Año Nuevo Island - Habitat Restoration Results

Native Plant Community Restoration and Erosion Control Progress

This report summarizes results from the second year of habitat restoration in the burrowing seabird colony. The following objectives were met:
 
1. Planting and erosion control of the remaining breeding habitat of Rhinoceros and Cassin’s Auklets (approximately 0.97 acres total)
2. Installation of temporary irrigation
3. Stabilization of the entire boardwalk system on the island

Click for full report (1.2 M pdf file)

Katie Fehring and volunteers Phil Grieve, Katie Russell, and Jennifer Pironis roll erosion control material
made of biodegradable coconut fiber over a layer of plants, seeds, and straw.

Novel Island Restoration methods developed in 2003 and 2004:
 
1. Planted selected mature native plants with density 2 ft on center:
Salt grass Distichlis spicata, American dune grass Leymus mollis

2. Spread site-specific native seed between mature plants: Beach bur Ambrosia chamissonis, Lizardtail Eriophyllum staechadifolium

3. Distributed straw over seed and between mature plants, to hold moisture, provide temporary structure, and provide an alternative source of nesting material for Western Gulls

4. Wrapped erosion control matting on top of the plant and seed layers, stapled down securely

5. Experimented with designs to encourage new burrowing (recruitment)

6. Opened entrances to burrows occupied by auklets in previous years

View a 3 minute film showing restoration in action on the island

Click on photo to play or downloand video file (7 M .mov file)
Directed and Produced by Matthew Passmore and Chris Jenkins (I M A)

Katie Fehring, Martha Brown, and Michelle Hester,
holding boat in the surf zone while plants are individually unloaded to the island.

Thank you to all the volunteers - view photo gallery

Back to main Año Nuevo Island Project page

Next Steps:

• The Monitoring Studies will continue through 2006. Activities will include documenting vegetation changes, erosion rates, auklet and gull nesting densities, and other responses to habitat changes
• Secure funding for Phase III before Fall of 2006.