The Otay Mountain Wilderness is a U.S. wilderness area in San Diego County, California, 12 miles east of the community of Otay Mesa and just north of the Mexico–United States border. Some parts of the wilderness area rise quickly from sea level, reaching a peak of just over at the summit of Otay Mountain.Longmire, S. (2014) Border Insecurity: Why Big Money, Fences, and Drones Aren't Making Us Safer page 62 Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved March 7, 2015

Wilderness status was conferred on October 7, 1998, effectively preserving 18,500 acres under protection of the Wilderness Act, a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System.Congress (U.S.) (2004) Congressional Record, V. 144, Pt. 17, October 7, 1998 to October 9, 1998, page 24176 Government Printing Office. Retrieved March 7, 2015 The legislation was signed by President Bill ClintonSchad, J. (2007) Afoot and Afield: San Diego County: A Comprehensive Hiking Guide Wilderness Press. Retrieved March 7, 2015 on December 11, 1999.Harmon, D., McManamon, F.P. & Pitcaithley, D.T. (2006) The Antiquities Act: A Century of American Archaeology, Historic Preservation, and Nature Conservation page 127 University of Arizona Press. Retrieved March 7, 2015 The wilderness is managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Geography The wilderness lies in the San Ysidro Mountains, of which Otay Mountain is the highest summit at . The mountain, and its immediate surroundings, are extremely rugged and include steep, often precipitous, canyon walls and hills.Arnold, K.R. (Ed.) (2011) Anti-Immigration in the United States: A Historical Encyclopedia page 690 ABC-CLIO. Retrieved March 7, 2015

The public lands within the Otay Mountain Wilderness are one of the last remaining pristine locations in western San Diego County. Adjacent to the Mexican border, it is internationally known for its diversity of unique and sensitive plants. The area plays a critical role in San Diego's multi-species conservation plan.

Natural history

The San Ysidro Mountains are remnants of a chain of ancient volcanoes from which meta-volcanic soils form, sustaining a diverse chaparral community dominated by chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum),Faber, P.M. (2005) California's Wild Gardens: A Guide to Favorite Botanical Sites page 194 University of California Press. Retrieved March 7, 2015 mixed chaparral and coastal sagebrush habitats.United States. Bureau of Land Management. California State Office California Wild!, Fish & wildlife 2000 series publication page 40-41 The Bureau. Retrieved March 7, 2015

Flora The world's largest stand of Tecate cypress (Cupressus forbesii) are found at the Otay Mountain Wilderness, as are at least 15 plant species that are candidates for federal listing as threatened or endangered species. In all 37 plant species found on Otay Mountain are listed as sensitive by the California Native Plant Society, at least five, including the Tecate cypress, occur only on Otay Mountain or in the immediate area.

Particularly important species include: Cleveland's monkeyflower (Mimulus clevelandii) Mexican flannelbush (Fremontodendron mexicanum) Otay Mountain lotus (Lotus crassifolius var. otayensis) Southern mountain misery (Chamaebatia australis) San Miguel savory (Clinopodium chandleri) Gander's pitcher sage (Lepechinia ganderi)

Endangered species Source:United States. Bureau of Land Management. California Desert District (1985) Preliminary Wilderness Recommendations for the Western Counties Wilderness Study (western San Diego and Western Riverside Counties), California; Prepared by Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, California Desert District Appendix A The District. Retrieved March 7, 2015 San Diego thorn-mint (Acanthomintha ilicifolia) Parish's button-celery (Eryngium aristulatum var. parishii) Otay tarweed (Hemizonia conjugens) Dehesa bear-grass (Nolina interrata)

Rare species Source: Dunn's mariposa (Calochortus dunnii) Slender-pod squaw cabbage (Caulanthus stenocarpus) Mexican fremontia (Fremontodendron mexicanum) Gander butterweed (Senecio ganderi)

Fauna

The diversity of habitats within the wilderness area maintains a variety of indigenous fauna, including a number of rare or endangered species. The most numerous large animal is the mule deer.

Species of special concern on Otay Mountain include: California gnatcatcher Orange-throated whiptail Coast horned lizard

Endangered species Bighorn sheep Quino checkerspot butterfly The arroyo toad, resident of the Tijuana river, is affected by erosion occurring on the Tijuana watershed, within the wilderness area, which causes silting of its habitat.

Protected species Source: Mountain lion Southern bald eagle

Border wall In the mid 1990s, as part of Operation Gatekeeper,Eastman, C.L.S (2008) Civil Society on the Line: Examining the Relationship Between Media and Activist Groups Along the Arizona/Sonora Border page 93-94 ProQuest. Retrieved March 7, 2015 Department of Homeland Security contractors began to build a border wall,Azaransky, S. (2013) Religion and Politics in America's Borderlands page 169 Lexington Books. Retrieved March 7, 2015 and associated access roads.Adamson, J. & Ruffin, K.N. (Eds)(2013) American Studies, Ecocriticism, and Citizenship: Thinking and Acting in the Local and Global Commons page 152 Routledge. Retrieved March 7, 2015 The initial phase of wall building extended from San Diego only as far as the foothills of Otay Mountain.Tuer, D. (2005) Mining the Media Archive: Essays on Art, Technology, and Cultural Resistance page 162 YYZ Books. Retrieved March 7, 2015

An environmental impact statement carried out prior to a waiver of an environmental law, required to allow construction within the wilderness area, concluded that the work on the border wall would have long-term impacts on plant, animal and water courses within the area. Grading and construction of roads in the wilderness area would result in removal of layers of topsoil and delicate, intertwined root systems that protect dry chaparral habitat from erosion. The wall itself disrupts the ability of migratory animals, like the javelina, to roam freely across its natural range. In December 2008 work began to continue the wall's progress through the wilderness area, under the auspices of the Secure Fence Act of 2006.

See also List of U.S. Wilderness Areas Mexico–United States barrier National Landscape Conservation System Wilderness Act

Notes IUCN category obtained from Protected Planet: Otay Mountain State Ecological Reserve entry. Retrieved March 7, 2015.

References