Walker Canyon in Lake Elsinore is closed until further notice to ensure the safety of residents, visitors, and sensitive habitat.

Bautista Canyon

Location: The project is located south of Bautista Road in unincorporated Riverside County.
RCA Area: San Jacinto Valley Area Plan – Subunit 3 – Upper San Jacinto River/Bautista Creek, Rough Step 4.
Size: 2,793.72 acres.
Plant Communities in the area: Chaparral, Coastal Sage Scrub, Riparian Scrub, Woodland Forest.
Species for Conservation: Arroyo Toad, Mountain Yellow-legged Frog, Quino Checkerspot Butterfly, Bobcat, Los Angeles pocket Mouse, and Mountain Lion.

Importance:

This property was purchased by RCA for $3,832,000 on February 26, 2016 with $841,200 in state funding and $2,490,800 of federal grant funding.  An additional $500,000 in MSHCP local development mitigation fees were also used to pay for the property.  The Wildlife Conservation Board’s contribution of federal and state grant funding was essential to making this acquisition possible.  We wish to express a special thank you to our valued and great partner, the Wildlife Conservation Board.

The property is located within Cells 4119, 4222, 4219, 4305, 4317, 4318, 4311, 4312, 4402, 4409, 4408, 4400, 4401, 4500, 4546, 4560, 4638, 4640, 4734 and 4736 of the Western Riverside County Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan (Western Riverside County MSHCP).

The Bautista property contains important biological resources, including Coastal Sage Scrub and Wood Forest habitat.

Wildlife and Habitat Value:

The subject property is located in a critical conservation area within the Western Riverside County MSHCP, identified as Core 4.  This property connects to conserved lands to the east and south.  Conservation of this land helps assemble the reserve for this area and protect important habitat for many species, including Quino Checkerspot Butterfly and Mountain Lion.