Unincorporated Land and What it Means for Fallbrook
Let’s talk about unincorporated areas and what it means for open spaces. Fallbrook is a census-designated place (CDP), meaning it's recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau as a populated area but doesn't have its own municipal government.
Unincorporated territory is land outside the boundaries of the 18 incorporated cities. Much of the unincorporated territory is in rural areas in the eastern and northern portions of the county. The County of San Diego serves as the primary local government agency in unincorporated areas.
The incorporated cities govern their own populations, but the County Board of Supervisors is responsible for some regional operations that affect residents in both the incorporated and unincorporated areas. The unincorporated land call themselves the Unincorporated area or unincorporated communities of San Diego County. There are approximately 37 unincorporated communities in the County, and each have their own community’s name. (San Diego County.) According to SANDAG’s 2020 data, about 15.4% of our county’s population is in the Unincorporated area, with 515,403 residents. The population of Fallbrook, CA, is approximately 32,467 residents, according to 2023 data.
That means that services in Fallbrook come from nonprofits, committees and community service districts. (For example, fire protection is provided by North County Fire Protection District.) Our community is responsible for caring for and growing our open spaces and preserves.
Nonprofits or conservancies, like Fallbrook Land Conservancy, bring in private donations, foundation grants, or partnerships to support local projects, trails, or community needs. FLC does not receive ongoing budget support from state or federal legislature. We rely on our community donations, grants and fundraising to help us keep our preserves growing.
Let’s break it down by examples:
If you pledge a $5 a month donation, we can purchase a new California Milkweed every month to help grow our Appleton Preserve.
If you pledge a $15 a month donation, our Save Our Forest committee can purchase a new shovel for volunteers on Wednesdays.
If you pledge a $50 monthly recurring, we can commit to new signage for our trailheads.
If you pledge a $100 monthly donation, we can hire landscaping and preserve managers to help maintain our Los Jilgueros walkways and wetlands.
Your donation helps the Fallbrook Land Conservancy protect open space, restore native habitats, and keep our wild places thriving—for today and for future generations.
From $10 to $1000, any donation helps us preserve Fallbrook.
