Santa Ana River and Orange County Weed Management Area

The Santa Ana River and Orange County Weed Management Area (SAROCWMA) was formed in 2003 with the objectives of controlling Pepperweed and other outlier weed populations in the Santa Ana River watershed.

SAROCWMA coordinates weed management activities to help prevent and control the spread of invasive weeds on both private and public lands. These activities include locating and reducing the range of invasive weeds, identifying and removing newly emerging weed populations, and educating the public about the issues associated with invasive weeds.

The group has been successful at controlling common invasive plants, including perennial pepperweed, Tamarisk (salt cedar), poisonous and invasive castor bean, and Arundo donax (giant reed) in Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange Counties.

Meetings are held roughly 4 times per year rotating between Riverside and Orange County sites and via Zoom. Meetings vary between having field trips, speakers, and collaboration sessions. The fall meeting is a symposium.

Member Organizations

Santa Ana Watershed Association
California Native Plant Society-Riverside-San Bernardino Chapter
California Native Plant Society-Orange County Chapter
Riverside County Agricultural Commissioner
Riverside-Corona Resource Conservation District
Inland Empire Resource Conservation District
Irvine Ranch Conservancy
Center for Natural Lands Management
Laguna Canyon Foundation

Other Regular Participants

Orange County Agricultural Commissioner’s Office

Orange County Parks

San Bernardino Department of Agriculture

San Bernardino County National Forest

Cal-IPC Student Chapter

Cleveland National Forest