• Take US 101 to Hwy 154.

• Take Hwy 154 north one exit at Cathedral Oaks Rd. /Foothill Rd (first exit).
  
  
• Turn left on to Cathedral Oaks Rd.
  

• Turn right onto Via Chaparral.
  
  
• Turn right on to Salvar Road (bridge that goes over freeway).
  
  
• Turn left on to Via Gaitero

• Take Via Gaitero up the hill to the end of the road

San Marcos Foothills Preserve (SMFP) is a regional park ownedand managed by Santa Barbara County.  The park is a natural area of native and non-native grasslands, Coastal Sage Scrub, willow and oak riparian habitats, and Coast Live Oak woodlands, and wetlands.  The park area is 210 acres, with a trail 2.14 miles in length traversing the property east to west, with access from public roads at each end.  This is a new park, donated to the Trust for Public Lands by the developer, from a property totaling 377-acres, and transferred to the County in 2008.  The remainder has been approved for development, but the economic downturn has precluded sale of any of the lots.  In 2009, 0ver 70% of the parkland burned in the Jesusita Fire, and the proposed work will aid in rehabilitation of the trail and the trail buffers.

SMFP is at the urban boundary, and is thus very accessible to the public.  It is utilized by walkers, bird watchers, dog owners, artists and many others.  It is located close to La Colina Junior High School and its proximity to that and other schools as well as its high biodiversity and varied habitat types provides a great potential as a outdoor classroom.  CIR believes that a public trail enhancement project will help to publicize this new park to community members, and educate the public in stewardship of our public lands.

The seep has several native plants such as Spikerush, Umbrella Sedge and California Rose. Removal of invasive weeds such as Bristly Ox Tongue and Curly Dock will enhance the wetland function and the visitor experience.

Two native grassland areas will benefit from non-native weed removal.  The larger area has extensive native Bunchgrasses and Blue-eyed Grass with scattered weeds such as mustard and thistle.  The smaller area has Coast Live Oaks as well, and a wider species mix of natives, grasses and coastal sage scrub, and higher density of non-natives as well.

The project will improve the native plant communities that support species such as Burrowing Owls, breeding Grasshopper Sparrows, breeding White-tailed Kites and other raptors, and Coyotes.  Native plants and invasive weed control of the trail corridor will also enhance the visitor experience.  We will use photographic monitoring of the sites over time to demonstrate expansion of the native flora.