Reduce the risk of catastrophic fire. Values at risk include residences, powerlines, hiking trails, public coastal access, ESHA, sewer collection and water distribution lines, and monarch butterfly aggregation sites.

Protect biological resources. The City has completed and continues to conduct extensive surveys to identify and map native biological resources and sensitive habitat areas that will be avoided and monitored during fuel reduction activities. The City’s onsite arborist and environmental monitor will work with the Contract Manager to minimize impacts to adjacent habitat.

Maintain public access and safety. During fire risk reduction activities trails will be closed within at least 100 feet of work, for public safety. Trails will be open every day after activities conclude. During daily activities, signs will be posted to reroute the public to the open trails. No overnight trail closures will occur.

Enhance monarch butterfly habitat and forest health. Removal of leaning dead trees, branches, and debris tangles will improve patrolling and clustering habitat for monarch butterflies and allow sapling recruitment and growth of trees with good form.

In 2019 the California State Coastal Conservancy awarded a $3.9 million grant to the City to implement the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Plan for habitat management and safety. Since that time, the City and its team of consultants have performed numerous studies to understand and assess the conditions of the diminished habitat and high fire risk, and develop a strategy to enhance the environmentally sensitive habitat areas while reducing the fire risk.

The Coastal Conservancy is a California state agency, established in 1976, to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California’s coast. It acts with others to protect and restore, and increase public access to, California’s coast, ocean, coastal watersheds, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future generations of Californians.

In 2022 the City was awarded a $1.7 million CAL FIRE grant to implement the Community Wildfire Protection Plan at Ellwood Mesa.

the grant is provided by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection’s Fire Prevention Program as part of the California Climate Investments Program. California Climate Investments is a statewide program that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing GHG emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment– particularly in disadvantaged communities. The Cap-and-Trade program also creates a financial incentive for industries to invest in clean technologies and develop innovative ways to reduce pollution. California Climate Investments projects include affordable housing, renewable energy, public transportation, zero-emission vehicles, environmental restoration, more sustainable agriculture, recycling, and much more. At least 35 percent of these investments are located within and benefiting residents of disadvantaged communities, low-income communities, and low-income households across California. For more information, visit the California Climate Investments website at: www.caclimateinvestments.ca.gov.