Parks operations manager David Norgard told the Encinitas Youth Commission on Dec. 3 that the city’s Habitat Stewardship Program focuses on preserving and maintaining city-owned open space through invasive-plant control, trash and encampment removal, fencing and signage, erosion control and fire abatement.

"The goal of [the] Habitat Stewardship Program is to address basic property management and stewardship on city owned open space," Norgard said, summarizing the program’s five priority areas and an adaptive, seasonally paced work plan (winter planting, spring/summer non‑native control, fall erosion and brush management).

Norgard reviewed recent outputs from the program’s contractor and volunteers: "over 706 hours of staff time, more than 23 volunteer events," removal of 81 cubic yards of invasive biomass, and 950 plants installed by the botanic garden, with additional plantings and BMPs at Cottonwood Creek, the Moonlight Parcel and Oakcrest Park. He described site-specific efforts — clearing large ice‑plant infestations at Cottonwood Creek; planting 555 container plants and removing an infested Canary Island date palm at the Moonlight Parcel; and fencing to protect endemic species such as Encinitas baccharis and Del Mar manzanita at Oakcrest Park.

Norgard said the city reissued an RFP for stewardship work when the initial contract reached its term; the botanic garden was selected again. The city also hired Recon Environmental in 2024 to provide environmental project management, baseline mapping and annual monitoring to document invasives, erosion and high‑value plants for future work and for wildlife‑agency coordination.

On next steps, Norgard said he will take an item to city council on Dec. 17 to request a contract amendment adding Indian Head Canyon work and described the staff plan to add a $100,000 scope to the botanic garden contract. He said staff are also scoping a potential $300,000 grant application to the Wildlife Conservation Board or the Coastal Conservancy to support restoration (beyond enhancement) at that site.

Norgard described ongoing maintenance and monitoring, annual reporting to council (typically late summer/early fall) and plans to publish program data on the city website. He encouraged residents to join volunteer events organized by the botanic garden or the Cottonwood Creek Conservancy and said many invasive removals and plantings are performed during group volunteer events.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the contract amendment at this meeting; Norgard said the amendment will be presented to council for approval.