San Mateo County Coast, California
Año Nuevo Island Erosion Control and Habitat Restoration
Año Nuevo Island is a crucial California refuge for marine mammals and birds which is rapidly eroding. We have worked with Oikonos, a non-profit organization dedicated to increasing ecosystem knowledge, to prevent erosion and restore habitat for burrowing seabirds.
Among the hardest hit animals are burrowing seabirds like the rhinoceros auklet, whose burrows often collapse, injuring the birds and resulting in reduced breeding success.
Go Native has tested innovative erosion control methods, determining which materials are both effective and acceptable to the nesting birds.
The first year we moved quantities of erosion control materials, we got a big assist from the Coast Guard, which agreed to transport materials as part of a training mission.
The focus has been on stabilizing the central terrace region with burlap material and native plants, primarily salt grass (Distichlis spicata) and lizardtail (Eriophyllum staechadifolium).
With an innovative combination of erosion control, re-vegetation and barriers to exclude sea mammals, we hope to preserve Año Nuevo Island as the vital animal refuge it is.