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It's spring, and boy, can you tell! All over the River Park, flowers are blooming like crazy! After such a wet winter, Nature is ready to show off.
We've been just as busy -- last month, the Conservancy elected new members and officers to its Board of Directors, the Watershed Educators continued their training, the Sikes Saturday Series put on several wonderful events, and almost 100 people joined us for Wax & Wine!
On top of all that, we're looking forward to some new plans and making progress on the Coast to Crest Trail. It's going to be an exciting spring and summer!
Thank you for your continued support of the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy and the San Dieguito River Park! Don't forget to renew your Conservancy membership and invite your friends, too!
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APRIL
EVENTS IN THE RIVER PARK
Sundays, April
2, 9, 23, 30
10:30 am - 3:30 pm
North San Diego Certified Farmers Market - Rain or Shine!
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
NOTE: The market will be closed April 16 for Easter
Saturday, April 8
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Back Trails Hike
5 miles, strenuous
Hosted by San Diego County Parks
Saturday, April 8
9:00 am - 10:30 am
Ranger-Led Walk at the San Dieguito Lagoon
2 miles, easy
Hosted by SDRP Ranger Bryan Ward
Saturday, April 8
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Citizen Science - Wildlife Tracking in the River Park
(Sikes Saturday Series)
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by SDRP
$5/person
Saturday, April 8
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Animals and US! Be an Animal Ambassador
(Sikes Saturday Series)
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by SDRP
$5/person
Saturday, April 15
8:00 am - 11:00 am
Volunteer Habitat Restoration
Hosted by San Dieguito River Park Rangers Bryan Ward and Hilary Mills
Saturday, April 15
10:00 am - 11:30 am
A Photographic Hike from Coast to Crest
(Sikes Saturday Series)
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by SDRP
$5/person
Saturday, April 15
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
California Wolf Center
(Sikes Saturday Series)
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by SDRP
$5/person
Sunday, April 16
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Yoga at the Birdwing
Co-hosted by SDRVC and Yoga Instructor Susan McCrea
Saturday, April 22
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
15th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup
Cleanup locations include: North Beach Del Mar, Crest Canyon, Gonzales Canyon, & Del Dios Community Park
Hosted by I Love a Clean San Diego
Saturday, April 22
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Earth Day Back Trails Hike
6 miles, moderate
Hosted by San Diego County Park Ranger Bill
Saturday, April 22
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Nature Poetry
(Sikes Saturday Series)
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by SDRP
$5/person
Saturday, April 22
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
10,000 Years - Archaeological History of San Diego
(Sikes Saturday Series)
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by SDRP
$5/person
Saturday, April 22
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
New Earth Day Del Mar
Hosted by Del Mar Foundation
Saturday, April 29
10:00 am - 11:30 am
Plein Air Painting for Children
(Sikes Saturday Series)
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by SDRP
$5/person
Saturday, April 29
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Original Music
(Sikes Saturday Series)
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by SDRP
$5/person
Sunday, April 30
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Volcan Spring Flower Hike
Meet at Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve:
5.5 miles, strenuous
Hosted by San Diego County Park Ranger Bobbi
All events are free unless otherwise noted.
For hikes, all mileages are approximate.
Join the Conservancy's
Meetup group to learn more about upcoming hikes and events in the River Park.
Your membership helps us to fulfill our mission to protect the San Dieguito Watershed for generations to come.
SUPPORT NATURE:
For more information, please visit these websites:
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Welcome New Conservancy Board Members!
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The Conservancy is pleased the welcome following new members to its Board of Directors:
Slader Buck is a Deputy Project Manager for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. He brings a wealth of knowledge about land and wildlife management to the Board and is excited to make progress on the Coast to Crest Trail and make the region a world-class hiking destination.
Keith Colestock is retired from a career in the investment field. Keith has previously served on boards with other nonprofits and is looking forward to working on the mission of completing the Coast to Crest Trail.
Robert Sheppard is a retired college professor and San Diego County native. An avid hiker and backpacker, he's hoping to be able to hike the complete Coast to Crest Trail in his lifetime.
Don Mosier, former Del Mar Councilmember and River Park JPA Board Member, highlighted in the February Riverscape, joined the Board in December as well.
We also have a new leadership team!
Brad Bartlett, J.D. - President
Nate Northrup, J.D. - Vice President
Peter DeFrancesca, CPA - Treasurer
Katharine Sheehan - Secretary
Thank you to past president Peter Shapiro's tireless work during his term, and to outgoing Board members Carol Angus, Bonnie Hepburn, Greg Roberson, and Chris Khoury (who will be staying on with the Advisory Board). We are grateful for your contributions and dedication to the Conservancy and River Park!
