Management

Once land is acquired, it must be managed correctly to ensure species can flourish. In areas where urban uses and wild lands intersect, management can be a difficult challenge.

RCA’s main responsibilities include:

• Performing baseline assessments of acquired properties within four years of acquisition
• Maintenance, including fencing, gates, trash removal, fire prevention
• Maintaining upland and wetland habitats in conditions better than or similar to the land’s condition when acquired
• Conserving raptor nests
• Controlling unauthorized public access

RCA properties are open to the public, but motorized recreation, hunting, shooting, paintball, camping, and fires are not permitted. To date, more than 100 sites and 30,000 acres divided into nine management units are RCA’s maintenance responsibility. With its partner, the Riverside County Parks and Open Space District, RCA staffs the maintenance effort with natural resources, park ranger, and park maintenance personnel.

The major issues facing managers are illegal dumping and off-highway vehicle users. RCA works with Riverside County through its Code Enforcement, Hazardous Materials, and Sheriff ’s departments to combat these issues and partners with BLM rangers and California Department of Fish and Wildlife wardens to protect acquired land.