Vulcan Materials Company
Pleasanton Sand and Gravel
San Diego, California, United States
Certified through 2025
Project Name
Project Type
Pleasanton Nest Box Project
Avian
About the Program
Vulcan's Pleasanton Sand and Gravel facility in Alameda County, California, includes approximately 45 acres of wetland habitat, 225 acres of open water habitat and 15 acres of habitat along 1.7 miles of the Arroyo Mocho in California. The wetlands habitat supports dense stands of emergent vegetation such as broad-leaf cattail and hard-stem bulrush, as well as scattered individuals of red willow, arroyo willow, narrow-leaved willow and Fremont cottonwood. The site is adjacent to Audubon Society Mount Hamilton Range (East Diablo Range) Important Bird Area. Vulcan voluntarily installed nest boxes to encourage breeding of cavity-nesting songbirds including tree swallow, house wren, ash-throated flycatcher and western bluebird. In addition, Vulcan maintains four nesting boxes for owls. The natural resource management consulting firm Buada Associates, Inc. is a partner on this project.
Practices and Impacts
Vulcan's Pleasanton Sand and Gravel facility in Alameda County, California, includes approximately 45 acres of wetland habitat, 225 acres of open water habitat and 15 acres of habitat along 1.7 miles of the Arroyo Mocho in California. The wetlands habitat supports dense stands of emergent vegetation such as broad-leaf cattail and hard-stem bulrush, as well as scattered individuals of red willow, arroyo willow, narrow-leaved willow and Fremont cottonwood. The site is adjacent to Audubon Society Mount Hamilton Range (East Diablo Range) Important Bird Area. Vulcan voluntarily installed nest boxes to encourage breeding of cavity-nesting songbirds including tree swallow, house wren, ash-throated flycatcher and western bluebird. In addition, Vulcan maintains four nesting boxes for owls. The natural resource management consulting firm Buada Associates, Inc. is a partner on this project.
Practices and Impacts
- Since 2012, the team has contributed to the conservation of native bird species through the creation of nesting boxes for cavity-nesting songbirds and barn owls along the Arroyo Mocho and Arroyo Valle streams. The boxes provide habitat in a wetland area that contains an abundance of seeds, nectar, insects, water and plant material useful to these birds. Currently 30 songbird and three owl boxes are monitored monthly and repaired regularly. Nearly all have successfully fledged chicks.
