The project will prevent permanent loss of native habitats and populations of rare species by eradicating and controlling nonnative invasive limonium species from within 823 acres of SAN diego BAY…

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWFS), Department of the Interior, awarded a Cooperative Agreement totaling $255,615 to Western Borderlands Ecology Group on October 1, 2025, under the Coastal Program (CFDA 15.630). The award funds invasive species management and native habitat restoration across 823 acres in San Diego Bay, California, including 600 acres within the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge and 223 acres of adjacent conserved lands. The project will eradicate and control nonnative invasive Limonium species through tarping, hand removal, and flame treatment methods, achieving at least a 99% reduction in invasive species by September 2027. Performance period extends through September 30, 2030.

The project will document all invasive species occurrences and treatment activities using an ESRI Field Maps geospatial mapping system and conduct comprehensive surveys over time to measure progress toward project objectives. This effort supports the Department of the Interior's Goal 3, Objective 3.4 by protecting native species and natural resources through collaborative, science-based invasive species control. The initiative also fulfills requirements of the Coastal Habitat Conservation Act of 2023 by providing technical assistance for voluntary habitat restoration in a priority coastal area, thereby preventing permanent loss of native habitat and rare plant and wildlife populations displaced by invasive vegetation.

The project will prevent permanent loss of native habitats and populations of rare species by eradicating and controlling nonnative invasive limonium species from within 823 acres of SAN diego BAY consisting of 600 acres of the SAN diego BAY national wildlife refuge and 223 acres of adjacent conserved lands. Nonnative limonium displace native vegetation, resulting in permanent loss of rare plant and wildlife habitat. The project will tarp, hand remove, and or flame mapped occurrences achieving at least a 99% reduction within the project area by september 2027. A project-specific esri field maps project will document all occurrences and treatments. A comparison of comprehensive surveys over time will determine progress toward meeting project objectives. The project fulfills DOI proposed goal 3, objective 3.4 species and natural resources are protected by supporting a collaborative partnership using scientifically defended methods to control invasive species and support native species populations. The project fulfills the coastal habitat conservation act of 2023 with the coastal program providing technical assistance for voluntary habitat restoration in a priority coastal area.