Bolsa Chica Wetlands Ecosystem Partnership

About the Program
The Bolsa Chica Wetlands is a salt marsh with estuarine conditions that occur seasonally located and is maintained by the California Resources Corporation (CRC) with local partners. The Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve is located in southern California near Huntington Beach and is approximately 1,000 acres. The property contains coastal dunes, sage scrub and freshwater wetland areas. The goal of the project is to work in partnership to remove invasive species and promote native plants and wildlife, as well as increase engagement and education between the local community and the native ecosystem.

Practices and Impacts

• When teaming up with the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, staff and volunteers remove invasive species by hand-pulling/cutting and discarding the removed plants in trash bags. The conservancy uses chemical herbicides to kill off invasive species as needed. This project has shown success throughout the years. Continuous monitoring and management, along with partnering with Department of Fish and Wildlife and Bolsa Chica Conservancy, has allowed the team to stay on top of the invasive species removal.
• Overall, at the nesting site, the amount of iceplant has significantly decreased, and weeding/volunteer events are occurring less frequently due to the successful removal processes throughout the years. Within the other areas of the Bolsa Chica Preserve and adjacent CRC operating areas, monitoring shows that CRC is working towards the eradication of Sahara mustard and stinkwort. Efforts will be continued to decrease iceplant and fennel populations.
• In 2019, after an osprey pair were observed nesting close to an electrical powerline, the team installed an artificial perch to provide a safe alternative. Ospreys have returned to the perch and have successfully reared offspring for two consecutive nesting seasons. The team works with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and local conservancy groups to tag and band the new birds, enabling future tracking and research of these individuals.