Borrego Springs, located in a desert valley in the rain shadow of the Peninsular Mountain Ranges, is a unique community surrounded by the 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The area boasts a wide variety of native plant and animal species, many of which are listed as State and Federal Endangered Species.

If you’re looking for a place to live in Southern California that’s away from the hustle and bustle of the city, Borrego Springs may be just what you need. This small desert community is surrounded by the stunning Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and boasts a unique blend of natural beauty and small-town charm. Whether you’re a nature lover, a wildlife enthusiast, or simply seeking a peaceful place to call home, Borrego Springs offers a lifestyle that’s hard to find elsewhere. In this article, we’ll explore some of the key features of this community, including its plant and animal habitats and wildlife corridors, and why they’re important for those who live in Borrego Springs.

Open space and unimpeded movement corridors are vital to the long-term health of the local wildlife, including the Peninsular bighorn sheep, which is particularly noteworthy.

Bighorn sheep inhabit the steep slopes, deep canyons, and alluvial fans of Borrego Valley and the nearby state park. They are often observed crossing the valley in various places and rely on the steep slopes and deep canyons to safeguard their lambs during early spring, as well as frequent the canyons for reliable water sources in the summer. Many wildlife enthusiasts visit the area to view these rare mammals in their natural habitat.

Residents of Borrego Springs enjoy the close proximity of wildlife near their homes and throughout the valley as they go about their daily business. Many residents maintain feeding stations for birds and are protective of their local wildlife. However, development threatens and fragments plant and animal habitat and propagation and movement corridors.

To ensure the continued health and well-being of plant and animal species that are native to the desert environment, it is vital to preserve natural habitats and corridors within the Borrego Springs Community Plan Area (CPA).

Policy-COS 1.2.1 requires development to minimize impacts to plant and animal habitat and maximize the retention of propagation and movement corridors.

Policy-COS 1.2.2 retains native plants in place, which require no additional water, hold down the soil, prevent erosion, flooding, and wind-borne dust and sand.

Policy-COS 1.2.3 prohibits development from clear-scraping property for home construction and ensures that a certain percentage of the property, depending on the size of the lot, is left in its natural state after the footprint of the house is included.

Policy-COS 1.2.4 retains the natural desert appearance of neighborhoods through curbside use of native plants.

Policy-COS 1.2.5 preserves existing wildlife and vegetation corridors through neighborhoods and establishes corridors in plans for new neighborhoods.

Policy-COS 1.2.6 evaluates the impact of extensive fencing as it relates to wildlife corridors and develops limits on the use of fencing.

Policy-COS 1.2.7 limits turf and imported plants and retains the desert’s natural light-colored, porous substrate rather than dark asphalt to maintain the community’s low rate of humidity.

Policy-COS 1.2.8 retains native vegetation to maintain the CPA’s overall low humidity.

Policy-COS 1.2.9 limits the use of exotic plants known to be invasive as they often out-compete native species.

Policy-COS 1.2.10 promotes the use of native plants in the Village Core to reinforce the community’s desert ambiance and complement the surrounding desert environment.

Policy-COS 1.2.11 identifies areas of particular vegetative significance and links them to a future valley-wide foot trail system.

Grading restrictions also need to be tightened and enforced to protect the community from continued grading of commercial projects, residential lots, and golf courses. Grading needs to be restricted to the footprint of homes, commercial buildings, and other developments, and enforcement needs to be consistent and stringent to curtail the grading of entire parcels prior to construction of homes and businesses.

Preserving native plants is essential to the retention of desert soils, wildlife corridors, and natural wind breaks.

Nowadays, the conservation of natural habitats and the establishment of wildlife corridors are essential for the survival of many plant and animal species. Borrego Springs, a desert valley surrounded by the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, is home to a wide variety of native plant and animal species, including the rare Peninsular bighorn sheep. The community of Borrego Springs recognizes the importance of preserving natural habitats and movement corridors for the long-term health of their native wildlife.

To achieve this goal, the Borrego Springs Community Plan and the San Diego County General Plan have established a series of policies to minimize the impact of development on plant and animal habitats and to promote the retention of propagation and movement corridors.

These policies include restricting grading to the footprint of homes and other developments, retaining native plants in place, preserving existing wildlife and vegetation corridors, limiting the use of invasive exotic plants, and promoting the use of native plants in the Village Core.

In conclusion, the conservation of natural habitats and the establishment of wildlife corridors are essential for the survival of many plant and animal species. Borrego Springs is an excellent example of a community that recognizes the importance of preserving natural habitats and movement corridors for the long-term health of their native wildlife. The policies established by the Borrego Springs Community Plan and the San Diego County General Plan provide a framework for achieving this goal, and the strong conservation culture of the community reinforces it. By working together, we can ensure the continued health and well-being of our native flora and fauna, preserving the natural biodiversity of our environment.

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