SunCal’s commitment to the environment is shared by numerous local organizations, many of whom we have partnered with to maximize the natural resources within and around our communities.
SunCal New Mexico and the Atrisco Heritage Foundation
Following the completion of the Westland merger in December 2006, the Atrisco Heritage Foundation was formed to preserve the historical and cultural significance of the 300-year-old Atrisco Land Grant west of Albuquerque, New Mexico. SunCal presented the Foundation with $2 million, representing the first two annual payments, and will continue to provide the organization $1 million each year for the next 100 years. Future projects could include museums, continuing education, cultural programs, daycare, private schools and scholarships. The Atrisco Heritage Foundation is governed by a five-member board.
Ritter Ranch and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy
The plan for the Ritter Ranch community in Palmdale, California, calls for the preservation of more than 60 percent of the site (nearly 6,500 acres) as natural open space, of which 4,200 acres have been donated to the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. This represents a total of six and a half square miles of land. Included in the Ritter Ranch open space is a wildlife corridor that provides for potential animal movement between the high desert and the Angeles National Forest.
Sensitive Solutions
Westport at Mandalay Bay Wetlands Restoration
When we built the 306-home harborside community of Westport at Mandalay Bay in Oxnard, California, SunCal Companies worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to construct one-half acre of intertidal mud flat habitat and one-half acre of salt marsh habitat for several shoreline birds. In addition to what was required, SunCal also constructed two acres of adjoining upland habitat, which will encourage wildlife to return to the newly re-vegetated site.
Constructing wetlands on land formally used for farming required some highly sophisticated engineering to achieve a stable and sustainable habitat, but SunCal went the extra mile because it made good environmental sense.
SunCal will monitor the success of the plant growth over the next several years, but initial indications show the site is establishing quickly and animal life is increasing along the shoreline.