Our Mission

 To prevent the extinction of native species that inhabit our Southern California watersheds.

To accomplish this, we create  Refugia.    
*Refugia (plural) - A geographical region in which a population of organisms can survive through a period of unfavorable conditions.

First we identify, then purchase land suitable for the creation of new Refugia in our Southern California watersheds.

Once aquired, our first priority is construction of natural Conservation Hatcheries required to ensure we protect the genetics of our last remaining Southern California Steelhead.

Incredibly, and completely unnaceptable is the fact that we are today down to only two small populations of our Southern California Steelhead in San Diego and Riverside counties. Our steelhead runs once numbered in the tens of thousands of fish annually. Many are hard at work and will succed in restoring our streams and river environments in order to ensure that our steelhead runs will become strong once again!

The great news is that our natural Conservation Hatcheries construction projects will also simultaneously restore and enhance the streams, create new ponds and wetlands required to ensure the survival of our rapidly disappearing Western Pond Turtle, California Red Legged Frog, and Arroyo Toad populations.

We will also be restoring and enhancing the existing drier ecosystem sites suitable for our endangered reptiles such as the Coast Horned Lizard and California King Snake.

Once this work is completed, each species will be introduced and that refugia will move into the next phase - protecting, nurturing and growing each of the respective populations. Beginning the road to recovery and reintroduction back into the wild, once the conditions there are deemed suitable and the timing is right.

Friends, we must take action immediately, as we understand that Extinction is Forever! Simply not an option we will accept without a fight.

Our goal is to have at least three new refugia, each located in a different watershed, completed and in operation before the end of year 2025.

With your help, this goal is absolutely within our reach. The impact of only three new refugia will be incredible!

You can help today by donating , volunteering or by becoming a member today.

Thank you and with gratitude, your friends at Southern California Conservancy.

For more information about Conservation Hatcheries please click this link