Habitat Restoration

The term "habitat restoration" refers to the process of restoring the functional aspects of a given ecosystem to a semblance of its pre-disturbed state.  As a result of more than 100 years of human land use, the majority of the Puente Hills contains disturbed habitats, including those dominated by non-native vegetation.  Past land uses that have created or contributed to disturbed, altered habitats include livestock grazing, development, the intentional planting of non-native vegetation, and the use of non-native invasive vegetation on properties adjacent to open space where invasive plants spread into natural areas.  Our goal is to put our natural areas back in order for the benefit of future generations.  As such, the Habitat Authority actively restores areas by removing non-native vegetation, which are considered weeds (such as non-native grasses, mustard, castor bean, tree tobacco, etc.), and planting native vegetation that would have been present prior to the disturbance.

Approximately 190 acres of Habitat Authority lands have been or are currently being restored, including 130 acres initiated by the Habitat Authority, and another 60 acres of mitigation restoration conducted on Habitat Authority lands to mitigate for local urban development projects.  The mitigation projects are regulated by state and federal natural resource agencies.  Restoration projects include coastal sage scrub and sycamore riparian habitats at the Hacienda Hills Trailhead; coastal sage scrub restoration on the former Unocal property (east of Colima Road in Arroyo San Miguel); the restoration of coastal sage scrub at the Arroyo Pescadero Trailhead; and the restoration of oak and walnut woodland, coastal sage scrub, native grassland, and riparian habitats in Powder Canyon.  The Habitat Authority is in the process of restoring approximately 30 acres of native habitat which used to be occupied by non-native eucalyptus woodland on either side of Colima Road.

The following are examples of habitat restoration projects on Habitat Authority lands that are either initiated and conducted by the Habitat Authority or implemented through the mitigation process with oversight by the Habitat Authority.

Former Canlas Property (Whittier)

The Habitat Authority in cooperation with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service initiated the restoration of this 8-acre property in 2005, which previously supported non-native grasses and other invasive vegetation.  The site was planted and seeded in 2005 with coastal sage scrub species.

                               Before                                                                                            After

             Before                                                                                              After

Former Diaz Property (La Habra Heights)

The former Diaz property contains approximately 25 acres of habitat restoration, including coastal sage scrub and oak/walnut woodland.  The property previously contained an uninhabitable house, which was demolished in order to restore with native vegetation.  The property also contained an avocado orchard and other non-native vegetation.

                                  2003                                                               2003 – Post Demolition

                                      2008                                                                           2008

Former Unocal Property (Whittier)

The Habitat Authority has approximately 52 acres of habitat restoration implemented at the former Unocal property (Arroyo San Miguel) as mitigation for local development projects, including coastal sage scrub and riparian restoration.  As proof of its success, use by the federally listed coastal California gnatcatcher has been documented within restored coastal sage scrub, including breeding gnatcatchers in 2008.  All of the photos shown below were taken in May 2008.

Sycamore Canyon (Los Angeles County unincorporated)

Approximately 3.5 acres in the lower portion of Sycamore Canyon was restored in 2007 with sycamore riparian woodland vegetation.  The restoration was conducted as mitigation for a development project in Claremont.

                                      2008                                                                                          2008