Ellwood Mesa Monarch Butterfly Habitat Management Plan Workshop September 12

By the City of Goleta

The City of Goleta wants to remind the community about the upcoming Ellwood Mesa Monarch Butterfly Habitat Management Plan (MBHMP) workshop. Join us this Monday, September 12 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Ellwood Elementary School Auditorium (7686 Hollister Ave). The City’s Spanish Engagement Specialist will be at the workshop to help answer questions in Spanish. Whether you live near Ellwood Mesa, frequent it often, or just love that cherished location, you will want to be a part of this workshop.

The informative, interactive workshop will cover implementation projects for the MBHMP and will feature the project team, detailed project plans, and breakout group activities to encourage more community feedback on the proposed activities at Ellwood Mesa. Specific topics that will be covered include:

• Vegetation management to reduce fire risk;
• Infrastructure improvements, including upgrades to the pedestrian and authorized vehicle access entryways at the end of Santa Barbara Shores Drive;
• Dead tree removals;
• New eucalyptus, native tree, and native shrub plantings to benefit monarch butterflies and other wildlife;
• New signage and trail improvements; and
• Creek restoration and pedestrian footbridges to access the monarch butterfly viewing areas. 

The City held community outreach events on this topic earlier this summer on July 7 and 9 on location at the Ellwood Mesa Monarch Butterfly Grove to engage with neighbors and the wider community on the City’s proposed MBHMP implementation projects.

This project is funded by a $3.9 million grant from the California 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. It acts with others to protect and restore, and increase public access to, California’s coast, ocean, coastal watersheds, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its vision is of a beautiful, restored, and accessible coast for current and future generations of Californians.

Questions or comments about the project can be sent to the City of Goleta’s Parks and Open Space Manager George Thomson at gthomson@cityofgoleta.org or 805-961-7578. 

We hope you will join us for this important discussion.