CARCD WCB - Working Lands for Pollinators in San Diego Region
This Project has an Update in progress.
Project Overview
Basics
CARCD WCB - Working Lands for Pollinators in San Diego Region
Implementation
The Working Lands for Pollinators program seeks to implement and/or enhance native pollinator habitat on more commercial farms and ranches throughout the San Diego area in an effort to combat the loss of these essential insects. Our field team provides technical and financial assistance across the boundaries of two RCDs, Greater San Diego County and Upper San Luis Rey. Our goal is to conduct 25 site visits over 5 years, and fund implementation for up to 10 of those farmers and ranchers through the purchase of regionally appropriate plants and seeds.
2023
2024
2027
7/29/2025
Project Attributes
Census Tract Income
None
Direct Benefits to Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)
Our project spans the majority of San Diego region. The RCD is focusing on outreach to work with farmers and ranchers who are historically underserved, and may not have the funding or technical knowledge to implement projects. Some of those areas include the South Bay and other border cities, where there are large Latinx populations. Canyonlands and San Diego Bird Alliance restoration work is also focused in underserved communities. There are also educational elements of our project, through providing free and translated workshops, resources, free native seed libraries throughout San Diego and volunteer opportunities for underserved youth.
EnviroScreen
Canyonlands site, Olivia Canyon: 60
SD Bird Alliance site, Otay Valley Regional Park: 57
RCD farm habitat sites (as of Jan 2025): 23
Free and Reduced Lunch
None
Indirect Benefits to Disadvantaged Communities (DACs)
Pollinator habitat practices also benefit soil health and on farm systems, which is crucial in parts of the South Bay that experience seasonal flooding and have issues with poor air quality near the border of Mexico. We also hope to encourage cover cropping using native plants, to create nectar sources while also keeping roots in the ground that support water infiltration and reduce runoff, all elements that are crucial in retaining water during periods of drought.
Tribal Engagement (True/False)
False
Tribal Engagement
None
Location
This work will occur over several sites within the RCD of Greater San Diego County and Upper San Luis Rey RCD jurisdictional boundaries.
15 Selected
- Gomez Creek-San Luis Rey River (180703030203)
- Lake Hodgtes-San Dieguito River (180703040301)
- Lusardi Creek-San Dieguito River (180703040302)
- Los Penasquitos Creek (180703040402)
- Ritchie Creek-San Diego River (180703040502)
- El Capitan Reservoir-San Diego River (180703040505)
- Los Coches Creek-San Diego River (180703040703)
- Mission Valley-San Diego River (180703040705)
- Descanso Creek-Sweetwater River (180703040801)
- Viejas Creek-Sweetwater River (180703040803)
- Lower Otay Reservoir (180703041003)
- Poggi Canyon-Otay River (180703041004)
- San Diego Bay (180703041202)
- Mine Canyon-Tijuana River (180703050601)
- Tijuana River-Frontal Pacific Ocean (180703050602)
Organizations
| Funders | |
| Lead Implementer | |
| Partners | |
| Primary RCD | |
| Stakeholders | |
| State Assembly Voting Districts | |
| State Senate Voting District |
Contacts
Performance Measures
Expected Performance Measures
| Agricultural Conservation Practice (ft.) | Conservation Practice: 422 - Hedgerow Planting Operation Type: Diverse Ag Operation | 5,000 lf |
| Agricultural Conservation Practice (ft.) | Conservation Practice: 380 - Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment Operation Type: Diverse Ag Operation | 3,000 lf |
| Events | Event Type: Project Tour | 3 |
| Events | Event Type: Farm Tours | 5 |
| Events | Event Type: Outreach/Education | 75 |
| Events | Event Type: Workshop | 10 |
| GHG Reduction (Annual) | Accounting Method: COMET-Planner Land Use: Farm Property Ownership: Private Type of Mitigation: Sequestered | 20 tons |
| Habitat Restoration/Creation | Action Taken: Created Habitat Type: Riparian | 0.5 acres |
| Habitat Restoration/Creation | Action Taken: Enhanced Habitat Type: Riparian | 1.5 acres |
| Native Seed Amplification | Action Performed: Number of Amplified Seeds (seeds from nursery) | 80 |
| People Participating in Activity | Constituent Type: Youth Primary Service Type: Workshops | 100 |
| People Participating in Activity | Constituent Type: General Public Primary Service Type: Workshops | 2,500 |
| People Participating in Activity | Constituent Type: Underserved Community Primary Service Type: Workshops | 300 |
| People Participating in Activity | Constituent Type: Agricultural Community Primary Service Type: Workshops | 100 |
| Planning Document | Plan Type: Habitat Plan | 25 |
| Plants Installed | 2,500 | |
| Special Status Insect Species Habitat | Action Performed: Created Focal Species: Monarch butterfly Listing Status: Federal Candidate | 1 acres |
Reported Performance Measures
| Agricultural Conservation Practice (ft.) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation Practice | Operation Type | 2024 | Units |
| 380 - Windbreak/Shelterbelt Establishment | Diverse Ag Operation | 220 | lf |
| 422 - Hedgerow Planting | Diverse Ag Operation | 300 | lf |
| Total | 520 | lf | |
| Events | ||
|---|---|---|
| Event Type | 2024 | Units |
| Cleanups | 1 | number |
| Farm Tours | 2 | number |
| Outreach/Education | 59 | number |
| Project Tour | 1 | number |
| Symposium | 1 | number |
| Workshop | 7 | number |
| Total | 71 | number |
| GHG Reduction (Annual) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accounting Method | Land Use | Property Ownership | Type of Mitigation | 2024 | Units |
| COMET-Planner | Urban/Suburban | Local | Sequestered | 7 | tons |
| COMET-Planner | Farm | Private | Sequestered | 1 | tons |
| Total | 8 | tons | |||
