Goleta’s Parks and Open Space Division staff will review and discuss with community members the draft signage plan for Ellwood Mesa, 6:30-8 p.m. Tuesday, July 1, starting in the main parking lot at Sperling Preserve, 7729 Hollister Ave.

One of the current signs to be replaced at Ellwood Mesa. (Courtesy photo)
One of the current signs to be replaced at Ellwood Mesa. (Courtesy photo)

The meeting will include a tour of Ellwood Mesa’s new signage sites and review of signage types and content. Attendees are advised to bring sturdy shoes and water for the tour that will be about 1.2 miles.

The city of Goleta is finalizing content and locations for interpretive, navigational and regulatory signs at Ellwood Mesa. The public tour will take place before the next phase of illustration and design.

New signage was approved by the city and the Coastal Commission as part of the 2023 Monarch Butterfly Habitat Management Plan Phase 1 Implementation.

Improved signage will enhance the visitor experience by providing in-depth information about the site’s history and natural environment, and the efforts underway to restore the monarch butterfly habitat, the city said.

“Ellwood Mesa is a treasure for our community, offering a unique blend of history, biodiversity, and a critical overwintering habitat for monarch butterflies,” said George Thomson, Parks and Open Space manager. “The new signs will help deepen visitors’ understanding and appreciation of this special place.”

The signage plan includes:
• New place-marking “monument” signs at the parking lot and entrances to the main butterfly grove.
• Illustrated interpretive signs at the parking lot and Phelps Road entrance that include site history, trail map, rules and conduct, and a brief introduction to key plants and wildlife.
• Wayfinding posts to guide visitors to the butterfly grove, coastal access points, and back to the parking lot.
• Illustrated interpretive signs at the main butterfly grove viewing areas, with information about the monarch butterfly, their migration, lifecycle, why they come to Ellwood, and what the city is doing to protect their habitat.
• Trail map and rules at neighborhood entrances.

For more, Goleta Parks and Open Space Division, ellwoodmesa@cityofgoleta.org.

Funding for the implementation of the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Management Plan is provided in part by the California State Coastal Conservancy.

The Coastal Conservancy is a California state agency, established in 1976, to protect and improve natural lands and waterways, to help people get to and enjoy the outdoors, and to sustain local economies along California’s coast.