Rare Plant Inspect and Manage Monitoring 2014-2026

From 2014-2026, a Management and Monitoring Strategic Plan (MSP Roadmap) monitoring objective for 30 rare plant species is to inspect occurrences to determine management needs. The inspect and manage (IMG) objective is implemented to document the status of rare plant occurrences and assess habitats and threats to develop specific management recommendations. IMG monitoring is implemented by a combination of land managers and contracted biologists in coordination with the SDMMP. Available rare plant data is posted below. New annual updates are typically posted in March. Based upon an evaluation of these data, a 2014-2026 monitoring schedule has been developed for the 30 rare plant species (attached below). Coordinating data collection across the region allows analyses of species and population trends over time and provides a better understanding of the association between habitat and threat covariates and population dynamics.

Monitoring-Plants
Rare Plants
in progress
Project Groups

  • SDMMP17 Rare Plant Regional IMG Management and Monitoring

Project Focus

Aphanisma, Blochman's dudleya, Chaparral nolina, Coast wallflower, Encinitas baccharis, Gander's ragwort, Heart-leaved pitcher sage, Jennifer's monardella, Mexican flannelbush, Nuttall's acmispon, Orcutt's birds-beak, Orcutt's brodiaea, Orcutt's hazardia, Otay tarplant, saltmarsh bird's-beak, San Diego ambrosia, San Diego goldenstar, San Diego thorn-mint, San Miguel savory, Shaw's agave, Short-leaved dudleya, Small-leaved rose, Sticky dudleya, Thread-leaved brodiaea, Variegated dudleya, Willowy monardella

chaparral, coastal sage scrub, grassland, riparian forest & scrub, salt marsh

Emily Perkins

Kris Preston

San Diego Management and Monitoring Program

Jonathan Mercado; Josue Campos; Carl Thelander; John Clark; ACI Sunbow, LLC; Bureau of Land Management; Cabrillo National Monument, National Park Sevice; California Department of Fish & Wildlife; California State Parks; Center for Natural Lands Management; City of Carlsbad; City of Chula Vista; City of Encinitas; City of Escondido; City of Oceanside; City of Poway; City of San Diego; Conservation Biology Institute; District 11, Department of Transportation, State of California; Endangered Habitats Conservancy; Friends of Goodan Ranch & Sycamore Canyon; Habitat Restoration Sciences, Inc.; Helix Environmental Planning, Inc.; Nature Collective; Naval Base Coronado; Olivenhain Water District; Otay Ranch Preserve Owner/Manager (POM); Otay Water District; RECON Environmental, Inc.; San Diego Audubon Society ; Thomas Oberbauer; San Diego County Water Authority; San Diego Habitat Conservancy; San Diego Natural History Museum; San Diego River Conservancy; SANDAG; The Escondido Creek Conservancy; The Nature Conservancy; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; U.S. Forest Service Cleveland National Forest; UC San Diego Natural Reserve System; United States Border Patrol

Kris Preston

Emily Perkins

Jessie Vinje

Project Protocol
Rare Plant IMG Field Method Instructions 2025

Data collection protocol for Rare Plant IMG surveys in 2025

camera stations; population estimation; relevee; threat categorization
435.83KB MSP 2025 Rare Plant IMG Field Form Instructions 1-28-25.pdf

Coast wallflower Erysimum ammophilum

Goal: Maintain or enhance existing coast wallflower occurrences and establish new occurrences, as needed, to ensure multiple conserved occurrences with self sustaining populations to increase resilience to environmental and demographic stochasticity, maintain genetic diversity, and improve chances of persistence over the long term (>100 years) in chaparral, coastal bluff, coastal dune and coastal sage scrub vegetation communities.

regional and/or local NFO 2017, 2019, 2021 SL
MON-IMP-IMG ERYAMM-1

Management units: 6, 7

Beginning in 2017, inspect occurrences of coast wallflower on Conserved Lands (see occurrence table) using the regional IMG monitoring protocol to record status and to collect habitat and threats covariate data to determine management needs. After 2017, repeat monitoring every 2 years.

