Restoration Projects

This page provides information on past and current restoration projects undertaken by CNPS members. Files are in Adobe Acrobat format.   If you do not have Acrobat, it can be downloaded free from Adobe by clicking on this link:

Peter plants first plant !!

Old Town State Park
Saturday, April 12, 2008
9:00 am to 3:00 pm
Sponsored by San Diego River Park Foundation
San Diego Chapter, California Native Plant Society

Please join CNPS, San Diego River Park Foundation, San Diego River Conservancy and California State Parks on Saturday, April 12, 2008 anytime from 9 am to 3 pm to plant native plants at the Old Town State Park native plant garden.

CNPS is leading the restoration of this native plant garden. Kay Stewart designed the project and has included riparian species (San Diego River once ran along Taylor and Congress Streets) and plants used by the California Indians.

We will provide tools, gloves, water and snacks.

We could really use experienced CNPS members who have planted native plants. Many of our volunteers will be new to gardening.

We need to plant a few more than 250 plants--mostly 1 gallon. The site is largely level.

Come to Old Town State Park at the corner of Taylor St. and Congress St. This is directly east of the Old Town Trolley Station and just north of McCoy House.

Invite friends.

Rain or shine.

And if anybody wants to help with site preparation between now and April 12, email me.

Peter H. St.Clair

Mission Trails Pipeline Project -1995 to Present Day
Failure to Control Annual Weeds Reduces Restoration success in Pipeline Project

We conducted vegetation surveys to review the results of revegetation carried out after the 1995 excavation for a water pipeline project in San Diego’s Mission Trails Regional Park. Restoration for the project consisted of replacement of topsoil, hydroseeding, and weeding focused primarily on control of perennial species. We found that nonnative annual vegetation dominated three out of four of the plots located on the site of the former project, whereas nearby off-project-site plots were dominated by native species, including woody shrubs such as Xylococcus bicolor, which not present in any on-site plot.

Conclusion and Recommendations
We conclude that more effective control of annual weeds such as mustard in the San Diego County Water Authority restoration projects would improve the likelihood of re-establishment of native vegetation.
Use of container plants would improve the establishment of certain species that are expected to be found on the site, such as Xylococcus bicolor (Mission Manzanita).

For more information and to see Carrie Schneider's poster.

Sunset Cliffs Native Garden
December 1, 2007

We had a miracle rain on Friday that did much better than I had planned on doing with a hose. Of course, it meant I had to unload the plants in a driving rain.

The place really looks good this morning and the rabbits haven't (so far) found their favorites. I'm ready to put more cages around those they start to nibble. Only 68 more acres to go.

"Thanks to all who helped with our revegetation efforts. We now have planted a total of about 380 plants (237 of which we put in last Saturday) and nearly an acre of native garden. There are now 40 species of plants in the roped area (and about 5 exotic species that we will be work to remove at our next work parties--crown daisies, tumbleweeds, and a few grasses).

Starting in January, we will plan work parties for the fourth Saturday of the odd numbered months. If you're on our mailing list, you will get an e-mail a few days before each event that will describe our main chores.

Nuttall's Lotus Dunes

Willowy monardella (Monardella viminea) Lopez Canyon in 2005 (1.4 MB)