Oceano Dunes

In early summer 2018, the Oceano Dunes State Park and the San Luis Obispo Air Pollution Control District came to an agreement that established a five-year plan to improve air quality on the Nipomo Mesa. They hope to do this by reducing the emissions of fine-particle (10-micron diameter) dust that comes from the dunes. State Parks looked to its Resources department to carry this out, and the Coastal San Luis Resource Conservation District (CSLRCD) Dunes crew was there to help take up the challenge. 

Progress Made

• Oceano Dunes SVRA is 3490 acres. In 2021, 32.5 acres were covered by wind fencing. Wind fencing is the first stage of the restoration process, aiming to stabilize sand movement. 

• In 2021, there were four new project sites revegetated, in addition to seven previous project sites that were supplementally planted. For 2022, 163,223 native plants, 602 pounds of native seed and 5,120 straw bales have been allocated to the 56.9 acres of project sites.

• In 20219, there were 49 acres revegetated; in 2020, 96 acres; in 2021, 56 acres. 

• Since 2018, CSLRCD has coordinated with California State Parks, California Conservation Corps, and the American Conservation Experience to spread more than 17,215 straw bales as mulch, to collect and spread more than 1829 pounds of native seed, and to propagate and plant more than 394,870 native plants across more than 202 acres.