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Dear ,
As we reach the end of 2018, we are once again full of gratitude for you, our members and
supporters. Thanks to your generous donations and contributions, we get to spend our days
preserving, protecting, and the sharing the natural and cultural resources of the San Dieguito
River Valley.
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We ask that you please think of the Conservancy and River Park JPA as you plan your year-end giving. Your donation will be put towards:
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Funding educational programs like Watershed Explorers and Citizen Science Monitoring
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Planning and building new trails and completing the Coast to Crest Trail
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Restoring habitat critical to River Park wildlife
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Removing invasive species and reinstating native plants
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Acquiring land within the watershed to preserve and protect it
Make a donation to the Conservancy or renew your membership here. M
ake a donation to the River Park JPA here.
THANK YOU for your generous support!
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Pamo Trail Segment of Coast to Crest Trail Nearing Completion!
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Soon three more miles of the Coast to Crest Trail will be ready for new hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians to enjoy!
Trail building by JPA rangers and the Dust Devils volunteer group has progressed quickly over the past few months and the trail is nearing completion. A new trail staging area is almost finished as well as several handsome trail bridge crossings. Pamo Valley, northwest of Ramona, is owned by the City of San Diego Public Utilities and leased to a cattle grazer. The resident cows were quite interested in the trail construction and closely inspected its progress!
The Pamo Valley trail segment will connect two existing Coast to Crest Trail segments, forming 12 miles of contiguous trail from Boden Canyon to near Lake Sutherland with sweeping views of the valley and surrounding hillsides. This trail will be particularly nice in the non-summer months, offering views of Santa Ysabel Creek and its tributaries, old oaks, and a host of birds including the least Bell's vireo. The trail will also feature interpretive signage about the local flora and fauna and the cultural importance of this valley.
The trail is expected to be open for new visitors by the end of December. A celebratory ribbon cutting is being planned for early 2019.
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Education Program Highlight: Microclimates on a Macro Scale
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Last month, students from High Tech Middle North County (HTMNC) conquered nearly 30 miles of hiking through the Conservancy's Microclimates on the Macroscale Program!
Through a grant from SDG&E, SDRVC partnered with Climate Science Alliance to develop the new program to align with our new Education Strategic Plan. Microclimates on a Macro Scale aims to connect students to the natural world while educating them on the importance of climate science. It consists of a mix of classroom learning and field experiences-mainly, five hikes to Volcan Mountain, Santa Ysabel, San Pasqual Valley, Sikes Adobe to Rattlesnake Viewpoint, and San Dieguito Lagoon.
Students concluded their five-day journey with a celebratory hike to North Beach, Del Mar, where they journaled, received certificates of completion, and enjoyed the perfect weather!
Thank you to our many partners, including the HTmNC, San Dieguito River Park JPA, County of San Diego, and Cleveland National Forest.
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Shop to Support the Conservancy
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As you shop for the holidays, please consider registering with one or all of these services and selecting the Conservancy as your beneficiary. Every time you make a purchase, we will receive a portion-at no additional cost to you!
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Eagle Scout Project at Sikes Adobe
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Recently, Boy Scout Murphy completed an ambitious Eagle Scout project at Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead. There was an existing weather station on site but it did not always have accurate measurements due to its location in partial shade. This new Eagle Scout project is a wooden tower in the style of the iconic windmill located at Sikes.
The new weather station is now high up and in a better position atop this wooden tower. The project included installation of an agricultural WiFi router as well. Be on the lookout online for a new location for accurate weather in the San Dieguito River Park!
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Bird of the Month: Anna's Hummingbird
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Anna's hummingbird (
Calypte anna
), a medium-sized hummingbird native to the west coast of North America, was named after Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli. In the early 20th century, Anna's hummingbirds bred only in northern Baja California and southern California. The transplanting of exotic ornamental plants in residential areas throughout the Pacific coast and inland deserts provided expanded nectar and nesting sites, allowing the species to expand its breeding range.
The Anna's hummingbird is now believed to be the fastest bird in the world relative to its size, it can reach speeds of 50mph, or nearly 385 body lengths per second. A hummingbird's brilliant throat feathers are called its "gorget" (pronounced GOR-jit). The term comes from days of old, when a knight-in-armor wore a metallic collar-or gorget-to protect his throat. The hummingbird's intense glint is the result of iridescence, rather than colored pigments. The bird's throat-feathers contain minutely thin, film-like layers of "platelets," set like tiles in a mosaic against a darker background. Light waves reflect and refract off the mosaic, creating color in the manner of sun glinting off a film of oil on water.
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Congrats Coast to Crest Trail Challengers!
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| Jaeho completed the Challenge while visiting San Diego from South Korea! |
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25 people completed the Coast to Crest Trail Challenge in November!
Congratulations to:
Jaeho Lee
Priscilla & Ken Christopher
Steve Stock
George Okada
Emily Plummer & Mary Rudelich
Eva-Lani High
Dave & Ginny Mugg
Curt & Kathy Foster
Hazel Villasin
Chelsie Giambrone
Tim Shell
Keith Van Wagner & Shanna Waldrop
Paul, Lisa, Ian, & Lachlan Saam
Janice Bell
Patricia Joyce & Jeff Moore
Roy Osborne
Learn more about the Coast to Crest Trail Challenge here.
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Sundays, 12/2, 12/9, 12/16, 12/23, 12/30:
North San Diego Certified Farmers Market & Farmhouse Tours
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Saturday, 12/8:
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Sunday, 12/9:
Volunteer Trail Maintenance
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Thursday, 12/13:
Shooting Star Party |
Saturday, 12/15:
Volunteer Habitat Restoration
San Dieguito Lagoon Bird Walk
Gonzales Canyon Volunteer Event |
Saturday, 12/22:
Crest Canyon Volunteer Event |
Wednesday, 12/26:
Boxing Day Holiday Hike to the Summit |
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What Happened in November
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Family Volunteer Day
The Conservancy's Family Volunteer Day event in Gonzales Canyon was a rousing success! We planted, coned, and watered 150 plants with the help of about 30 volunteers, despite the ground being hard as a rock.
Huge thank you to Sami Collins from San Diego Canyonlands and Ranger Byron from the City for hauling water for us!
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#OptOutside Hike with REI
Thanks to all who hiked the Piedras Pintadas Trail to #OptOutside with the Conservancy last month! We had a great time leading this hike and enjoying the time spent in nature!
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| Santa Ysabel |
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#C2CChallenge Guided Hikes at Santa Ysabel & Ramona Grasslands
We had a great group of hikers begin the #C2CChallenge November with the Conservancy's Executive Director Trish Boaz!
First we explored the Kanaka Loop of the Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve, then a few weeks later we hiked Ramona Grasslands. Next up -- Raptor Ridge!
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| Ramona Grasslands; photo by Todd Nugent |
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Fundraising from Seaside Center of Spiritual Living
The San Dieguito River Park thanks the Seaside Center of Spiritual Living for raising money on behalf of the Park. Manager of Interpretation and Outreach Leana Bulay attended a Sunday service to receive a check, promote the Park, and teach a children's program.
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