South Parcel, located north of Coal Oil Point Reserve and southwest of Ocean Meadows Golf Course, is a 68 acre parcel that now (June 2010) has a permanent conservation easement held by the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County. Restoration of the site will occur in conjunction with development of faculty housing on the 26 acre parcel to the north known as North Parcel.
South Parcel has been impacted over the years by agriculture and grazing, but was most significantly impacted in 1965 when the adjacent golf course was created in the northern arms of Devereux Slough. Multiple feet of soil were moved from this site and other adjacent lands into the current golf course location. Since that impact South Parcel has been invaded by non-native plants and has been a significant source of sedimentation in the upper Devereux Slough due to the initial disturbance and ongoing biking and bike-jump creation disturbance. The invasive plants of concern include fennel, pampas grass, black mustard and Harding grass.
2008. South Parcel showing non-native annual grasses and fennel dominated areas.
2009. Soil and seedbank studies were initiated in 2009 to evaluate restoration strategies.