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Conservation effort!
Accomplishments at the Volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation
Land Acquisition: More than 16,800 acres of Volcan Mountain have been
preserved since the first piece was acquired in 1989. One of the largest portion is the San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation’s 2,400-acre Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve.
San Dieguito River Park,California Department of
Fish and Game, California Division of Forestry and the Bureau of Land
Management administer other portions of the acreage on the north and east side
of Volcan Mountain.
Since 1990, when Diane Coombs, the executive director of San Dieguito River Park’s Joint Powers Authority, brought State and National leaders to view this valuable wilderness, collaboration has been the key to protecting and preserving Volcan Mountain.
In 1993 a breakthrough occurred when the Trust For Public Land purchased the loan on Philip Rutherford’s 11,000 acre ranch on Volcan Mountain from Bank of America and restructured the debt in exchange for a five-year option to buy the ranch.
Remaining Proposition 70 funds, Cal-Trans mitigations and Wildlife Conservation Board monies have been used to purchase the present acreage.
A failed State bond act sponsored by the Planning and Conservation League, Proposition 180, would have provided 10 million dollars for land purchase on Volcan Mountain. With the passage of State Prop. 84 last fall, and TRANSNET funds scheduled to be released soon, we are hopeful that the dream of acquiring Rutherford Ranch West will become a reality.
VMPF is currently working with others to find new funding sources to continue the work of preserving the mountain.
Archeological
and Biological Surveys: Both archeological and biological surveys
were conducted recently to assess present conditions, expand resource
conservation, and evaluate how indepth new surveys of sensitive plants, animals and archaeological
sites can lead to development of a master plan for managing the mountain.
University students, scientists and mountain-loving conservationists have volunteered countless hours to ensure preservation and protection of these priceless resources.
Re-vegetation
of Lynn’s Grassland: Named in memory of former VMPF president Lynn
Horton, restoration of native grassland was undertaken a few years ago in a small area
of the preserve through the efforts of Wildlands Recovery, a local organization
founded by a VMPF board member, and a generous grant from Las Patronas.
A native bunch grass called Sand Dropseed (Sporobolus cryptandrus), which occurs in dry meadows along the ridgeline and the summit of Volcan Mountain, was the focus of this project.
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