The California Coastal Commission recently approved Goleta’s hazardous fuel reduction plan for the Ellwood Mesa Open Space, which will remove dead or dying trees, fallen debris, and non-native vegetation.
The California Coastal Commission recently approved Goleta’s hazardous fuel reduction plan for the Ellwood Mesa Open Space, which will remove dead or dying trees, fallen debris, and non-native vegetation. (City of Goleta photo)

The California Coastal Commission recently approved Goleta’s hazardous fuel reduction plan for the Ellwood Mesa Open Space, which will remove dead or dying trees, fallen debris, and non-native vegetation.

According to the California Coastal Commission’s staff report, the work will take place across 78 acres of open space over five years in order to maintain a defensible space buffer between the open space and nearby structures or development.

Ellwood Mesa is home to several monarch butterfly aggregation sites with eucalyptus trees to support the butterflies as they overwinter in the area each year.

“There are five distinct monarch butterfly aggregation sites in the project area, and these groves can support thousands of monarch butterflies during their overwintering aggregation behavior every year,” the commission staff report said.

“However, due to disease, pests and the recent drought, many of the eucalyptus trees at Ellwood Mesa have died, thus endangering the survival of the sensitive species that utilize the site.”

Large numbers of monarch butterflies have returned to the Ellwood Monarch Butterfly Grove in Goleta.
Ellwood Mesa is home to several monarch butterfly aggregation sites, with eucalyptus trees to support the butterflies as they overwinter in the area each year. (Mike Eliason photo)

Fuel reduction activities in Ellwood Mesa will include the removal of dead trees and fallen debris, as well as mowing and trimming to reduce fuel ladders.

The staff report added that the fuel management has been designed to avoid adverse impacts to the environmentally sensitive habitat area and completion will enhance the habitat. A biological resource monitoring program is also part of the project.

“Ellwood Mesa has one of the highest levels of fire risk in Goleta,” the city said on its website. “Extended drought conditions caused a massive die-off of eucalyptus trees in the grove. High winds and heavy rains in 2022 and 2023 caused dozens of eucalyptus trees to fall or be at risk of falling.

“In addition, last season’s higher-than-average rainfall will likely result in increased vegetation growth and increased fire risk.”

Map showing locations and various treatment methods for fuel reduction on the Ellwood Mesa.
Map showing locations and various treatment methods for fuel reduction on the Ellwood Mesa. (Map courtesy of City of Goleta)

Goleta’s website with information on the hazardous fuel reduction project also said that plans were “strategically modified and mapped to avoid resources, including native plants, native trees and active bird nests.”

Some of the special conditions that the California Coastal Commission had in its approval of the project include requiring the city to submit a final implementation plan with information on species monitoring and protection measures, and a public-access plan that outlines what public areas will be closed during active operations, and how those closed areas will be maintained with fencing or signage.

The city’s website said that it is prepared to begin implementation of the plan once approved by the California Coastal Commission.

More information on Goleta’s hazardous fuel reduction project at Ellwood Mesa is available on its website here, as well as in the California Coastal Commission’s staff report here.

— Noozhawk staff writer Serena Guentz can be reached at sguentz@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.