Enjoy Valentine's Day Tea at the Sikes Adobe.

Date:  Saturday, February 11, 2012
Time:  Noon ~ 4:00pm
Location:  Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead (see directions to Sunset Staging Area in the left column).

SAVE THE DATE!  Spend some time at the Sikes Adobe for Valentine's Day for the Second Annual "Valentine's Day Tea." Enjoy the Victorian ambiance of the farmhouse while sipping tea with a friend or sweetheart.  Graciously served goodies accompany your cup of tea!  Cost $10.00 per person.  For more information email anne@sdrp.org or call (760) 432-8318.

Join a Ranger on a Lagoon Walk.

Date:  Saturday, February 11, 2012
Time:  9:00am ~ 10:15am
Location:  San Andres Interpretive Kiosk at San Dieguito Lagoon (see directions in left column).

This monthly walk will be led by a Park Ranger along the San Dieguito Lagoon heading East on the newly opened section of the Lagoon Trail.  Topics will include the lagoon restoration project, plant and wildlife identification and updates on current Ranger projects.  The winter months bring in a number of migratory birds. Come discover the beauty of the Lagoon with us!

Piedras Pintadas invites you to keep it in good shape.

Date:  Sunday, February 12, 2012
Time:  8:00am ~ 11:00am
Location:  Piedras Pintadas:  Take I-15 to the West Bernardo/Pomerado Road exit and head west on West Bernardo Road.  Continue past the Rancho Bernardo Community Center, which will be on the right.  Turn right on Duenda. Turn right on Moonsong Ct.  Park at dead end, and meet at the trailhead.

Join Park Rangers for this trail maintenance event.  Work on clearing brush from the trail and improving trail conditions!  Please bring drinking water, sun protection and wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes.  Please RSVP your intent to participate to Leana@sdrp.org or (858) 674-2275 x14.

The River Park has a nursery at the Lagoon.

Date:  Saturday, February 18, 2012
Time:  8:00am ~ 11:00am
Location:  San Andres Interpretive Kiosk (see direction in left column).

The event will consist of planting native plants, removing invasive plants to protect wildlife habitat, and maintaining new restoration areas.  Tools, training and work gloves provided!  Please bring drinking water, sun protection and wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes. Please RSVP to Leana@sdrp.org or (858) 674-2275 x14.

Learn how to use a GPS at the San Dieguito River Park.

Date:  Sunday, February 19, 2012
Time:  9:00am ~ 11:00am
Location:  San Andres Information Kiosk at San Dieguito Lagoon (see directions in left column).

Would you like to learn how to use a hand-held GPS device?  Ranger Bryan Ward will teach the history of the Global Positioning System and explain the features of a GPS receiver such as marking a waypoint, following a route, and navigating to a preloaded destination.  A fun, high-tech scavenger hunt game called geocaching will be introduced, and participants will be able to test their new skills and find several hidden geocache containers along the Lagoon Trail. 

This training is free and open to the public.  We would appreciated it if all GPS owners would bring their own GPS device.  If you do not have a GPS, you will share one of the SDRP's GPS devices.  Please RSVP your intent to attend to Leana@sdrp.org.

Waterfall on the Piedras Pintadas Trail.

Date:  Saturday, February 25, 2012
Time:  8:00am ~ 10:30am
Location:  Bernardo Bay Natural Area (see directions in left column).

We are pleased that SDRP Docent Mike Thacker has agreed to lead this hike through varied terrain.  We will pass a waterfall and learn about the natural history and early Kumeyaay culture of this area.  Please RSVP your intent to attend to Leana@sdrp.org.

Date:  Saturday, February 25, 2012
Time:  3:00pm ~ 4:30pm
Location:  Rancho Bernardo Community Center.

Come hear an informative and fun discussion on the rich, cultural heritage of our local Native Americans by Judy Alvarez, a recent San Diego State University graduate in Anthropology with a minor in American Indian Studies.  After a slide presentation, she will have available "hands-on" items for hunting, gathering, games, clothing, music, ceremony and medicinal plants. 

