Published November 6, 2026
NEWPORT BEACH | AROUND NEWPORT | NOVEMBER 6, 2026
A little up the bay from the peninsula, some of Newport’s best conservation work starts with pulling weeds.
Newport Bay Conservancy’s restoration projects remove invasive plants and bring natives back to Upper Newport Bay. At Big Canyon, the Conservancy says a 2021 restoration replaced invasive pepper trees with more than 28,000 native plants. Volunteers keep it up by pulling non-natives and planting natives in the rainy season.
The sea lavender fight
There’s also an ongoing battle with non-native sea lavender. Volunteers pull it by hand or smother dense patches with black sheeting. The Conservancy calls it a five-year project, with small-group workdays every week.
Want in?
The monthly Upper Newport Bay Habitat Stewards program lets volunteers pull non-natives, plant natives, pick up trash or help with the butterfly garden.
It’s not glamorous. You’re outside learning which plants belong and which ones are muscling in. But the Back Bay doesn’t maintain itself.
The people out there pulling weeds are the reason Newport’s wild side stays wild.
Sources: Newport Bay Conservancy restoration and volunteer programs · Newport Bay Conservancy native plant stewardship
Help us out, Newport.
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