Chapter Meeting: Fire-wise Cactus Scrub Restoration in San Diego: Bringing Back the Coastal Cactus Wren

The imperiled coastal cactus wren depends on connected coastal cactus scrub habitat—and in North County, fragmentation has made it harder for populations to persist and recolonize former range. In this talk, Dr. Leslie Kuhn will share work underway to define and restore a fire-wise cactus scrub corridor in San Diego County to support coastal cactus wrens and help them recolonize the Lusardi Creek watershed. She will highlight practical restoration strategies and the role of mapping, native planting, and community outreach in rebuilding habitat connectivity.

About the speaker 
Dr. Leslie Kuhn is Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Computer Science & Engineering at Michigan State University. Over 25 years, she led research developing computational methods to model protein interactions with organic molecules, with applications to safer medicines and invasive species controls. Beyond academia, she led conservation efforts to protect threatened natural areas and organized large-scale volunteer stewardship projects. She now focuses on natural area restoration in northern San Diego County, with an emphasis on habitat connectivity for coastal cactus wrens.

Get involved
New volunteers are welcome to join vegetation and avian mapping, native planting, and public outreach.
Contact Dr. Kuhn at glesliekuhn@gmail.com.

Make it a full chapter night: doors open at 6:15 PM for browsing, socializing, and book/merch sales. The program starts at 7:00 PM, and we will stay afterward for informal conversation, questions, and community connection.

Chapter meetings are free and open to the public—bring a friend.

Thank you to © Alexander S. Kunz for his beautiful photo, “Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus) with nesting material, momentarily perched on the pad of a Coastal Beavertail (Opuntia littoralis) cactus” used with permission. More photos:  Alexander S. Kunz