Pilkington Creek

The Pilkington Creek Riparian Enhancement Project is restoring native habitat to riparian woodland and coastal prairie along a seasonal coastal stream that flows to Seabright Beach. In the winter the stream forms a bar built estuary that flows to the ocean during periods of high rainfall.  Part of Tyrrell Park, the site is borders Brook Ave, just east of the Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History. Groundswell Coastal Ecology leads the project in partnership with the City of Santa Cruz’s Adopt-A-Park Program.

Not long ago the banks of Pilkington Creek were blanketed with an almost impenetrable thicket of nonnative mattress vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa), himalayan blackberry (Rubus armeniacus), and english ivy (Hedera helix), which suffocated the creek ecosystem.  In 2010, volunteers worked tirelessly to eliminate the mattress vine and other invasive species, with support of the City and the Museum.

Passionate volunteers have since replaced the invasives with a glorious diversity of native plants. These plants provide wildlife habitat and produce nectar, berries, and seeds that support many species of animals.  Over 40 species of native birds have been documented alongside rich populations of bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. As well as supporting resident bird species, the site has become an important “stopover” for migrating birds on their way to and from their southern overwintering grounds.