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| Watershed Educator Training |
by Jack Hughes
Volunteer educators for the Watershed Explorers Program are continuing their training by visiting the five sites that our youth participants visit.
The Watershed Explorers program seeks to inspire youth in grades 5-12, through activities and hikes, to value and protect the natural and cultural resources in this and other watersheds in San Diego County. Volunteers traveled to the San Diego Archaeological Center and Volcan Mountain in February and the San Dieguito Lagoon and Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead in March.
There they participated in the diverse activities they will lead for youth and school groups, from hiking a mountain trail to conducting a mock archaeological site mapping and analysis. In doing so, they gained firsthand experience in the unique qualities that define the San Dieguito Watershed. They are looking forward to hosting upcoming groups of Watershed Explorers this April.
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| Flowers in Bloom at Lake Hodges |
by Ranger Hilary Mills
After years of drought and a recent season of heavy rainfall, it finally looks like California can breathe a sigh of relief. A welcome effect of all this rain is, of course, wildflowers! Many of us have seen or at least heard about the desert "superbloom" and various hillsides turned into magical poppy fields, but chances are, you can head to any local nature park or natural open space and find a number of wildflower species making their appearance. The River Park is no exception!
In the past month, River Park rangers and visitors have observed many species from the trails around Lake Hodges and Bernardo Bay. California poppies, Canterbury bells, sun cups, tidy tips, blue dicks, lupines, shooting stars, red maids, fiddleneck, and blue-eyed grass are just a few! Unfortunately, the invasive weeds are making an aggressive appearance too. Two especially problematic invaders are mustard and redstem filaree, both highly invasive species that can be seen around Lake Hodges and Bernardo Mountain.
Native plants and the flowers they produce are especially important for wildlife. Native bees, butterflies, beetles, and other pollinators depend on native plant species and their flowers for food and reproduction. In exchange for providing nectar, the flowers get pollinated and eventually make seeds that will germinate into new plants next year. So, to protect wildflowers and the wildlife they support, remember to stay on trails, never pick wildflowers, and take only photos.
Now, get out on those trails and enjoy the blooms while they're still around!
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Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead has been fortunate to host many scout projects throughout the years. These projects, and the Boy Scouts who labor on them, get SDRP closer to realizing our goals of interpreting a 19th-century working farmstead. Recently, one scout finished a section of fence with a gate so that we can keep the area around our nursery secure.
Another scout is currently working on a project that involved transplanting very old grapevines that were slated to be destroyed in a demolition of an old home. A cedar arbor will be constructed as well so that the vines can be trained to grow on them. The Sikes family grew fruit, which was made into preserves and bartered, to supplement their income.
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Cannon Fires at Sikes Adobe
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by Ranger David Vidal
On March 4th, the San Dieguito River Park hosted a presentation on early San Diego history for the Sikes Saturday Series. It was coordinated by several different organizations and culminated in a firing of a cannon alongside the Coast to Crest Trail!
The cannon, referred to as the Centennial or Begole Cannon, was constructed by one of early San Diego's founders, William Augustus Begole, to celebrate the 100-year anniversary of the founding of the United States.
Begole ran a tin shop in New Town (what we now consider the Gaslamp) at the same time that Zenas Sikes was farming wheat in Bernardo. It is not hard to imagine that the two could have met each other before at some point in San Diego.
The cannon was used as a noisemaker at events and parties, occasionally breaking nearby windows, and eventually was placed in Horton Plaza before it went missing during the Second World War.
It was later discovered in the backyard of an Ocean Beach home just several years ago. It was rescued by Save Our Heritage Organization (SOHO) San Diego and underwent an extensive restoration by the Bandy Blacksmith Guild of Escondido.
After a presentation by SOHO's Bruce Coons and a biographical talk by Begole descendant Lael Montgomery, the Bandy Blacksmiths took the crowd out of the adobe to the back of the house, where we fired the cannon three times in the direction of Mule Hill.
This was the cannon's first public firing in almost a century. It is possible that nothing like it has been fired in that direction since the Mule Hill Engagement during the Battle of San Pasqual in December 1846! All in all, it was a great day for historic interpretation at the San Dieguito River Park.
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One Wild Life Rides the Coast to Crest
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Last fall, a group of mountain bikers with One Wild Life went on a supported bike tour of the Coast to Crest Trail to get a look at what the completed trail will look like. They made a video of their trek to raise attention and awareness of the trail -- they're using it to encourage their followers to support the Conservancy's and River Park's efforts to complete the trail.
Check out the video
here -- it looks like an awesome ride!
