Alternative Futures for the Region of Camp Pendleton, California
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Four Scales of Change

As can be seen in the previous sections, almost all measures of environmental change, including the several assessments linked to biodiversity, decline dramatically between 1990+ and Plans Build-Out. This is not a surprise. But, seen from a human perspective, this is not an overall disaster. Southern California may still be a relatively attractive place to live, albeit a biologically poorer region.

The next question is, can we do better than the current plans and their build-out for both humans and other species? Are there alternatives that should be considered that can accommodate the forecasted population growth and also maintain the region's high biodiversity and other environmental qualities? And at what scale should such alternatives be considered?

Four investigations toward this end were undertaken as part of this study, and are located in figure 98.

The first and smallest is the proposed restoration for riparian habitat of three abandoned sewage treatment ponds on MCB Camp Pendleton.

The second is an analysis of an existing subdivision on the Santa Rosa Plateau, and a proposal to enable wildlife to move more easily through the landscape when houses are built and occupied.

The third is the comparison of alternative development-guideline strategies for an undeveloped third order watershed, "Oak Grove."

The fourth is the comparison of alternative futures for the entire region based on different strategies directed at accommodating development and maintaining high biodiversity.


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