San Diego Audubon has been leading efforts to restore coastal sand dunes in Mission Bay for decades, largely focused on supporting nesting California Least Terns (Sternula antillarum browni), and rare and endangered sand dune plants such as Nuttall's Lotus (Acmispon prostratus) and Coast Wooly Head (Nemacaulis denudata). The primary threat to these species is the presence of fast-growing, nonnative vegetation, which takes up space that Least Terns require for nesting, and outcompetes native dune plants. Volunteer-led hand management of these sites has resulted in a dramatic reduction in invasive cover, and bi-annual vegetation monitoring has revealed that hand management is a more effective strategy in reducing nonnative growth than the more traditional mechanized scraping and broadcast herbicide application strategies. These results are being used to inform year-to-year site management, and to create longterm strategies for managing coastal dunes in Mission Bay.

Phase I of this project focused on surveys and restoration activities at potential dune habitat between northern Carlsbad and northern La Jolla. This was in order to extend the range and increase the population of dune-dependent species, such as the California least tern, Western snowy plover, and Nuttall's lotus. Phase 2 will focus on the completion and implementation of the following site-specific restoration plan that was developed during the first phase of the project: the Cardiff State Beach Living Shorelines Draft Habitat Restoration Plan. In addition, SELC proposes to conduct invasive species management and support existing populations of special-status/native coastal dune and bluff plant species at South Carlsbad State Beach Campground.

This project plans to restore rare dune habitat, in addition to implementing conservation efforts for Nuttall's acmispon (Acmispon prostratus). To accomplish this goal we plan to collect seed from sources in the San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve or other occurrences within MU 7 and out seed or out plant Nuttall's acmispon and other dune species, conduct monitoring using IMG protocol as well as other methods, lastly to control and manage invasive plant species. This project was fully funded by SANDAG TransNet EMP Land Management Grant #S1125507

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.

MSP Roadmap 2019 and 2020 objectives include developing a “Management Strategic Plan Framework Rare Plant Management Plan for Conserved Lands in Western San Diego County” and a “Management Strategic Plan Seed Collection, Banking, and Bulking Plan for Conserved Lands in Western San Diego County”. These plans include general sections with background information and rationale for prioritizing and developing management recommendations with separate chapters and specific recommendations for priority species. In 2019, general framework sections were developed along with species chapters for San Diego thornmint, Nuttall’s acmispon, salt marsh bird’s-beak and Otay tarplant (CBI, AECOM and SDMMP 2020 a,b). In 2020, chapters will be developed for short-leaved dudleya, Orcutt’s spineflower, and willowy monardella. These plans are developed with input and guidance provided by the Rare Plant Management Group Steering Committee and species working groups. Participants in these groups include landowners and managers, scientists, species experts, restoration specialists, seed collection and banking practitioners, and representatives from non-profit organizations and wildlife agencies. These plans are based on the latest scientific information for species on habitat relationships, ecology, genetics, seed collection guidelines, and best management practices. Occurrence-specific management recommendations are based on working group input and multiple years of Inspect and Manage monitoring data on population status, habitat associations and threats. These are living documents as new species chapters are added as they are developed and existing chapters are revised when new information becomes available or management actions are completed, and new recommendations are needed.