UPDATE, April 25, 2019 Click here
UPDATE, June 12, 2017 Click here
September 9, 2016
60 Acre Restoration Project to Enhance Powder Canyon, La Habra Heights
Benefitting wildlife and the community
Within two-three weeks, the Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority (Habitat Authority) is beginning its largest 
restoration project to date. As a result of the state and federal regulations placed upon Southern California Edison (SCE) with the Tehachapi Renewable Transmission Project (TRTP), SCE agreed to consolidate most of their habitat mitigation requirements from Project segments 7 and 8 of the TRTP onto the Habitat Authority’s Preserve. Sixty acres total will be restored to native habitat consisting of 53 acres of coastal sage scrub and 7 acres of oak and walnut woodlands. Coastal sage scrub is a plant community made up of several different plant species and supports the coastal California gnatcatcher, a bird protected by the Endangered Species Act.
The habitat restoration will occur in Powder Canyon, La Habra Heights. Initial weed clearance will occur by goat grazing (projected to start on 9/22/16), expected to take approximately one month, followed by one to two years of killing standing weeds and reducing the weed stored in the soil before seeding and planting natives. Locally collected seeds will be used as much as possible for seeding and plant propagation followed by five years of maintenance. Locally collected seeds have a greater chance of survival, ensure that the right subspecies are used, and ensures that hybridization will not be introduced into the area. Temporary irrigation will be used for two-three years during maintenance to help establish the plants. The end result will be a self-sustaining native habitat.
There are several benefits of this project. The area will be restored back to its beautiful native habitat increasing the native habitat available for dependent animals. Converting weeds to native habitat will increase the enjoyment of recreational users of the Puente Hills Preserve. Also, the community will be safer from wildfires. Flashy fuels, estimated to make up the majority of the 60-acre site, will be removed. The restoration site will continue to be managed in perpetuity with funding by SCE used to establish a long-term management endowment.
Timeline:
Sept/Oct 2016 – Site preparation including initial goat grazing, and ongoing weed clearance (1-2 yrs)
Fall/Winter 2017/18 – Seeding and planting
2018-2023 – Plant maintenance and establishment
Over forty (40) native plant species will be used, including:
| Artemisia californica | California sagebrush |
| Acmispon glaber | Deerweed |
| Baccharis pilularis | Coyote brush |
| Phacelia distans | Common phacelia |
| Encelia californica | Bush sunflower |
| Eriophyllum confertiforum | Golden yarrow |
| Isocoma menziesii var. vernonioides | Coastal goldenbush |
| Ribes speciosum | Fuschia flowered currant |
| Elymus glaucus | Blue wild rye |
| Festuca microstachys | Small fescue |
| Lupinus bicolor | Miniature lupine |
| Lupinus truncatus | Collar lupine |
| Lupinus succulentus | Arroyo lupine |
| Plantago erecta | California plantain |
| Ribes speciosum | Fuchsia flowered gooseberry |
| Salvia apiana | White sage |
| Salvia leucophylla | Purple sage |
| Salvia mellifera | Black sage |
| Sisyrinchium bellum | Blue-eyed grass |
| Plantago erecta | California plantain |
| Lupinus bicolor | Miniature lupine |
| Quercus agrifolia | Coast Live Oak |
| Juglans californica | California black walnut |
To assist with the project, the Habitat Authority hired S&S Seeds Inc. for seed collection and storage, consultant Land IQ for biological monitoring, and Nakae & Associates Inc. as the restoration contractor. The day to day coordination of the project will be by Habitat Authority Ecologist, Lizette Longacre. The project will be regulated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, and funded by SCE. Below is a map of the restoration sites.
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The Puente Hills Habitat Preservation Authority (Habitat Authority) is a local government joint powers authority which manages 3,870 acres of hillsides in Whittier, Hacienda Heights and La Habra Heights, called the Puente Hills Preserve. The Habitat Authority is dedicated to the acquisition, restoration, and management of open space in the Puente Hills for preservation of the land in perpetuity, with the primary purpose to protect the biological diversity. Additionally, the agency will endeavor to provide opportunities for outdoor education and low-impact recreation.
For more information about the Habitat Authority visit www.habitatauthority.org.
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