The BVAS Conservation Mission

The BVAS Conservation Mission is to help educate BVAS members and the general public on important conservation issues, to influence public policy and programs in order to better protect the natural environment, and to actively support programs to protect, preserve, restore, and enhance natural ecosystems on a local, regional, national, and international level.

Conservation Matters

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BVAS Wetlands Reserve

In 2016, Buena Vista Audubon Society purchased this 3.5 acre parcel that lies across the street from the BVAS Nature Center. We are currently working on a restoration plan to transform the parcel into a coastal wetlands habitat.

BVAS Andy Mauro Nature Preserve

In 2017, BVAS purchased a 31-acre parcel  that lies in between the San Luis Rey River and Camp Pendleton. Restoration is currently underway to transform the former dairy farm into a coastal sage scrub habitat for rare and threatened wildlife.

San Luis Rey Parcel 4
BV Creek project location map

Buena Vista Creek Restoration Project

Buena Vista Audubon Society is partnering with the City of Oceanside and Dudek to help restore a section of Buena Vista Creek near Lake Blvd and Thunder Dr.

BV Lagoon S. Martin

Buena Vista Lagoon Enhancement Project

On May 22, 2020, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) approved a project for restoring the Buena Vista Lagoon in Oceanside, CA. BVAS has long advocated the removal of the weir at the mouth of the lagoon and the restoration to a saltwater estuary and marsh.

Invasive palm trees in Buena Vista Lagoon

A student in Professor Wing Cheung's GIS class at Palomar College created a map showing the locations of invasive palm trees in the Buena Vista Lagoon. These rapidly take over native habitat and are difficult to eradicate.

Invasive Palms in Buena Vista Lagoon

Bioblitzes at Buena Vista Lagoon

What is a BioBlitz?

A Bioblitz is a communal citizen-science effort to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible. There have been two Bioblitzes in the BV Lagoon area; one in April, 2016 to honor Nature Guide Amaranta Kozuch.  The second was during the 2017 Endangered Species Day event.

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Amaranta's Bioblitz, April 29 & 30, 2016

This Bio-Blitz survey of the plants and animals living on the grounds of the Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center and within the adjacent Buena Vista Lagoon Ecological Reserve was done as a special tribute to Amaranta Kozuch by her colleagues at the San Diego Zoo's Institute for Conservation Research and her friends at BVAS.

Endangered Species Day Bioblitz, May 2017

For a one-week period, culminating in the Endangered Species Day weekend May 20, participants surveyed all the fauna and flora of the BV Lagoon, using iNaturalist on smartphones to record observations. Participants included two AP Environmental Science classes from Carlsbad HS.

Other Conservation Issues

Letter to Gov. Brown AB890, Sept 2017

Comments on Proposed CA Wetlands Policy Regulation, Sept 2017

Comments on Marine Sanctuaries Review, July 2017

Comments on Inns at Buena Vista Creek DEIR December, 2016

Campus Park West Development

Download the official letter sent by the BVASvwith our comments on the Campus Park West application for a permit under Section 404 of the Clean Water Act.

San Marcos Highlands Project MND

Download the official letter sent by the BVAS with our comments on the Mitigated Negative Declaration for the proposed San Marcos Highlands development project.

San Marcos Highlands Project DEIR

Download the official letter sent by the BVAS with our comments on the DEIR for the proposed San Marcos Highlands development project.

San Marcos Highlands Final EIR

Download the official BVAS comment letter on the Final EIR for the  proposed San Marcos Highlands development project.

BVAS comments in opposition to delisting the Southwest Willow Flycatcher 2016

BVAS Oceanside Digital Billboard Comment Letter January 2015

Conservation Archives

Measure A: Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan (85/15)

On February 23, 2016, Carlsbad residents defeated Measure A,  the Agua Hedionda South Shore Specific Plan (aka "85/15") proposed by developer Caruso Affiliated. The 85/15 Plan would have allowed a 585,000 square foot shopping mall to be built on the shores of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon.

BVAS and Measure A

BVAS's position paper on why we opposed Measure A

Donations that make a difference!

Your donation will help us further our mission of providing nature-based education to local children, offering birding classes and other programs, protecting and restoring North County wildlife habitats, and more!

Our Mission

Conservation Through Education, Advocacy, Land Management, and Monitoring

Mailing Address

Buena Vista Audubon
PO Box 480
Oceanside, CA 92049

Nature Center

2202 S. Coast Highway
Oceanside, CA 92054

760-439-BIRD
(760-439-2473)

Hours

Sunday CLOSED
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday 10 am-1 pm
Wednesday 10 am-1 pm
Thursday 10 am-1 pm
Friday 10 am-1 pm
Saturday 10 am-1 pm

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