The Wildlands San Luis Rey Wetland Mitigation Bank was recently approved by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Los Angeles District and California Department of Fish and Wildlife, South Coast Region. The Bank is located north of State Route 76 and adjacent to Mission Vista High School in the City of Oceanside.
Once completed, the Bank will restore approximately 56 acres of native floodplain wetland habitat along the San Luis Rey River in Oceanside, California.
The property, acquired by Wildlands in 2011, was historically utilized for agriculture, but most recently for tomato cultivation. The Project will reconnect an 1,800 foot reach of the San Luis Rey River to established habitat both upstream and downstream of the property. Once completed, the bank will comprise a mosaic of riparian habitat suitable for native species.
The site is basically devoid of any wetland functionality or habitat value now, but once completed the Bank will provide flood benefits, sediment control and a wildlife corridor of suitable habitat for listed species such as the arroyo toad, southwestern willow flycatcher and Least Bell’s vireo. We’ve had this restoration project on our radar for many years and it has been a collaborative effort among Wildlands, the Corps and the Department throughout the approval process.
