The Tierrasanta Wildfire Resilience Project is a community-driven effort to improve wildfire resilience in College Area and Tierrasanta through implementation of Brush Management Zone protocol. Efforts will take place over a 2-year work scope in Rueda Canyon and Shepard Canyon, and will aim to reduce fire fuel load, create defensible space, and maintain fuel breaks and vegetation islands. This project is a collaboration with the City of San Diego, and is funded by the San Diego River Conservancy.

Project Goals:

  • Conduct City of San Diego Brush Management Zone Protocol in Open Space canyon complexes, including Rueda Canyon and Shepard Canyon, with a total of 59.5 acres of BMZ area covered.

  • Reduced wildfire risks near College Area and Tierrasanta through BMZ treatment on public lands in Rueda Canyon and Shepard Canyon.

  • Support the San Diego River Conservancy by implemented fire fuel reduction projects encompassed under the Proclamation of a State of Emergency issued by the Office of Governor Gavin Newson. This includes removal of hazardous/dead trees, removal of vegetation to create defensible space, and maintenance of previously-establish fuel breaks.

  • Conduct at least 12 community events and meetings adjacent to project work areas to increase community education and participation.

project Timeline:

XXX - Recieved grant agreement and notice to proceed from the Conservancy.

XXX -  Complete all appropriate protocol surveys in advance of planned work for each work area.

XXX -  Begin work on the ground.

XXX -  Install all funding recognition notifications/signs.

Project PRofessionals:

Melissa Tu: Senior Biologist

Melissa Tu is a conservation biologist with 24 years of experience in Southern California. Since 1999, Tu has worked with local, state, and federal wildlife agencies to protect and manage San Diego County’s open spaces and sensitive habitats. Tu specializes in documenting avian richness, conducting nest surveys, and developing conservation and mitigation measures for sensitive habitats, rare plant species, and native bird species.

Jonathan Appelbaum: Senior Restoration Ecologist

Jonathan Appelbaum has over 25 years of experience designing, implementing, and managing habitat restoration projects throughout California.  Mr. Appelbaum first joined San Diego Canyonlands in 2015 and has served as Canyonlands' Senior Restoration Ecologist since November 2021. In addition to holding a Qualified Applicator License (QAL) issued by the State of California Department of Pesticide Regulation, Mr. Appelbaum has detailed knowledge of and experience installing streambank bioengineering devices for streambank erosion control and aquatic habitat restoration. Mr. Appelbaum also has two decades of experience designing, and installing stormwater management BMPs and monitoring the performance of stormwater BMPs. Mr. Appelbaum holds a Masters of Environmental Science and Management from the Bren School of Environmental Science and Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Getting Involved:

Our community is at the heart of everything we do! We want you engaged in every aspect of this project so we can achieve our goals in a way that aligns with community needs.

A few ways you can learn more and get involved include:

  • Sign up for a volunteer event and come hang out with us in the City Heights canyons.

  • Follow us on Instagram for more consistent updates on project progress and our other programs.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding the Tierrasanta Wildfire Resilience Project, please submit them here and we will get back to you as soon as possible.