Projects
Restoring Natural Habitat in
Santa Barbara and Ventura Watersheds
Our Projects improve habitat for Southern Steelhead Trout and other native species in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. Working with landowners, government agencies and other partners, we identify areas of the watershed that have been impacted by development and implement ways to stabilize eroding creek banks, restore native plants, and remove barriers to the natural migration of Steelhead Trout.
Teamwork is critical to what we do. From start to finish, we collaborate with a diverse team including: landowners, land use planners, biologists, project engineers, resource agencies, tribes, and heavy equipment operators. This type of collaboration has allowed us to implement many large-scale habitat restoration projects that are a win/win for species recovery and landowners.
As a non-profit organization, we apply for grant funding from various partners in order to manage projects from start to finish.
Fish Passage
Restoration projects that remove migration barriers for the endangered Southern Steelhead Trout. Historically, property owners and agencies elected to install low-flow creek crossing, which enabled people, horses and vehicles to cross creeks, while making it difficult or impossible for the Southern Steelhead to swim upstream.
Community Restoration
Habitat restoration projects that bring community members together to restore native vegetation. Past project have included the removal of ice plant on State Parks property as well as removing arundo donax from agricultural properties.
Bank Stabilization
Projects that aim to restore stream bank stability, and improve water quality, steelhead habitat, and riparian canopy cover through a variety of biotechnical methods. Often these projects remove concrete rubble and pipe & wire revetment — two practices that were previously thought to help stabilize stream banks, but are now known to have negative impacts to stability and the habitat.
