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A Bright Future, Today

Lasting Legacy

Nestled in the Simi Hills, the site was home to Native American tribes who left significant cultural resources, including painted caves and other ceremonial evidence. The Burro Flats Painted Cave on federal government property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and the California Register of Historic Places (CRHP). NASA, on behalf of local tribes, submitted a nomination to the NRHP to list the entire 2,850 acres as a Traditional Cultural Property, which means the site is associated with cultural practices and religious beliefs of a living community. 

Santa Susana also shaped the modern world by technological breakthroughs as a rocket engine test and energy research site for federal government programs.  The site was used for rocket engine testing for NASA and energy research, including nuclear, solar and sodium reactor technology, for the U.S. Department of Energy.  

Native American Mortars

Wildlife Habitat

Santa Susana sits within a key habitat linkage connecting California’s coast with inland mountain ranges and is home to abundant wildlife and endangered plant species – more than 150 bird species; dozens of mammals, including 12 bat species; a few dozen reptiles and amphibians; a host of pollinators; and hundreds of plants and flowers. Some special status species on-site include golden eagles, Townsend’s big-eared bats, western spadefoot toads, Braunton’s milkvetch and mountain lions.

The National Park Service included the site in its Rim of the Valley Resource Study, recommending that Santa Susana be added to the existing Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. And Ventura County included the site in the Regional Wildlife Corridor and the Simi Hills Critical Wildlife Passage Area.

Boeing recorded a conservation easement with North American Land Trust ensuring Boeing’s property is never developed for residential or agricultural use, and is forever preserved as open space habitat. The pocket field guides below highlight the diverse species of animals, birds and plants found onsite.

Animals at Santa Susana (PDF)

Birds at Santa Susana (PDF)

Plants at Santa Susana (PDF)

Coyote

Research Lab to Learning Lab

As cleanup progresses, the land is used for environmental research, restoration and recreation by high schools, universities, environmental organizations and citizen scientists, including the Simi Hills Wildlife Observatory, which performs year-round bird banding and owl surveys, the Southwestern Herpetologist Society and Herp Connection which both study reptiles and amphibians, Pollinator Partnership, which assess the abundance and diversity of pollinators, including bees and butterflies, Sky Valley Volunteers, which restores oak woodlands and the National Park Service, which tracks mountain lion surveys.

Santa Susana is a gold certified  Wildlife Habitat Council site, the highest level of certification awarded to member organizations.   The certification recognizes broad-based biodiversity enhancement and conservation education activities on corporate sites.

Birdwatchers