Habitat Management at Arana Gulch

Arana Gulch is an open space located on 67 acres at the eastern border of the City of Santa Cruz. The eastern half of the property features the riparian corridor of Arana Gulch Creek and a tidal wetland where the creek drains into Monterey Bay at the Santa Cruz Harbor. The western half is a remnant of coastal prairie grassland that supports the Santa Cruz tarplant (Holocarpha macradenia) (SCT), a federally Threatened and a CA State Endangered species. A steep and narrow intermittent drainage called Hagemann Gulch crosses the property on the western boundary.

The HMP describes an Adaptive Management framework to guide the process of improving habitat conditions at Arana Gulch. The adaptive management framework recognizes that effective resource management and land-use decision-making requires sound scientific information.The Adaptive Management Working Group (AMWG) has a central role in the framework to guide the City on the implementation of HMP activities; The working group serves at the pleasure of the City with the approval of the Executive Director of the California Coastal Commission.

Establishment of the Arana Gulch AMWG has been conducted by the City of Santa Cruz to meet the first requirement of the CDP special conditions. It is comprised of a group of cooperative and committed stakeholders interested in the outcomes of decision-making and in the technical process of managing target conservation resources. The initial composition has been approved by the CCC Executive Director. The City of Santa Cruz has allocated funding to support implementation of the HMP.

• Informational Brochure: Grazing Brochure for Arana Gulch(PDF, 3MB)
• Newspaper Article: Grazing Cows Return to Arana Gulch to Help Endangered Tarplant(PDF, 610KB)

To provide feedback to the Adaptive Management Working Group about the efforts to conserve and restore Arana Gulch, contact parksandrec@santacruzca.gov. Your comments will then be provided to group members for discussion at the next scheduled meeting.

Implementation of the Arana Gulch Master Plan required the City to obtain a coastal development permit (CDP) from the California Coastal Commission (CCC) because a portion of the planning area lies within the designated Coastal Zone. The CDP (3-11-074) includes both standard and special conditions. The Arana Gulch Habitat Management Plan (HMP) was developed to satisfy the special conditions of the CDP. The purpose of the HMP is to provide for the restoration, enhancement, and long-term management of the Arana Gulch habitat Management Areas as self-sustaining and functioning habitats in perpetuity.

The Management Areas include: the Coastal Prairie/Tarplant Management Area, the Arana Gulch Riparian and Wetland Management Area, and the Hagemann Gulch Riparian Woodland Management Area.

Voting Members

• Dr. Grey Hayes, California Native Plant Society
• Suzanne Schettler, Greening and Associates and California Native Plant Society [Alternate]
• Bill Davilla, Ecosystems West
• Serena Stumpf, CA Department of Fish and Wildlife
• Mark Ogonowski, US Fish and Wildlife Service
• Dr. Rachel Pausch, CA Coastal Commission
• Kathy Lyons, Biotic Resources Group
• Devii Rao, UC Cooperative Extension
• Sylvie Childress, UC Santa Cruz Greenhouses

City Staff

• Blake Woessner, Field Supervisor, Parks and Recreation Department
• Mike Godsy, Parks Superintendent, Parks and Recreation Department

CA Coastal Commission (non-voting member)

• Rainey Graeven, Supervising Coastal Planner

More information can be found on our Arana Gulch page.

Contact us at parksandrec@santacruzca.gov. Your email will go to administration and be routed to appropriate staff.

Next AMWG meeting scheduled for June 2025, Date and Time TBD

Sit-down meeting and field visit

Meet at coffee room of Santa Cruz Bible Church (440 Frederick St.)

Coming Soon...

• AMWG Minutes - September 11, 2024(PDF, 222KB)
• AMWG Minutes - May 3, 2024(PDF, 87KB)

• AMWG Minutes - November 7, 2023(PDF, 104KB)
• AMWG Minutes - April 18, 2023(PDF, 132KB)

• AMWG Minutes - March 14, 2022(DOCX, 29KB)
• AMWG Minutes - January 19, 2022(PDF, 181KB)

• AMWG Meeting Agenda - November 4, 2021(PDF, 138KB)
• AMWG Draft Meeting Minutes - November 4, 2021(PDF, 145KB)
• AMWG Meeting Agenda - June 22, 2021(PDF, 110KB)
• AMWG Meeting Agenda Packet - June 22 2021(PDF, 30MB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - June 22, 2021(PDF, 101KB)

• AMWG Meeting Minutes - March 2, 2020(PDF, 197KB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - October 22, 2020(PDF, 137KB)
• AMWG Meeting Agenda - October 15, 2020(PDF, 85KB)
• AMWG Meeting Agenda - March 2, 2020(PDF, 435KB)

• AMWG Meeting Agenda - May 22, 2019(PDF, 428KB)
• AMWG Meeting Agenda - January 24, 2019(PDF, 428KB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - January 24, 2019(DOCX, 31KB)

• AMWG Minutes - August 29 2018(PDF, 292KB)

N/A

• AMWG Meeting Minutes - March 14, 2016(PDF, 222KB)

• AMWG Meeting Agenda - January 28, 2015(PDF, 172KB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - January 28, 2015(PDF, 167KB)
• AMWG Meeting Agenda - April 15, 2015(PDF, 98KB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - April 15, 2015(PDF, 112KB)
• AMWG Meeting Agenda - November 10, 2015(PDF, 267KB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - November 10, 2015(PDF, 229KB)

• AMWG Meeting Minutes - March 2014(PDF, 122KB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - July 2014(PDF, 135KB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - November 4, 2014(DOCX, 36KB)

• AMWG Meeting Agenda - April 2013(DOCX, 13KB)
• AMWG Meeting Minutes - April 2013(DOCX, 49KB)
• AMWG Meeting Agenda - July 2013(PDF, 86KB)

Coming Soon...

• Arana Gulch HMP Year 11 (2024) Annual Report(PDF, 8MB)
• Arana Gulch HMP Year 11 (2024) Appendices

• Arana Gulch HMP Year 10 (2023) Annual Report(PDF, 11MB)
• Arana Gulch HMP Year 10 (2023) Appendices(PDF, 3MB)

• Arana Gulch HMP Year 9 (2022) Annual Report(PDF, 8MB)
• Arana Gulch HMP Year 9 (2022) Appendices(PDF, 8MB)

• Arana Gulch HMP Year 8 (2021) Annual Report(PDF, 7MB)

• 2020 Annual Report and Appendices(PDF, 6MB)

• 2019 Annual Report and Appendices(PDF, 18MB)

• 2018 Annual Report(PDF, 6MB)
• 2018 Annual Report - Appendices(PDF, 13MB)

• 2017 Annual Report(PDF, 6MB)
• 2017 Annual Report - Appendices(PDF, 15MB)

• 2016 Annual Report(PDF, 14MB)

• 2015 Annual Report(PDF, 18MB)

• 2014 Annual Report(PDF, 9MB)

• Coastal Prairie Baseline Assessment - Summer 2013(DOCX, 1010KB)