Home > Programs
| Our
Land Preservation and Stewardship
program was formed to provide
a much needed service to the San Diego community
– managing the hundreds of acres of natural
open space dedicated for conservation in perpetuity.
The dedication of natural open space may occur
voluntarily as
a result of private landowners wishing to preserve
private property in its current condition for
future generations, or may occur as a result
of development impacts and mitigation. The Natural
Community Conservation Planning (NCCP) program,
which began in 1991 as a result of the Natural
Community Conservation Planning Act, approaches
the conservation of threatened and endangered
species by conserving the habitat and natural
communities of those species and maintaining
the necessary biological diversity for the perpetual
preservation of the ecosystem. The objective
of the plan is to maintain wildlife corridors
and linkages for a broader regional ecosystem,
avoiding the creation of islands or pockets
of habitat, while at the same time accommodating
smart growth. For planning purposes, southern
California was organized into 11 subregions
which was subsequently defined further by subareas.
Each subarea has, or will have, an adopted Subarea
Plan, specifically targeting the conservation
of key or critical habitat. Most of the preserves
being managed by SDHC are the result of development
impacts and mitigation within one of the various
subareas in our region. For further background
and information on the NCCP program and the
various subareas in San Diego, refer to the
Useful Links to the right.
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There are currently only
a handful of conservancies in our region that manage
habitat throughout the county and SDHC’s objective
is provide a high quality management service using
the expertise of wildlife biologists and managers
experienced in tracking the long-term management
requirements for each and every preserve. We utilize
a variety of scientists, experts and volunteers
who perform a number of tasks, including mapping
and tracking the status of sensitive species and
habitat, implementing adaptive management by revising
Habitat Management Plans to suit the needs of a
particular preserve, working in cooperation with
the state and federal wildlife agencies, as well
as more routine, but critical, activities such
as fence mending, sign replacement and invasive
species/weed removal. Each open space preserve is
different, requiring a unique plan to ensure that
it thrives as a successful part of our ecosystem.
Select the Managed Preserves tab
at the top of the page for more information about
the properties currently being managed by SDHC. |
| The
goal of the SDHC Community Outreach
& Education program is to
increase our younger generation's under-standing
of nature, its importance in sustaining healthy
species populations, and the interrela-tionship
between our human population and our rivers,
creeks, wildlife and other natural resources.
To this end, the SDHC is structuring programs
to promote learning opportunities and stimulate
interest for students regarding environmental
issues in San Diego. While the outreach program
is still in its infancy, the SDHC has been providing
merit awards and educational scholarships for
students pursuing environmental studies, and
hired college interns from environmental-based
programs. |
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The
SDHC has plans to involve students in our land preservation
and stewardship program by participating in field
trips to the preserves where the Habitat Manager
will discuss the importance of the habitat and species
being protected. Interactive activities are planned
as well where the students may participate in habitat
management activities under the supervision of the
Habitat Manager. Our programs are intended to give
students an opportunity to explore nature in a positive
and proactive way. |
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