Evaluating Habitat Suitability at Apricot Lane Farms for the Proposed Introduction of the California Red-Legged Frog (Rana aurora draytonii)

Apricot Lane Farms (ALF) is a 243-acre regenerative, Certified Organic, and Biodynamic® farm located in Moorpark, California, deeply integrated within its surrounding ecosystem. Since 2011, ALF has transformed conventionally farmed land into a productive landscape that grows over 200 varieties of fruits and vegetables, while also raising animals in harmony (or comfortable disharmony) with nature. With 24 acres of native habitat restored and a newly constructed pond, ALF now seeks to reintroduce the federally threatened, endemic California red-legged frog (CRLF; Rana draytonii) through a Conservation Benefit Agreement (CBA) with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).

As a bioindicator species, the CRLF is highly sensitive to environmental changes and reflects the overall health of its ecosystem. Listed as threatened in 1996, it now occupies only 30% of its historical range. Reintroducing this species would support ALF’s mission to strengthen biodiversity and ecological resilience while contributing to the recovery of a once-thriving native amphibian.

This project aims to evaluate the feasibility of CRLF reintroduction by assessing habitat suitability and identifying the physical, biological, and regulatory requirements for success. As part of this assessment, our team will collect on-farm data for a variety of variables, including pond water quality and surrounding vegetation and wildlife. Our final report will be designed to fulfill the needs of a CBA for USFWS submission and offer recommendations to support species recovery. Ultimately, this project supports broader conservation goals by offering a potential model for conservation-agricultural partnerships that work together to restore and protect valuable species within working California landscapes.