Habitat restoration sign at Mt. Helix Park. (Photo courtesy Sophia Sleap/Times of San Diego) Credit: Sophia Sleap

Since 2012, a volunteer-led effort has restored Mt. Helix Park to nearly all native plants.

“We are seeing the mountain come back alive,” said Caroline Harrod, a member of the Habitat Restoration Committee at Mt. Helix Park. 

The habitat restoration process, which is now at 95% native plants, has increased biodiversity, supported the environment, and created a beautiful place where people find peace and create memories together.

“We saved the mountain that was really just dying,” said Harrod, describing how the mountain was powdery dirt years ago. “And we’ve turned it around.” 

That was only with the help of dedicated volunteers over a 13-year period. Beginning in 2012, Harrod joined the board of directors at Mt. Helix Park and pushed for a new policy to only have native plants there. 

She has devoted the past 13 years to establishing healthy, growing plants at Mt. Helix, and spearheaded a group of volunteers who are also passionate about native plants.

“You get a group of people who get it, and understand the importance of native plants.”

Harrod said the number of people joining the native plant movement is growing, as more people recognize its benefits. 

Why native plants? 

Not only do native plants require less water than their non-native counterparts, they also increase biodiversity, making landscapes more resilient and fire resistant. 

Krista Powers, executive director of Mt. Helix Park, said that the habitat restoration process has brought back important pollinators to the park.

“We have a pollinator extinction crisis right now because we don’t have enough native plants,” she said. 

Powers explained that native butterflies will only lay eggs on certain native plants, and if there aren’t enough of those plants the species will go extinct. 

“We have to create these pollinator pathways from Dictionary Hill to Cowles Mountain so that all these little pollinators can eat and survive along the way,” she said.

Harrod shared that as a result of restoring Mt. Helix to native plants, butterfly species have returned to the mountain. 

“We’re getting a lot more,” said Harrod. “You can see the butterflies come to the top of the mountain to find a mate.”

Powers added that a common weed, the yellow-flowered mustard, was a problem for many years on the mountain. 

“It’s like a matchstick for wildfires,” she said. 

The process of getting rid of invasive weeds took the group three to five years, as the seeds continue to germinate after being removed.

“And then we slowly start winning,” Powers said. “All the native plants start coming back.”

Non-native plants break down the important fungal systems underground that enable native plants to survive the climate. They also go into dormancy during the hot summer months, and a healthy fungal system allows them to retain enough water to survive. 

“Mother Nature is amazing,” said Harrod. 

Creating connections 

“You need to take time out of your busy day, turn off Netflix, and get your feet in the soil,” said Harrod. 

That’s exactly what the approximately 300 people who visit the park each day seek to do. 

“Either they’re walking, or they’re going up and praying,” said Harrod. “It’s just so good for their soul.”

Powers has one other staff member and a team of volunteers who work hard to ensure the private park remains free for all visitors. 

“I’ll see giant families bring their picnic up here and get to create those memories without having to open their wallet up,” said Powers.

She said that enjoys watching people come up to the mountain and bond with one another in nature. 

“Because in today’s world, we have so much separation,” she said. 

A volunteer-led effort

Bruce McIntyre, chair of the Habitat Restoration Committee, first got involved by volunteering at a work day, where volunteers come to help with habitat restoration. 

McIntyre and his wife adopted a section of the park through the Adopt-A-Habitat initiative, where volunteers steward and restore an assigned section of the park. 

“The advantage of working on this process so diligently over the last 10 years is that a lot of the weeds are under control.”

With the weeds contained, the team has been able to reduce the work days from monthly to quarterly.

“Our volunteers are the heartbeat of our park,” said Powers. “We could not do it without our volunteers.”

Getting involved 

The next phase of restoration is planting a pollinator garden. Volunteers are invited to help at the next work day on Saturday, Nov. 8.

“We’re trying to make a butterfly garden so that we have the right plants to promote the monarch butterflies,” said McIntyre.

“It’s the circle of life, and it’s wonderful” said Harrod. “And that’s what’s happening here at Mt. Helix.”

To learn more information about Mt. Helix Park programs, visit the website.

To learn more about native plants and educational videos on how to do native habitat restoration in your own backyard, visit Caroline Harrod’s YouTube channel, Growing San Diego. 

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