Joli Ann Leichtag Elementary School Wetlands and Rare Plant Restoration
San Marcos Unified School District officials saw opportunity, rather than potential regulatory headaches, when they learned a new elementary school site harbored federally protected wetlands habitat and endangered flora. The district developed ambitious plans to preserve the wetlands and to translocate the plants to a 7.6-acre preserve surrounding the school on two sides.
Project Facts
- San Marcos Unified School District
- San Marcos, California
- 7 acres of wetlands, coastal sage scrub and grassland habitat restored
- 30,000 thread-leaved brodiaea plants translocated
The Challenge
Wetlands preservation and translocation of endangered thread-leaved brodiaea plants were necessary to construct a new elementary school. Obtaining permits became critical as the deadline neared for transplanting the endangered species while they were still in their dormant state. School construction would encounter significant delays if permits were not completed in time to transfer the plants.
The Solution
HRS worked with Dudek to meet the project goals and deadlines. Dudek prepared an EIR, conducted biological surveys, processed permits, developed supporting reports and documentation, and prepared plans and specifications for the habitat restoration and rare plant mitigation in time for the scheduled groundbreaking. HRS constructed and maintained the wetlands and rare plant mitigation designs. The restoration components include over 3 acres of wetlands, 2 acres of coastal scrub buffer, 3 acres of grassland enhancement and transplantation of 30,000 thread-leaved brodiaea plants. All components of the habitat restoration and rare plant mitigation were successful at the end of the 7-year monitoring period. HRS is now providing perpetual preserve management and maintenance services for this project.
Your Success. Our Business.
This District received an Association of Environmental Professionals award recognizing the success of the solution for habitat restoration.
What We Did
Our restoration expertise provides the right staff and equipment to meet permit requirements.
- Dudek Biological Surveys
- Dudek CEQA
- Dudek GIS
- Dudek Habitat Conservation Planning
- Dudek Habitat Restoration and Construction
- Dudek Phase I Environmental Site Assessments
- Preserve Management
- Dudek Site Assessment and Remediation
- Dudek Wetlands Permitting
- Landscape Architecture
- NPDES Permitting
- Rare Plant Mitigation
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