for the Preserve. The Preserve is a hard-line preserve that has been designed and is managed specifically for protection and enhancement of the multiple species present. The Preserve also serves to connect large areas of open space through a series of wildlife corridors, including connections between regional open space areas west and east of Otay Reservoir and north to San Miguel Mountain. The purpose of this biannual report is to document access issues, new site disturbance, new plant species, observed wildlife, and management tasks performed between January 1, 2013 and April 30, 2013.