San Diego Management & Monitoring ProgramThe initial goal of this project was to significantly improve the conservation status of three of the rarest and most imperiled plants in San Diego County: Orcutt’s spineflower, San Diego thornmint, and short-leaved dudleya. Proposed work included stabilizing and increasing the size of existing populations, establishing new populations of Orcutt’s spineflower, and providing stewardship. A TransNet EMP grant (#5001767) funded the development and implementation of a conservation strategy that included seed bulking and the establishment of additional populations of Orcutt’s spineflower to help minimize the risk of extinction. SANDAG EMP funds and a Section 6 grant from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife funded GIS mapping of suitable habitat soils and population surveys at remaining natural historic documented occurrences and in newly mapped suitable habitat on conserved lands off the Point Loma Navy Base. Through an additional round of TransNet EMP grant funding (#5004954), the project grew to include Orcutt's brodiaea and California Orcutt grass for the Otay Mesa Rare Plants Project. Project activities included seed bulking for MSP plant species and restoration of vernal pools & maritime succulent scrub & establishment of MSP plant occurrences. One last round of grant funding (#5005511) focused on improving the conservation status of Orcutt's spineflower (SL); short-leaved dudleya (SL), and Orcutt's brodiaea (SO). The project focused on seed bulking for all three species; control of invasive weeds for all three species; establishment of one new Orcutt's spineflower occurrence; supplementation of population numbers and stewardship management to maintain approximately sixteen existing occurrences of Orcutt's spineflower and one existing occurrence each of short-leaved dudleya and Orcutt's brodiaea.
Project type: Habitat restoration
Target species: Orcutt's spineflower
Main implementing entity: The Chaparral Lands Conservancy
Point of contact: Dave Hogan
Project Page manager: Sarah McCutcheon
SDMMP lead: Sarah McCutcheon
Study lead: Dave Hogan
Budget year: pre FY15-1; Work plan objectives number: 5