If the meaning of life is to plant a tree under whose shade you do not expect to sit, those who planted at Hedrick Ranch Nature Area (HRNA), a keystone of the Santa Clara River Preservation project, are way ahead of the game. Volunteers in April 2017 cleared invasives and put in native plants in an area of HRNA containing degraded agricultural run off trenches. The trenches used to hold farm drainage for infiltration to reduce pollutants in the water before it flowed into the Santa Clara River. Farm drainage no longer is sent to the trenches but hundreds of square feet of area were barren. After installing native starter plants, volunteers watered and cared for the new growth in an effort to restore the land. 

 

Happy to say, it worked!  Before (above) and after (below) shows the fabulous success! In just 5 months, some varieties of the planted natives have taken hold vigorously, especially primrose and ragweed. Many of the starter natives are doing well and will mature with time.

 

HRNA is the first property of a large Santa Clara River preservation program started in about 2000. Almost all of its 220 acres have been restored to native riparian habitat thanks to years of work by Friends of the Santa Clara River and Ventura Audubon. What for? Riparian ecology is a land of biodiversity home to endangered species such as steelhead trout, least bells vireo and pond turtle. Biologists estimate 5% of the state's riparian environment is left.  At HRNA, endangered species have been growing! Many least bell's vireos were nesting and counted last spring!  

 

For the last 3 years Sierra Club has joined in the effort and helps out monthly investing time and effort. The site is not yet fully open to the public, but club volunteers are welcome to attend. Get the volunteer calendar on our meetup page, next date is Oct 7:  meetup.com/sierraclubventura.  Watch the calendar for new areas being opened for volunteer work days, next up will be work to do at a new native botanical garden adjacent to the Fillmore fish hatchery.

 

It's rewarding to be a part of making the earth a better place, even in as little as one month at a time.