Like many of San Diego's urban canyons, 32nd Street Canyon was infested with Giant Reed (Arundo donax). Giant Reed arrived in the region with the missionaries, who used it for roofing and wind instruments. It can thrive on intermittent water and thus adapts well to canyon floors and slopes below urban runoff. The City of San Diego installed sewer pipes in many canyon floors – 32nd Street Canyon included. Installing this infrastructure displaced native riparian (streamside) plants, leaving areas open to invasives like Giant Reed. Maintaining the sewer manholes dislodged the plant’s roots, which took hold downstream. By 2000, there was over 2 acres of dense Giant Reed in the canyon, most of it 15-20 feet tall. The density obliged City crews to drive over native plants on the slopes, destroying more habitat. Vagrants and children used reed stands as shelter. In 2002 a stand caught fire and burned about 1 ½ acres of coastal sage scrub, and endangering homes. The fire was not contained until the City sent out the helicopter.

Find out more from the California Invasive Plant Council.

Looking north from C Street, beyond the first phase of the streambed restoration project.