Mendocino County, CA
Gualala Mill Bend Public Access, Restoration, and Estuary Enhancement Plan
Project Details
The Redwood Coast Land Conservancy (RCLC) partnered with PCI Ecological to create the Mill Bend Conservation Plan to guide stewardship, restoration, and public recreation activities at the Mill Bend Preserve. RCLC seeks to provide walkable, accessible, safe, no-cost access to the Gualala River and its estuary from the town of Gualala while providing ecological restoration of the site’s diverse coastal habitat. The Mill Bend Preserve consists of 113 acres located at the mouth of the Gualala River, spanning Mendocino and Sonoma Counties. The site is rich in ecological resources, with habitat ranging from redwood and bishop pine forests to wetlands and aquatic habitats surrounding the estuary. For centuries, the lands of three bands of native Pomo people have also encompassed what is now the Mill Bend Preserve. Commercial lumber operations began in the mid-1800s and continued through 1968 at the site.
Location: Mendocino County, CA
Client: Redwood Coast Land Conservancy
In partnership with RCLC, PCI Ecological created a Conservation Plan for the Preserve to guide stewardship, restoration, and public recreation and river access opportunities. PCI Ecological is working with RCLC and Sonoma County Regional Parks to design public access infrastructure and restoration of degraded historic lumber mill sites. PCI Ecological will lead the effort for estuary restoration coordinating with fisheries, hydrology, and geomorphologist experts, local watershed groups and interested parties, Sonoma County Regional Parks, and Native American tribes to develop, identify and implement salmonid habitat improvements within the estuary. PCI Ecological will work with Mendocino County and RCLC to complete a CEQA analysis and will support efforts to obtain funding for the next phases of the project.
PARTNERSHIPS
Redwood coast land conservancy
CALIFORNIA COASTAL conservancy
Sonoma County Regional Parks
PROJECT MAP
Project Benefits
The Mill Bend site will provide two new miles of trails and boardwalks, closing an important gap in the California Coastal Trail while providing free and easily accessible recreation to local residents and visitors alike. Conservation activities will protect sensitive habitats and biological resources, re-establish and enhance native coastal habitats on a weedy, disturbed lumber mill site, and enhance estuary habitat for juvenile fish and other aquatic species while providing opportunities for visitors to learn about the site’s history and ecology.
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