North Campus Open Space

Goleta | California

What We’re Doing
Restoring a precious wetland from golf course to green space that’s a major win for nature and for people.

Our Goal
Protect the spaces that bring us all outside and connect people to nature and each other.

Support Our Work in California

An adult and three children walk through a grassy field with tall reeds in the background on a sunny day.

North Campus Open Space By the Numbers

acres transformed

2.25

miles of trails and boardwalks

297

species of birds recorded

From Birdies to Bird Watching

In the 1960s, developers filled a vibrant natural wetland with an estimated 350,000 cubic yards of soil to create the nine-hole Ocean Meadows Golf Course. During the planning process, the owners didn’t consider the essential drainage functions of the upper Devereux Slough, which meant the course flooded during the rainy season and posed a greater flood risk to the surrounding neighborhoods. Unable to generate revenue because wet and soggy are conditions better suited for wetlands than golfers, it teed up an opportunity for Trust for Public Land.

In 2013, TPL partnered with the California State Coastal Conservancy and UC Santa Barbara to restore the golf course to its natural state. We helped protect 64 acres of the upper Devereux Slough to create a stunning green space now known as North Campus Open Space (NCOS).

Our collective efforts brought the landscape back to its natural splendor while providing the public with opportunities for hiking, bicycling, and birdwatching. There are over 297 recorded bird species, and it has grown over the years into a favorite birding location for residents.

NCOS also includes 2.25 miles of trails and boardwalks that connect the community to several existing preservations like the City of Goleta’s Sperling Preserve at Ellwood Mesa and Coal Oil Point Reserve. North Campus Open Space is used for teaching, research, and nature connection for students of all ages and this space is a real hole-in-one for people and nature.

About This Project

Get Directions
Tee Change: Restoring Golf Courses for Climate Resilience

In California, communities and partners are working with Trust for Public Land to turn former golf courses into resilient, biodiverse sanctuaries where wildlife can thrive and more people can connect with nature.

Read More

Get in Touch With Our California Team

Los Angeles Office

135 West Green Street
2nd Floor
Pasadena, CA, 91105
(323) 223-0441
[email protected]

Sacramento Office

1107 9th Street
Suite 810
Sacramento, CA, 95814
(916) 557-1673
[email protected]

San Francisco Office

23 Geary Street
Suite 1000
San Francisco, CA, 94108
(415) 495-4014
[email protected]

Guillermo Rodriguez

Vice President Pacific Region, California State Director

[email protected]