Action Statement Action status Projects
IMP-1 Based upon occurrence status and threats, determine management needs including whether routine management or more intensive management is warranted. some occurrences are in progress Rare Plant Inspect and Manage Monitoring 2014-2026
IMP-2 Submit project metadata, status, habitat and threats data, and management recommendations to the MSP Web Portal. some occurrences are in progress Rare Plant Inspect and Manage Monitoring 2014-2026
Criteria Deadline year
Surveys Completed in 2017, 2019, and 2021 with Management Recommendations 2021
Threat Name Threat Code
Human uses of the PreservesHUMUSE
Invasive plantsINVPLA
Urban developmentURBDEV
Code Obj. code Statement
ERYAMM-2 MGT-IMP-IMG Beginning in 2017, conduct routine management actions as identified through the IMG monitoring at coastal wallflower occurrences on Conserved Lands (see occurrence table). Depending on the type and level of threat, management should be conducted as needed, not necessarily every year, and using BMPs with precautions to do no harm.
ERYAMM-4 MGT-PRP-SBPL In 2021, begin preparing a section for coast wallflower in the MSP Seed Collection, Banking and Bulking Plan to preserve genetic diversity and rescue occurrences in case of catastrophic disturbance. The plan should incorporate best science and management practices (e.g., Wall 2009; KEW 2016) to provide guidelines for collecting and storing seeds over the long term at a permanent, established conservation seed bank (e.g., Institute for Conservation Research Native Plant Seed Bank, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Seed Conservation Program) and for providing a source of seeds for management purposes. The plan should include recommendations for: collecting and storing seeds to provide source material with consideration of potential genetic consequences; for management oriented research; seed bulking; and out-planting to augment extant occurrences or establish new occurrences.
ERYAMM-5 MGT-PRP-MGTPL In 2021, begin preparing a section for coast wallflower in the MSP Rare Plant Management Plan that prioritizes management actions to maintain and expand conserved occurrences based upon an assessment of data on occurrence status, habitat and threats. Prioritize management recommendations for re-establishment of historic occurrences or establishment of new occurrences in suitable habitat, as needed, to achieve at least 4 occurrences with self-sustaining populations on Conserved Lands (see occurrence table). Minimum criteria for enhancement are to reduce invasive annual nonnative plants and thatch to less than 20% absolute cover within the occurrence

Heart-leaved pitcher sage Lepechinia cardiophylla

Goal: Maintain or enhance existing heart-leaved pitcher sage occurrences and establish new occurrences, as needed, to ensure multiple conserved occurrences with self sustaining populations to increase resilience to environmental and demographic stochasticity, maintain genetic diversity, and ensure persistence over the long term (>100 years) in chaparral and oak woodland vegetation communities.

Regional and/or Local NFO 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 SL
MON-IMP-IMG LEPCAR-1

Management units: 4, 5, 8

If extant occurrences of heart-leaved pitcher sage are discovered on Conserved Lands in 2017-2021, inspect the occurrences and repeat monitoring every 2 years. Use a regional monitoring protocol to record population abundance and collect habitat and threats covariate data to determine management needs.

Action Statement Action status Projects
IMP-1 Based upon occurrence status and threats, determine management needs including whether routine management or more intensive management is warranted. Available for implementation Rare Plant Inspect and Manage Monitoring 2014-2026
IMP-2 Submit project metadata, monitoring datasets and management recommendations to the MSP Web Portal. Available for implementation Rare Plant Inspect and Manage Monitoring 2014-2026
Criteria Deadline year
If Extant Occurrences Found on Conserved Lands, Surveys Completed Every 2 Years with Management Recommendations 2021
Threat Name Threat Code
Altered fire regimeALTFIR
Human uses of the PreservesHUMUSE
Invasive plantsINVPLA
Code Obj. code Statement
LEPCAR-2 MGT-IMP-IMG If heart-leaved pitcher sage occurrences are found on Conserved Lands, conduct routine management actions identified through the IMG monitoring. Depending on the type and level of threat, management should be conducted as needed, not necessarily every year, and using BMPs with precautions to do no harm.
File name Lead Author Year Type
Draft 2016 Rare Plant Monitoring Report AECOM; Conservation Biology Institute; San Diego Management and Monitoring Program 2017 report
Preventing the Spread of Invasive Plants: Best Management Practices for Land Managers California Invasive Plant Council 2012 report
Vegetation Classification Manual for Western San Diego County: First Edition Sproul, Fred; Keeler-Wolf, Todd; Gordon-Reedy, Patricia; Dunn, Jonathan; Klein, Anne; Harper, Kyle 2011 other
Project Data - Online Map
Project Files
File name
DiscoveryPoints2021to2023.zip
RarePlantIMG_2014_2024_Public_Results_20250429.zip