The Caltrans Saratoga Creek Bridge Replacement Project is an example innovative off-site biological mitigation within a densely vegetated riparian corridor. Due to limited right-of-way, onsite planting was not feasible to meet mitigation needs. Outreach to multiple local entities yielded no suitable off-site options until Sanborn County Parks identified a need for forest health enhancement instead of traditional tree planting. This led to a watershed enhancement plan that included hardscape removal and culvert remediation to meet water quality standards, alongside a tree thinning and fuels reduction project covering approximately 32 acres. Working closely with regulatory agencies, including the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Regional Water Quality Control Board, the project creatively bundled mitigation strategies and developed a novel "1 acre per tree" mitigation approach. The project involved successful partnerships with other state and local agencies and demonstrates the potential of innovative mitigation approaches to balance regulatory compliance with significant ecological benefits.