Strengthening Community Resilience: Wildfire Risk Reduction and Habitat Restoration in Goleta
Photo credit: Em Johnson, Community Environmental Council
As part of ongoing efforts to address wildfire risks and restore ecosystems in Santa Barbara County, LegacyWorks, together with the Cachuma Resource Conservation District (CRCD) and the Community Environmental Council (CEC), is proud to be a coordinating partner of the Wildfire Resilience Collaborative (WRC). The WRC is currently working to reduce wildfire threats and restore creekside habitats in Goleta and nearby unincorporated areas, helping to create a fire-adapted and resilient community.
The Santa Barbara County Wildfire Resilience Collaborative is a multi-stakeholder network that builds capacity to strengthen wildfire preparedness, mitigation, and recovery. The Collaborative protects communities and natural resources by implementing sustainable wildfire risk reduction strategies that help restore vital ecosystems.
“Resilient communities depend on healthy ecosystems that buffer the impacts of climate-induced threats such as wildland fire,” said Rachel Couch, Conservancy Project Development Specialist with the California State Coastal Conservancy. “This important and innovative project will enhance Goleta’s creeks and watersheds and simultaneously reduce hazardous wildfire fuels and invasive plants. This holistic approach is building a strong foundation of effective and lasting community resilience in the Goleta Valley and is a great model for other communities.”
Providing essential funding for the project, the California State Coastal Conservancy provides crucial resources for comprehensive wildfire mitigation and ecosystem restoration efforts. In Goleta, LegacyWorks is working with its WRC partners to develop restoration plans aimed at removing flammable, nonnative plant species, planting fire-resilient native vegetation, and restoring the natural ecosystem along creeks to reduce fuel loads and improve habitat quality.
Together we are actively engaging with the community to gather input on draft restoration plans for ten projects across eight locations. These draft plans are available for public review on the WRC website’s Goleta projects page, and the community’s feedback will play an important role in shaping the final plans.
In addition to working with local residents, LegacyWorks and the WRC are collaborating with key partners, including the UCSB Cheadle Center for Biodiversity and Ecological Restoration, the City of Goleta, private landowners, the Environmental Defense Center, Westmont College, and the Santa Barbara Urban Creeks Council. These partnerships aim to foster a more resilient landscape and community, combining wildfire risk reduction with restoring vital ecosystems.
In a parallel fashion, LegacyWorks is also collaborating with the City of Goleta. For the City we are synthesizing years of community input, research, and planning into simple, clear messages and stories. To read more about that project visit: City of Goleta Ellwood Mesa and The Heart of Ellwood Mesa.
For more information or to provide feedback on the restoration plans, visit https://www.sbcwildfireresilience.org/goleta.