EHL’s sister land trust, Endangered Habitats Conservancy (EHC), has received grants for new properties that help knit together the Multiple Species Conservation Program (MSCP) reserve system.

In February, the California Wildlife Conservation Board approved $4,985,000 in new grant funding to acquire a total of 636 acres of sensitive habitat lands in San Diego County. $4.4 million will be allocated to the expansion of the Crestridge Ecological Reserve, which is managed by EHC. These important acquisitions will add 520 acres to the Reserve, preserving coastal sage scrub from the threat of development. The properties contain diverse vegetation and topography, and rare gabbro-derived soils that support at least five MSCP endemic plant species, including one of the largest populations of the rare Dehesa nolina. These plants are not found outside of San Diego County. The properties also contain habitat for the California gnatcatcher, and are home to a small resident herd of southern mule deer.

An additional $585,000 is being awarded to purchase 80 acres as an expansion of the state-owned Sycuan Ecological Reserve, located near the unincorporated community of Jamul, California. Both the existing Reserve and this new expansion contains suitable habitat for the highly threatened Hermes copper butterfly.

So, slowly but surely, the MSCP is being assembled and hopes for the ecosystem becomes more and more tangible. EHL would like to express its appreciation to the California Wildlife Conservation Board, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for their support for and contributions to these conservation successes.