CLIENT: Thomas Reid Associates

The development pressures of San Bruno Mountain in northern San Mateo County led to the development of the first Habitat Conservation Plan under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Now that development has been defined and restricted within the constraints of the habitat conservation plan, the greatest remaining threats to the mountain’s endangered species are exotic weeds and natural plant succession.

Shelterbelt Builders created idealized butterfly habitat “islands” with dense plantings of native grasses and forbs that would support endangered butterfly populations.

Shelterbelt was hired by Thomas Reid Associates to help implement the habitat conservation plan by controlling exotics and creating and enhancing endangered butterfly habitat. Butterfly habitat was created in former eucalyptus forests by creating islands of manageable habitat within restoration zones. Shelterbelt created idealized butterfly habitat “islands” with dense plantings of native grasses and forbs that would support butterfly populations. The islands are constructed in strategic locations in habitat restoration areas to help butterfly populations expand into these new areas. The islands are stewarded for several years to help them establish and resist invasive plants until the habitat is self-sustaining. Detailed monitoring of the process is carried out so we can continue to enhance the establishment of the island plants over the years. In addition to habitat creation, Shelterbelt also assists with invasive plant removal and provides on-call restoration services as necessary mountain-wide.