The carpinteria salt marsh is a 230-acre wetland located in southern santa barbara county immediately to the west of the city of carpinteria, california

One of the few high-functioning coastal salt marshes remaining in southern california, the carpinteria salt marsh provides several important ecological goods and services including coastal flood protection, biofiltration, and the provision of essential habitat for numerous species of native wetland plants, fishes, invertebrates, and birds. The marsh receives waters from three creeks originating in the foothills of the santa ynez mountains, franklin creek, santa monica creek and a smaller UN-named creek entering the marsh along its western boundary, and has a single opening to the pacific ocean.european sea lavender (limonium duriusculum) is invasive in coastal salt marshes in california. The invasive, non-native european sea lavender can be found growing within the carpinteria salt marsh at elevations just above the mean high tide line. European sea lavender has been in the marsh since 2003 and has now spread to several areas located throughout the marsh. Species of native wetland plants growing in the impacted areas include: pickleweed, marsh jaumea (jaumea carnosa), and salt marsh bird's-beak. Salt marsh bird's-beak is a state and federally endangered hemiparasitic annual plant that grows in upper intertidal areas of coastal salt marshes. Non-native limonium is considered a major threat to salt marsh bird's-beak and is present at 6 of the 7 southern california salt marsh systems that are occupied by salt marsh bird's-beak (USFWS 2020). The primary objective of this project is to treat new areas and RE-treat areas that have previously been treated for non-native limonium at carpinteria salt marsh. This project will treat a minimum 2 net acres of limonium with the potential to benefit more acres within the salt marsh. The project activities will benefit native marsh vegetation, including the listed salt marsh bird's-beak, as well as other federal trust resources. In addition, the project will improve habitat in the salt marsh for students and other visitors to the marsh.