Judy is currently on the training teams for preparing Canyoneers (natural history hike leaders) for the San Diego Museum of Natural History and trail guides at Mission Trail Regional Park.  She is also a former California State Parks Archaeological Site Steward in the Anza Borrego Desert.  Space is limited, RSVP to Leana@sdrp.org or call (858) 674-2275 x14.

Date:  February 28, 2012
Time:  6:30pm ~ 8:00pm
Location:  Remington Club in Rancho Bernardo, 16925 Hierba Drive, San Diego, CA 92128, 2nd floor, Rancho Bernardo.

Please come to an introductory Membership Meeting of the "Friends of Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead".  Refreshments will be served.
Click here for more information or email anne@sdrp.org.

Help test Lagoon Water Quality.

Date:  Saturday, February 25, 2012
Time:  9:00am ~ 11:00am
Location:  San Andres Information Kiosk (see directions in left column).

The San Dieguito Lagoon contains a set of four treatment ponds aimed at filtering stormwater runoff from the surrounding area before the water is introduced into the restored wetlands.  The treatment ponds are set up to help filter out sediment, nutrients, heavy metals, and oily substances, while improving the health of the water to promote a healthy ecosystem.

The Park has partnered with San Diego Coastkeeper to conduct monthly water quality testing to gauge the ponds' effectiveness. Volunteers collect samples from the first and last treatment ponds and conduct basic chemistry analyses on-site.  The samples are then returned to Coastkeeper, where they are tested for different nutrients, bacteria, and levels of toxicity.  The data is shared with the State Water Resource Control Board and local stormwater pollution prevention agencies and is posted on Coastkeeper's watershed monitoring website (www.sdwatersheds.org).

In general, the treatment ponds have shown favorable results.  The concentrations of nitrogen-based nutrients and fecal indicator bacteria, like E.coli, have dropped in the water entering the lagoon. Levels of dissolved oxygen in the outflow have also risen, promoting a healthy environment for fish and aquatic invertebrates that access this dissolved oxygen in order to breathe.

Free training is provided every other month.  The next Water Quality Monitoring Day is Saturday, February 25, 9am - 11am.  An extra San Diego Coast Keeper sponsored training session has been scheduled for Saturday, February 18, 8:30am ~ 10:30am.  So whether you're a seasoned science geek or just a burgeoning citizen scientist, make your way out to the Lagoon to contribute to this great volunteer opportunity!  To learn more about this event, please contact dante@sdrp.org.

The last 1/2 Mile.

The San Dieguito River Park JPA has recently completed a feasibility study to extend the Coast to Crest Trail to the "Coast" in Del Mar, an important goal of the San Dieguito River Park.  Currently, the CTC trail ends just east of Jimmy Durante Boulevard in Del Mar but is planned to continue all the way to the beach.  The distance is short (only ½ mile), but there are many challenges along the way: crossing Jimmy Durante, the railroad tracks, and Camino del Mar to reach the final destination.

The feasibility study evaluates several alternative trail alignments, identifies the most feasible trail routes, and includes preliminary engineering details, estimated costs, and environmental review. 

The study is based on many field visits, site reconnaissance, public input, and consultation with various stakeholders and public agencies.  To read the study go to www.sdrp.org.  The study will be presented to the JPA's Citizens Advisory Committee (CAC) and JPA Board in public meetings this month.

The Lagoon Trails are a Healthy Family Activity.

This family set out on the newest section of the Lagoon Trail late in the afternoon.  I saw them at 0.3 miles into their hike.  The kids were running down the trail - even the tiniest child trying to keep up with big brothers.  I thought to myself, "they won't make it too far before they turn around and head back."  But to my surprise, they disappeared over the rise in the trail.

