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BTN Restoration Projects
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Restoration Services
Back to Natives Restoration is dedicated to the
ecologically sensitive repair and management of
ecosystems through habitat restoration projects. Back to Natives removes non-native plants and plants or seeds with genetically local native species to restore the original native ecosystem of a site. We provide biological monitoring services, community outreach, service learning and volunteer training as well.
"Here is the means to end the great extinction spasm. The next century will, I believe, be the era of restoration in ecology" - E. O. Wilson
Contact
us
or call 949-509-4787 for more information.
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Community Outreach |
Restoration projects have been proven to be more
successful when the community is involved. Providing
volunteer opportunities within a restoration project
brings the local community into the installation and
implementation stages of the project. This gives a sense
of ownership and partnership to the community that will
be affected or is near the Restoration site.
BTN is also available to give presentations to communities where restoration is taking place.
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Service Learning
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Service learning is a
teaching and learning strategy that integrates
meaningful community service with instruction and
reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach
civic responsibility, and strengthen communities. Back
to Native's service learning program is designed to
introduce participants to ecological concepts through community service. Equipment and instruction
are provided for habitat quality monitoring, biological
assessments, and wildlife surveys. The program is
intended to generate interest in the environment, and
introduce potential careers in the environmental field.
Restoration projects include, when appropriate,
community outreach and education components. Restoration
projects provide opportunities for the public to
volunteer, and become involved in the actual process of
habitat restoration, at actual restoration sites.
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USFS and BTN Restoration Training Program |
The US Forest Service & Back to
Natives have presented this program annually since 2007.
Ecological restoration is a means of sustaining the
diversity of life on Earth and reestablishing healthy
ecosystems. This program is for those interested in the
restoration and conservation of Orange County
wildlands.
Successful habitat restoration ensures that native
species are protected while non-native species are
removed efficiently, and with minimal human impact to
the site. This program acquaints participants with
non-chemical, low impact weed removal methods.
See details.
For more information or to RSVP
contact us or call 949-509-4787. |
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Why our Work is
Important
In
California, there are over 5,000 native plant
species, more than in the central and
northeastern US and Canada combined. More than
1500 of these plant species are endemic to
(found only in) California, and most of these
endemic species are found in Southern
California.
Southern California is one of the 34
global biodiversity "hotspots". Hotspots are
where the largest number of different species
can be found, especially those species found
nowhere else. More than 60 percent of the
Earth's total species live in hotspots, which
cover only 1.44 percent of its surface. In
California, 20 percent of the naturally
occurring species of amphibians, birds, reptiles
and mammals are classified as endangered,
threatened, or "of special concern" by the state
or federal government.
Orange County is "a
hotspot within a hotspot", with more native
plant species per square mile than Yosemite
National Park. Orange County has over 1200
species of native vascular plants.*
As the human population grows, many of Orange
County's open spaces are vanishing. Only one
percent of native grasslands, 15 percent of
Coastal Sage Scrub, 15 percent of riparian
areas, and 25 percent of the perennial stream
habitat in California is left. It is imperative
that Orange County residents understand the
value of the last remaining wild places, and
protect them from threats of all kinds.
*From page 6
of A Checklist of the Vascular Plants of Orange
County, California, second edition, by Fred
Roberts (1998, F.M. Roberts Publications), he
lists 1,269 taxa. |
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