Scott Thomas, executive director of Laguna Canyon Foundation, told the Laguna Woods City Council on June 18 that the nonprofit has shifted from its origins in land-protection protests to long-term conservation, restoration and community education across 22,000 acres in the South Coast Wilderness.

The foundation’s work includes weekly volunteer trail stewardship and habitat restoration, an elementary-school outreach program that brings Title I students to Barber’s Lake and other sites, a native plant nursery and camera-based wildlife monitoring. "We're boots on the ground, taking out invasive plants, bringing in native habitat," Thomas said during the presentation. He described volunteer training that includes CPR and orientation for long-term participants.

Thomas highlighted Parcel 5, a 65-acre restoration site just north of Laguna Lakes that the foundation plans to convert from invasive, flashy fuels into coastal sage scrub habitat. The plan includes a separate 10-acre site intended for reintroduction of the Pacific pocket mouse. "If you provide the habitat, the critters will come," Thomas said, noting recent camera photos of bobcats, mule deer, and other wildlife at restored sites.

Council members asked about invasive species vectors and wildlife monitoring. Thomas said invasive plants often originated with historic cattle grazing, and seeds spread by people, animals and birds. He described monitoring programs including annual bird counts with Audubon and camera monitoring at wildlife corridors. "Where fire starts is through the kindling of invasive species," Thomas said, adding fuel-reduction as a practical reason for removing invasives.

Mayor Pro Tem Annie McCarrie and other council members praised the foundation’s education and volunteer efforts and asked about volunteer capacity and upcoming plans; Thomas said the group will expand school programs into Laguna Beach and work with OC Parks on interpretive exhibit upgrades at Nicks Nature Center. He encouraged residents to view events and volunteer opportunities at lagunacanyon.org.

The presentation closed with a council invitation to return for more questions; no formal action or funding requests were made to the council during the session.