Wetlands and Wildlife Protection

90% of California's wetlands have been lost since intensive human development began. The Watsonville Slough system is one of the last remaining freshwater wetlands in the state and the largest in Santa Cruz County. The rarity of freshwater wetlands and their adjacent upland areas make them highlyvaluable as habitats for wildlife.

This acquisition will link 350 acres of wetland and upland habitat already protected by state and federal agencies (map)and protect an additional 76 acres of slough. The Watsonville Sloughs are an network of six individual sloughs that together are the largest freshwater wetlands in Santa Cruz County. This project is at the heart of this system and includes significant parts of four of the six sloughs and smaller parts of two others.

The Watsonville Sloughs drain a 12,500 acres watershed. The overlap of wetlands, marsh, and grasslands creates a diverse ecosystem that provides rare foraging and breeding habitats for a rich variety of wildlife, including five federally-listed species and 16 state-listed species of special concern.

Listed species that will benefit from the protection of these lands: California red-legged frog, Tidewater goby, South-Central California coast steelhead, California brown pelican, American peregrine falcon, Southwestern pond turtle, Tri-colored blackbird, White-tailed kite, Long-billed curlew, White-faced ibis, Northern harrier, Burrowing owl, Coopers hawk, Golden eagle, Ferruginous hawk, Merlin, Black tern, Common loon, Double-crested cormorant, Short-eared owl, Saltmarsh common yellowthroat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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