The Carlsbad Office's Conservation Partnerships Division oversees programs that provide voluntary, cooperative opportunities in habitat restoration for migratory bird and endangered species conservation, as well as environmental education with non-federal groups or entities. It is a collaborative approach to conservation by empowering people to become stewards of the land.
Our program works with a myriad of partners who share common goals and interests in conserving, using, and enjoying our natural resources. Our partnerships have included local municipalities and non-profits, land conservancies, research entities, private landowners, school groups, corporations and numerous other interests.
These programs not only build partnerships, but also establish agreements and undertake actions to accomplish conservation goals.
We want to help our partners solve their land management challenges because we recognize the value of their expertise and creativity to help us become more effective in our conservation efforts for fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats.
We provide on-the-ground conservation through financial and technical assistance programs. The three primary programs that operate within Carlsbad Office's Conservation Partnerships Program Division are:
The Southern California/San Diego Bay Coastal Program works closely with partners to voluntarily conserve coastal ecosystems like estuaries, lagoons, bays, dunes, beaches, rivers, and rare uplands in San Diego, Orange, and Los Angeles counties through:
Restoring or enhancing native coastal habitats
Providing permanent protections (conservation easements and land acquisitions) of coastal habitats
Offering technical expertise for planning comprehensive conservation projects
Conducting research to make informed management decisions
Broadening the public’s understanding of habitat functions, fish and wildlife, and the benefits of having healthy wildlife habitat (e.g., improved water quality and recreational value)
The Montecito Ranch property conserves grassland, coastal sage scrub, oak woodlands, and vernal pools, enhancing connections between protected lands and providing habitat for the coastal California gnatcatcher, Stephens' kangaroo rat, and foraging raptors such as golden eagles.
Section 6 of the Endangered Species Act authorizes the Service to provide Federal financial assistance through the Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund (CESCF) to states and territories to support the development and implementation of conservation programs for the benefit of listed, candidate, and at-risk species on non-Federal lands.
Grant programs include:
Traditional Conservation Grants
Nontraditional Conservation Grants
HCP Land Acquisitions Grants
HCP Planning Assistance Grants
Recovery Land Acquisition Grants
Contact the Section 6 Coordinator, Mary Beth Woulfe at 760.431.9440, ext. 294, or Marybeth_Woulfe@fws.gov for more information.
The Service and its partners removed invasive plants from the San Dieguito River stream corridor, improving wildlife habitat and reducing fire risk.
The Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program is a habitat restoration cost-sharing program for private landowners. The program works with conservation-minded farmers, ranchers and other private (nonfederal and nonstate) landowners who wish to restore fish and wildlife habitat on their land.
Goals of the program are to:
Implement proactive, voluntary, on-the-ground habitat restoration projects that benefit federal trust species and their habitats on private and tribal lands
Provide technical and financial assistance to landowners who are interested in providing suitable habitat for fish and wildlife on their property
Provide leadership and promote partnerships using the Service's and other organizations' expertise
Conduct public outreach to broaden understanding of fish and wildlife habitats while encouraging and demonstrating conservation efforts