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Sikes Saturday Series
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April 1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd, 29th
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The Sikes Saturday concludes with a packed month of programs! Learn about wilderness survival, Mule Hill history, wildlife tracking, local wildlife, nature photography in the River Park, wolves, nature poetry, and San Diego's archaeological history.
The Series finishes up with some original music performed by musicians Ken Gill and Bill Heartwell.
For program details, the full schedule of the events, and to register, go to www.sikesadobe.org.
Space is limited for each event. Early registration is encouraged.
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New Earth Day Del Mar
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April 22nd
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The Conservancy is pleased to participate in the Del Mar Foundation's New Earth Day Del Mar event this month. Join us at the Del Mar Powerhouse for an evening of family-friendly activities, a roundtable featuring local conservation experts, and a locally-sourced dinner. RSVPs are required for the dinner.
When: Saturday, April 22nd from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm
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Creek to Bay Cleanup
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April 22nd
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The Conservancy is participating in I Love a Clean San Diego's 15th Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup for Earth Day this year! We're partnering with San Diego Canyonlands at the Crest Canyon site. Learn more about Creek to Bay and sign up
here.
When: Saturday, April 22nd, from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm
Where: Sites located throughout San Diego County; volunteers at the Conservancy's site will meet at the Crest Canyon North Interpretive Kiosk,
2707 Racetrack View Dr., Del Mar
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Citizen Science Botanical Survey
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April 29th
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Calling all citizen scientists and plant enthusiasts! Join the Conservancy and Professional Field Botanist Keir Morse as we explore our Volcan Mountain parcels near Julian. We'll be compiling an inventory of plants on site and mapping rare species that we find. Don't feel intimidated if you're not a plant expert -- that's what Keir is for!
This is a great opportunity to see an area of the River Park that is generally not open to the public. We'll meet at Dudley's Bakery in Santa Ysabel and carpool to the site. Come join us for an hour or stay all day!
For more info, email Conservation Manager Jess Norton at
jess@sdrvc.org.
Register here
When
: Saturday, April 29th at 9:00 am
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ESP Alumni Hike - Santa Ysabel Preserve East
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May 13th
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This hike is for graduates of the Exploring Our Sense of Place Program who have a current membership with the SDRVC. You can renew your membership online.
Please join us for a special ESP Alumni Back Trails Hike in the Santa Ysabel East Preserve in an area not usually open to the public, led by Bill Augustus.
Enjoy discussions about the history, plants, and wildlife of the Preserve.The hike will start at the future location of the Visitors' Center and will follow the Coleman Toll Road. This hike will be held in conjunction with the San Diego River Park Foundation and the Volcan Mountain Foundation. These groups will be hiking in from different locations and will meet at the source of the San Diego and San Dieguito Rivers.
This is a moderate to strenuous hike that includes an elevation gain of 500 feet in multiple sections. The total hike distance is approximately 10 miles. Please dress in layers as the temperature will vary throughout the hike. Wear sturdy hiking shoes and leave your pets at home. Bring plenty of water and a snack for the trail. The exact meeting place will be provided after you register.
When
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Saturday, May 13th at 8:00 am
Where: Directions provided upon registration
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Trails & Ales Kicks Off at
Clevenger Canyon/Plan 9 Alehouse
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The third round of Trails & Ales got off to a great start last month! The Conservancy led a great group of hikers through Clevenger Canyon. After the hike, they quenched their thirst at Plan 9 Alehouse in Escondido!
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It was a big month in March for the Sikes Saturday Series, and it's still going strong. The series hosted a range of presenters and topics, from natural history to the instructional.
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James Dillane of the California Native Plant Society leading an interpretive hike
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Mike Thacker presented on the geological history of San Diego County, James Bourdon presented on the ongoing work of the UC Davis Wildlife Health Center's Mountain Lion Project, and James Dillane of the California Native Plant Society lead an informative hike though the Coast to Crest Trail.
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Dr. Diane Hillman teaching breadmaking
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The Sikes Series also hosted two classes: Dr. Diane Hillman taught an enjoyable bread-making class and artist Ken Gill demonstrated how we can make beautiful creations from palm fronds.
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Painted masks made from palm fronds
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It was a beautiful night for a hike at the San Dieguito Lagoon to observe the full moon! We were joined by Webelos Cub Scouts from Pack 734 -- they made up an enthusiastic group!
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A fun group of hikers and their pups came out to Crest Canyon at the end of March for a Furry Friends Hike! The dogs had a great time exploring the canyon (the humans did, too).
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Thanks to all who joined us for the 2nd Annual Wax & Wine at the Knorr Candle Factory in Del Mar! Urban Kitchen Catering provided some delicious food, Bill Fleming created a lovely atmosphere with his live guitar, and we raised a lot of awareness for the Coast to Crest Trail.
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