Caitlin Kreutz

Caitlin Kreutz is a San Diego-based environmental consultant and biologist with over a decade of experience in ecological research, habitat restoration, and wildfire risk reduction throughout Southern California. Her work is grounded in a deep understanding of native plant communities and their critical role in fostering resilient ecosystems, particularly within fire-adapted landscapes.

She has led large-scale restoration projects that integrate native plant ecology with regulatory permitting, competitive grant funding, and comprehensive long-term monitoring strategies, including the use of multispectral imaging and spatial change detection to assess vegetation recovery, track invasive species dynamics, and evaluate ecological performance over time.

Caitlin has worked across a broad range of habitats, including coastal sage scrub, riparian corridors, chaparral, and desert ecotones, applying an interdisciplinary ecological perspective to both conservation planning and wildfire preparedness.

In her current role at SWCA Environmental Consultants, Caitlin supports the implementation of landscape-scale restoration efforts for a range of clients, including those funded through state and federal grants as well as private and nonprofit partners. These projects often focus on enhancing native vegetation, controlling invasive species, and improving habitat connectivity. She also develops Community Wildfire Protection Plans (CWPPs), collaborating with municipalities, Fire Safe Councils, fire departments, land managers, and environmental nonprofits to develop science-based strategies that promote wildfire resilience. In her CWPP work, Caitlin emphasizes ecologically sound fuel management practices that avoid broad vegetation clearance in favor of approaches that maintain native plant structure and reduce long-term vulnerability to disturbance and invasive species.

As a former landscape design instructor, Caitlin brings an educational spirit to her work and excels at communicating complex ecological concepts to both technical and community audiences. She is a frequent speaker at California Native Plant Society (CNPS) conferences and chapter meetings, where she shares insights on habitat restoration, fire-adapted landscapes, and the role of native vegetation in land stewardship. Caitlin continues to advocate for the integration of botanical science into wildfire planning and ecological resilience across California’s changing landscapes.