I continued about my work and thought, "they'll make it a bit further and then turn around."  Still no sign of them.  "Hum, do they know that the sun is going down and it's going to be dark soon?"  Sure enough, in just about the amount of time it might take a two year old to walk one and one-quarter miles, they appeared in the distance.

I ran back to my office and grabbed some SDRP goodies from my desk.  The family had already passed me and were headed toward the parking area.  I ran after them and introduced myself.  I told them that I saw them set out on their hike, and that I was so impressed at what a great job they did!  I let each child choose their own 'special' brightly colored SDRP safety whistle, and taught them what, why, when and how to use them.  Hopefully, the one-time only, blow-test demo worked, and they now have their whistles safely attached to their backpacks and not with their toy musical instruments.  Otherwise, next time I see this family on the trail, the parents will be chasing after me instead of me chasing after them!

Hike the North Clevenger Canyon Trail.

If you are looking for a challenging hike that rewards you with outstanding views, then the Clevenger Canyon North Trail is for you!  Located about halfway between Escondido and Ramona on the eastern edge of San Pasqual Valley, the Clevenger Canyon North Trail offers a switchback-filled climb of over 1,300 feet in about 2.5 miles.  Make sure to take plenty of water and maybe pack a snack or lunch.  Spring will be the best time to hike this trail so you catch the wildflowers in bloom and mild temperatures.

At the beginning of the trail, you will hike downhill from the staging area, mostly on rock steps and under a natural rock arch, in order to cross Santa Ysabel Creek.  The water level will usually be low enough to be easily crossed (there isn't a bridge) unless there has been a recent heavy rain.  The ascent begins fairly gradually but soon steepens.  As you continue up, please stay on the switchbacks and ignore the shortcuts.  The shortcuts increase slope erosion and are steeper than the switchbacks.  If you know about geocaching, there are several built-in rest stops on the way up as you search for the hidden container amongst the granite boulders and near views.

When you finally reach the top, follow the viewpoint sign to the group of boulders and enjoy!  You will be able to see Mount Woodson to the south, San Pasqual Valley to the west, and Cuyamaca Mountain to the east.  Originally, the Clevenger Canyon North Trail was 10 miles long, but after the October 2007 wildfires swept through the area, much of the trail beyond the viewpoint was lost.  You might be able to explore the relatively flat terrain at the top for another mile or so before having to turn back.  In all, this could be a 5-7 mile round trip hike.

Growing up in the Encinitas area, Elayna Bryant has always been passionate about preserving the environment around her.  Her love of hiking, biking, and running has naturally contributed to her observations of the high diversity of habitat types, plants, and animals found right here at the River Park. 

Intern Elayna Bryant

Elayna obtained her Bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences with an Ecology concentration from California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) in August of 2010.  She immediately started graduate school working closely with conservation biologist, Dr. William Kristan, looking at knowledge gaps in conservation information in the Birds of North America reference series. 

As a means of further developing her expertise, Elayna avidly attends conferences such as the California Native Plant Society Conservation Conference and participates in the Environmental Leadership Academy and the California Invasive Plant Council Wildland Manager certification programs.  In addition, Elayna has served as president of the CSUSM Ecology Club for the past two years.  As president she is devoted to recruiting new members, creating and organizing events, and educating the University students, as well as the public, on the importance of conservation. 

Elayna has regularly participated in habitat restoration projects with the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy over the last two years and has been interning with Leslie Woollenweber for the past year.  In this role, she updated and created invasive plant maps using GIS, managed watering and restoration at Crest Canyon, and assisted with promotion, creation, and teaching of My Big Back Yard's educational children's camp.  Elayna has recently begun an internship with Leana Bulay at the San Dieguito River Park aiding in the creation of new informative panels and an interpretive nature walk. 
 
"I believe conservation and education are key to preserving the precious environment around us.  The Conservancy and the River Park play a critical role in each of these endeavors.  Since I began my internship last year, I have felt a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the efforts of this organization.  Their upcoming projects are very exciting, and I am thrilled to belong to this effective team."