| Habitat Restoration/Creation | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Action Taken | Habitat Type | 2024 | Units |
| Enhanced | Riparian | 3.14 | acres |
| Created | Riparian | 0.82 | acres |
| Total | 3.96 | acres | |
| Native Seed Amplification | ||
|---|---|---|
| Action Performed | 2024 | Units |
| Number of Species of Seeds Collected | 10 | number |
| Number of Seeds Collected | 197 | number |
| Number of Amplified Seeds (seeds from nursery) | 248 | number |
| Total | 455 | number |
| People Participating in Activity | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Constituent Type | Primary Service Type | 2024 | Units |
| General Public | Workshops | 2,114 | number |
| Youth | Workshops | 94 | number |
| Underserved Community | Workshops | 123 | number |
| Agricultural Community | Workshops | 87 | number |
| Beginning Farmer | Techncial Assistance | 5 | number |
| Municipal Employees | Workshops | 1 | number |
| Total | 2,424 | number | |
| Planning Document | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan Type | 2024 | Units |
| Habitat Plan | 20 | number |
| Total | 20 | number |
| Plants Installed | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Units | |
| 979 | number | |
| Total | 979 | number |
| Special Status Insect Species Habitat | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Action Performed | Focal Species | Listing Status | 2024 | Units |
| Created | Monarch butterfly | Federal Candidate | 0.26 | acres |
| Total | 0.26 | acres | ||
| No accomplishments to report for: | |
| Year(s): | 2025 |
|---|---|
| Explanation: | Reporting date is January 23rd 2025, and we have not added any new metrics. |
Financials
Budget
| Comment: | The RCD was approved to move $30,000 from Implementation to Technical Assistance & Planning so that we can bring on more staff support to complete more projects, to ensure that the full amount of our match implementation funding (CDFA Pollinator Habitat Program) is spent. |
|---|
Reported Expenditures
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CARCD Climate Habitat Block Grant (WCB) | $48,182.92 | $87,837.50 | $0.00 | $136,020.42 |
| CDFA (CDFA) | $4,286.65 | $17,621.95 | $0.00 | $21,908.60 |
| Partners for Wildlife (USFWS) | $3,664.50 | $6,740.84 | $0.00 | $10,405.34 |
| Grand Total | $56,134.07 | $112,200.29 | $0.00 | $168,334.36 |
| Note: | The WCB funding covers staff time for initial site visits, technical assistance and plant materials. If selected for funding from CDFA Pollinator Habitat program, grant funds are used to cover that project's planning phase and implementation costs. Additional site visits, technical assistance, and plant materials are funded by Partners for Fish & Wildlife. |
|---|
Project Themes
Project Themes
Implementing habitat on and around farm and ranch land also support climate goals. Adding more roots to the soil in the form of hedgerows, cover crop and trees increase soil carbon, improve aggregate stability and improve air and water cycling through the soil. We live in an area severely affected by drought, so we are also focused on implementing practices that provide increased water retention and reduce runoff. Increasing habitat and nectar sources for pollinators supports a more active and balanced ecosystem, ideally reducing the use of chemicals for pest management.
We are providing knowledge for commercial farmers and ranchers about the benefits of hosting native pollinator habitat on their working land. Part of our outreach will include workshops tailored towards producers interested in receiving a site visit, but general public is also encouraged to attend. Our goal is to host future field days and workshops on farms and ranches with completed projects. Additionally, CDFA Pollinator Habitat implementation requirements state that all producers funded must receive integrated pest management training to ensure sustainable maintenance.
We will focus on using native plants that support threatened and endangered species in our region, which includes the Laguna mountain skipper, Hermes copper and Quino checkerspot butterflies, as well as supporting state and federal efforts to protect species, such as the monarch butterfly. There will be a strong emphasis on using locally collected and propagated milkweed where appropriate.
Project Details
Attachments
City Heights Canyons Monarch Work and Program Plan 2024 - San Diego Canyonlands
- Uploaded On
- 1/23/2025
- File Type
- Description
Habitat Plan - Black Mountain Farm
- Uploaded On
- 1/23/2025
- File Type
- Description
Habitat Plan - S&S Friendly Ranch
- Uploaded On
- 8/17/2024
- File Type
- Word (DOCX)
- Description
- On-Farm Plan for habitat implementation funded by CDFA Pollinator Habitat Program
Template - Pre Assessment Notes
- Uploaded On
- 1/9/2024
- File Type
- Word (DOCX)
- Description
- This is this template for the notes we gather prior to visiting all interested farmers and ranchers, once they are approved for a site visit.
Template - Post Assessment Notes
- Uploaded On
- 1/9/2024
- File Type
- Word (DOCX)
- Description
- This is the template for the report we send after a site assessment which includes observations, resource concerns, plant and insect species noted on site and project suggestions.
No attachments
Notes
No Notes entered.
External Links
- Article about native seed library program
- Here is the link to learn more about our program and sign up for a site visit.
- Map of all San Diego Audubon Society native seed libraries in San Diego area.
- News story about a farmer we are supporting through the Working Lands for Pollinators program.
- Slides from 2023 CARCD conference presentation about Working Lands for Pollinators Program, given by Codi Hale (RCDGSDC) and Tracey Rice (Point Blue/NRCS)
- Write up about farm tour we co-hosted with Wild Farm Alliance to discuss the role of beneficial insects and supporting their habitat on vineyards.