Current Issues

The City of Riverside has six named arroyos that have codified legal protections and bounds, recognizing their unique habitat and landforms. We work to ensure these ordinances are not undermined by developers and planners. Arroyos incuding Alessandro, Prenda, and Woodcrest support unique plant and animal communities and serve as important wildlife corridors.

The Jurupa Oak is an unassuming shrub sheltered by rock outcrops in Jurupa Valley. It is a singular clonal organism that has persisted continually for at least the last 13,000 years, making it the oldest known living plant in California and one the oldest living trees in the world. As planned development creeps closer, protection is paramount.

The Riverside Transmission Reliability Project (RTRP) will provide the City of Riverside with a critical second power connection to the California electric grid. We are advocating for these high-voltage transmission lines to be placed underground to mitigate fire risk and visual impact.

The number of warehouses in southern California's Inland Empire has increased dramatically in recent decades. This growth has led to concerns about the impacts on the environment, health, and lifestyle. We advocate for responsible growth that offsets environmental impact with development of recreational trails and access and protection of open space.

Wildlife corridors are the crucial bridges between fragmented habitats that allow wildlife to safely migrate to find food, shelter, and mates. They are essential for many species to maintain their natural behaviors including coyote, deer, bobcat, and mountain lions. Where possible we work to set aside these connections and make them appealing with native vegetation, terrain, and natural lighting.

Historic Victoria Avenue is a divided scenic street in Riverside. Originally developed in 1892, the road became a popular tourist attraction because of the many exotic plants used to landscape the route. Pressure continues to develop adjacent agricultural land and orange orchards into high-density housing that does not fit with the rural cultural heritage landmark status or value for local food production.

The spread of invasive plant species remains an ongoing battle requiring diligence and expertise. We have expertise in our group that helps foster best practices for weed abatement to avoid detrimental harm to other species. FRH has supported several weed abatement initiatives, particularly in the Box Springs Mountain Reserve and Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park. 

Wild burro populations in and around the Box Springs Mountain Reserve have continued to grow to unsustainable levels, decimating native vegetation, generating soil erosion, and spilling over into neighboring communities. We are exploring options to mitigate the extensive damage these federally protected invasive species are causing.

We work to set aside land for preservation and to enhance recreational opportunities including trailhead access, graffiti removal, and signage installation. Successes include additions to Blue Mountain, Box Springs Mountain Reserve, Sycamore Canyon Wilderness Park. Many trails and open spaces continue to be at risk of development.