EUREKA RANCH BIOLOGICAL OPEN SPACE

The Eureka Ranch open space preserve is located within the City of Escondido, east and west of East Valley Parkway and north of Washington Avenue. The open space preserve consists of 32.5 acres of upland habitat and 3.75 acres of wetlands, located within a "Biological Core and Linkage Area" of the City's Subarea Plan to the Multiple Habitat Conservation Program (MHCP). The SDHC expects to commence management of the uplands in 2009 once the trail is constructed by the project developer for the adjacent community. The SDHC will begin stewardship of the wetlands in 2012, at the end of a five-year habitat creation and restoration program. The uplands consist of oak riparian woodland, coast live oak woodland, individual specimen Live Oak and Engelmann Oak trees, coastal sage scrub and sage scrub/chaparral habitat, as well as sensitive wildlife species such as the coastal western whiptail, Cooper's hawk and southern rufous-crowned sparrow. The created and restored wetlands areas will support primarily freshwater marsh and emergent wetland species within the channel bottoms, and transitional wetland species and upland sage scrub species on the side slopes. A public trail is proposed to wind through the northeast upland area, providing public access to hike through and view these natural resources. Three interpretive signs will be located along the trail to inform visitors about the resources in the preserve. The trail and signage is projected to be in place in early 2009.

Species of special interest: Engelmann Oak, Coastal Western Whiptail Lizard, Cooper's Hawk, Rufous-crowned Sparrow.

Place your cursor over a marked area for a brief description of the habitat. Click the map for more information.