Wildland Restoration at OAEC

The four goals of wildland restoration at OAEC are: grassland and native plant restoration; forest fuel load reduction; surface water management and groundwater recharge; and wildlife habitat creation. The map on the facing page provides an aerial view of the locations where we have implemented techniques to achieve these goals.

1. Grassland and Native Plant Restoration
Coastal prairies are some of the most degraded ecosystems in California. These communities are comprised of perennial bunchgrasses and annual wildflowers, including indigenous food sources such as yampah, various bulbs, and pepper grass. These grasslands are known to be “disturbance dependent,” historically reliant on a combination of fire and grazing by native herbivores such as deer and elk.
Mowing: Rather than using grazing livestock, we have been mowing annually for 3 years to mimic the effect of grazing. Mowing in the late Spring favors native grass by reducing shading and thatch buildup by exotics.
Prescribed Fire: We are investigating and applying techniques for using small-scale controlled fire as a management tool to reduce thatch and decrease the viability of non-native plants.
Invasive Species Removal: Our efforts are focused on Scotch broom, fennel and Himalayan blackberry. We also have a "laundry" list of non-native grasses that we are working on discouraging. In some areas, we are planting or sowing native bunchgrass seedlings to give further advantage to these species.

2. Forest Fuel Load Reduction
A century of fire suppression has led to a dramatic increase in the fuel load of OAEC’s forests. Fast-growing Douglas Fir seedlings are dominating our forests and grassland edges, creating highly flammable thickets, and shading out hardwood trees and grasslands.
Forest Thinning: We are selectively removing small Douglas Fir saplings where their growth is compromising biodiversity. Dead lower limbs or “fire ladders” are being removed to reduce the fuel load that could feed a catastrophic crown fire.

3. Surface Water Management and Groundwater Recharge
Land uses and roads have altered how stormwater flows on our landscape. We use several techniques to reduce
erosion and creek siltation, trap sediment, and slow down water to enhance groundwater recharge.
Brush Dams and Gabions: We use the woody biomass collected from forest thinning and exotic species removal. Brush plugs in gullies reduce head-cut erosion, filter out sediment, and disperse the erosional force of the water.
Permaculture Swales: Swales are level ditches built on contour which intercept surface flows, allowing water to temporarily pool and infiltrate into the soil. All stormwater runoff in our “core area” is diverted and infiltrated by strategically-placed water bars and swales.
Water Bars for Road Drainage Management: A water bar is a “speed bump” structure across a road that intercepts and diverts runoff, often into a swale. Using water bars and culverts, we attempt to maintain the landscape’s natural drainage patterns and reduce road erosion.

4. Wildlife Habitat Creation
Habitat Ponds: OAEC has three ponds. The largest provides year-round agricultural irrigation and habitat for aquatic plants and wildlife. The smaller seasonal garden ponds, lacking fish predators, provide habitat for tree frogs and newts. These ponds all act as reservoirs for stormwater management, fire protection and recreation.
Bird Nest Boxes: We have installed bird nest boxes for cavity-nesting bird species. On OAEC’s land these include the Western Bluebird, Tree Swallow, Ash-Throated Flycatcher, Barn Owl, and Wood Duck.