The path to restoring Catalina Island’s native landscape reached a significant milestone this month as the California Department of Fish and Wildlife confirmed that the Catalina Island Conservancy’s habitat restoration submission meets the criteria for a Statutory Exemption for Restoration Projects (SERP). The determination signals that the Conservancy’s extensive environmental review has satisfied key state requirements and clears the way for the next phase of consideration.
The Conservancy is now awaiting a final decision on its restoration management permit application — the approval that would formally authorize long-planned efforts to restore native habitats, protect freshwater resources and reduce the risk of increasingly frequent and severe wildfires across the Island.
“This first step toward island restoration confirms the strength of the environmental review behind this work,” said Lauren Dennhardt, senior director of conservation for the Catalina Island Conservancy. “We are looking forward to the state’s final decision on the restoration management permit so we can advance strategies that have successfully restored native ecosystems on other Channel Islands.”
If approved, the permit would allow the Conservancy to move forward with Operation Protect Catalina Island, a multi-decade restoration strategy designed to address habitat health, species balance and wildfire resilience under one coordinated plan. The effort reflects years of scientific study, planning and collaboration aimed at reversing decades of ecological stress on the Island’s soils, watersheds and native plant communities.
A central goal of the plan is to restore the Island’s land and water systems in a way that naturally supports groundwater recharge and soil stability. The Conservancy plans to test and expand native planting methods, treat invasive grasses that have altered the landscape, and closely monitor ecological recovery over time.
Another key component focuses on rebuilding native vegetation at a landscape scale. The Conservancy will collect wild seeds from Catalina’s remaining native plant populations, cultivate them to expand supply, and replant them strategically across the Island. These efforts will be timed with seasonal rains to improve survival rates and reestablish fire-resistant plant communities that historically defined Catalina’s ecology.
The plan also addresses ecosystem balance for native wildlife. Invasive plant control and the removal of invasive mule deer are intended to relieve pressure on recovering habitats. Progress will be measured through monitoring the health and distribution of native species including the Island fox, native birds, the rare Catalina shrew, reptiles, amphibians and pollinators.
This milestone follows years of public engagement and scientific review. The Conservancy received 63 letters of support from community members, conservation partners, stakeholders and the Gabrieleno-Tongva Tribal Community, underscoring broad interest in the Island’s ecological future.
For boaters, visitors and residents who experience Catalina as both a recreational destination and a living ecosystem, the outcome of the restoration management permit will shape how the Island’s landscapes look and function for generations to come.
Additional information about Operation Protect Catalina Island and the restoration plan is available at catalinaconservancy.org/protect.
