Orange County is home to some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in the country. To help preserve them for future generations, OCTA collaborates with local, state and federal wildlife agencies to acquire land and fund habitat restoration projects to offset the environmental impacts of freeway projects.
In May, members of the Environmental Oversight Committee including Caltrans, California Department of Fish and Wildlife and OCTA staff toured the Bee Flat Canyon and West Loma projects in unincorporated Orange County. These projects were both funded by OCTA.
The tour highlighted the resilience of these areas. Though impacted by fire in 2020, native plant species continue to recover thanks to restoration efforts involving years of weeding and reestablishing plants native to the region and that support wildlife.
Funding for the OCTA Environmental Mitigation Program is provided through Measure M, Orange County’s half-cent sales tax for transportation improvements. A total of 13 restoration projects have been funded throughout Orange County enabling the restoration of about 350 acres of open space land.