Community Arundo Control Project
Lakeside’s River Park Conservancy, working in partnership with the San Diego River Conservancy, has embarked on an ambitious program to control arundo donax (giant reed) in the San Diego River and its tributaries. Arundo is a dangerous fire hazard, creates flood hazards, and is a threat to native plants and wildlife. We are inviting all landowners with arundo on their property to participate in the project.
We are looking for at least 30 landowners who would be willing to let us remove arundo from their property. The pilot program will acquire the funding and provide all of the equipment, personnel and follow up to permanently eradicate this plant from the property and to revegetate with native plants. It will be ABSOLUTELY FREE for the landowners. All you need to do is to provide us with permission to enter your property to remove the arundo and to support the native plants annually for up to three years.
Arundo is most typically found on property which borders a creek or drainage. In Lakeside these areas include Oak Creek and the other drainages in Eucalyptus Hills, the Marilla Drive Drainage, the San Vicente Creek area, Los Coches Creek area and the main stem of the San Diego River from the base of El Capitan Dam to Channel Road. It is also quite possible to have arundo on your property even if you don't live on or near a drainage. This invasive plant will gain a foothold in any area where there is enough water seeping from the ground to support it.
Arundo is very difficult to remove. It must be cut down, removed and either chipped or carted off to the dump and the stumps must be sprayed with an herbicide several times. This is a time consuming and expensive process. Many homeowners and property owners understand what a dangerous plant it is but, given the massive stands on their property, feel completely overwhelmed with the task of controlling it. We have removed tons of arundo from the River Park and we have the experience, equipment and personnel to handle even the largest areas.
If you would like to participate in this project, please complete, sign, and mail a Letter of Interest.
This project is a collaborative effort with the San Diego River Conservancy, the Eucalyptus Hills FireSafe Council and the El Monte/Wildcat FireSafe Council.
For more information,
please see our
Frequently Asked Questions
or contact us at cindy@lakesideriverpark.org