September
2014
Greetings!
 
We're wrapping up an eventful summer at the River Park!

From the Grand Opening of the Birdwing Open Air Classroom, to Exec Treks with our Executive Director, to launching the Citizen Science Monitoring Program, we've loved every chance to build connections between you, the community, and the River Park.

Now we're looking to Fall and even more exciting events! We're thrilled to host explorer and bestselling author Helen Thayer this month for a very special edition of DMFtalks. The River Valley Fest is coming up in October -- and we look forward to seeing many of you there! Be sure to register if you haven't already!

And of course, we have our Second Saturday ranger-led walks, another Full Moon Hike on the 7th, birdwatching at the lagoon, yoga on the beach...even as the season changes, we're not slowing down one bit! Fall is such a wonderful time in the River Park; we hope you're able to join us there soon.
 
 

SEPTEMBER   

EVENTS IN THE RIVER PARK  

 

Sundays, September  

7, 14, 21, 28   

10:30am - 3:30pm

North San Diego Certified Farmers Market -  

 Rain or Shine!

Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:

12655 Sunset Dr., Escondido 

 

Sundays, August 24 and September 7   

10:00am

Meadow Restoration 

Meet at the Farmer Rd. Staging Area, Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve East    

Hosted by San Diego   

County Rangers 

 

Saturday, September 6  

10:00am 

Back Road Hike
Meet at the Farmer Rd. Parking Area, Volcan Mountain
Wilderness Preserve
8.5 miles, strenuous

Hosted by San Diego County  

Park Ranger Bret Exner

 

Sunday, September 7 

9:00am

QR Fitness Training

Meet at the Del Dios Highlands Preserve Staging Area

Hosted by San Diego  

County Rangers

  

Sunday, September 7   

7:30pm

Full Moon Hike 

Meet at the San Andres Dr. Interpretive Kiosk 

3 miles, easy
Hosted by San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy 

 

Saturday, September 13 

9:00am - 10:30am

Second Saturday Ranger-

Led Walk at the San  

Dieguito Lagoon

Meet at the Crest Canyon  

North Interpretive Kiosk
2 miles, easy

Hosted by San Dieguito River Park Ranger Bryan Ward

 

Saturday, September 13 

5:00pm

Julian Farm-to-Table End  

of Summer Celebration 

Cook Pigs Ranch, Julian 

Hosted by Cook Pigs & Friends

Cost: $50/person

RSVP: [email protected] 

 

Sunday, September 14 

10:00am 

Bird Feeders Crafts  

Under the Oaks 

Meet at the Farmer Rd. Staging Area, Santa Ysabel Open  

Space Preserve East

Hosted by San Diego   

County Ranger Bobbi 

 

Sunday, September 20 

8:30am - 10:30am 

San Dieguito  

Lagoon Bird Walk 

Meet at the

Crest Canyon
North Interpretive Kiosk

 2 miles, easy

Hosted by Buena Vista

Audubon Society Member  

John Haddock  

 

Saturday, September 20

9:00am - 12:00pm 

Coastal Cleanup Day 2014 

2 sites in SDRP still accepting volunteers: Gonzales Canyon & San Dieguito Lagoon and

 Dog Beach 

Register at cleanupday.org

 

Saturday, September 20

10:00am  

All About Julian Presentation 

Meet at the Farmer Rd. Staging Area, Santa Ysabel Open
Space Preserve East
Hosted by San Diego County
Park Ranger Roger

 

Sunday, September 21 

8:30am - 10:30am

Coastal Walk and  

Yoga on the Beach 

Meet at the San Andres Dr. Interpretive Kiosk
Co-Hosted by San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy and  

Yoga Instructor Susan McCrea

 

Saturday, September 27 

3:00pm - 6:00pm 

Rancho BEERnado Festival 

  Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:

12655 Sunset Dr., Escondido 

Hosted by Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary

 Cost: $30/person 

Register at ranchobeernadofestival.com
 

Sunday, September 28  

2:00pm

Spooky Science 

Meet at the Birdwing 

Open Air Classroom
Hosted by San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy  

 

Saturday, October 4

9:00am - 11:00am 

Ranger-Led Hike at  

Del Dios Gorge

Meet at the

Del Dios Gorge / Santa Fe Valley Staging Area

 2 miles, easy

Hosted by San Dieguito River Park Ranger Nico de Paolo 

 

 

For hikes, all mileages are approximate.

 

Please visit our website for more details and full events calendar. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

  

Your membership helps us to fulfill our mission to protect  the San Dieguito Watershed for generations to come.

 

SUPPORT NATURE SUPPORT THE RIVER PARK

 

For more information, please visit these websites:

 

www.sdrp.org 

 

www.sdrvc.org 

 

www.fsdrv.org 

 

 www.sdparks.org








SAVE THE DATE
River Valley Fest
October 12, 2014
You are invited to the
 Fifth Annual River Valley Fest
October 12, 2014
2:00pm - Sunset

Mark your calendars for the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy's biggest fundraiser of the year! Everyone is invited to attend this relaxed and festive event in a beautiful outdoor setting! SDRVC will be presenting Richard Louv with its Lifetime Appreciation Award. 
 
Once again, the Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa will host the event. We hope you will join us for delicious food, great music, a silent auction and a live auction, with items like Del Mar Thoroughbred Club season passes for 2015, a night stay in the Luxurious Agave Suite at the Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, tickets to the La Jolla Symphony & Chorus, and many more! This will be an event you will not want to miss!

Get more information here and RSVP here by October 7th. 

Citizen Science Monitoring:
Off to a Great Start!

SDRVC and the San Dieguito River Park kicked off the Citizen Science Monitoring Project last month by surveying Argentine ants. A total of 24 volunteer citizen scientists, ranging from elementary and high school students to retirees, participated. They were led by local Argentine ant expert, Brian Sodeman.




Ant Surveys

Our teams of citizen scientists baited index cards and placed them at pre-designated locations. They used pecan sandies cookies and tuna in oil to test which was more effective in recruiting foraging ants.

 

 

The bait stations were left in place for a minimum of 45 minutes, after which the citizen scientist teams returned to take photos of the bait card, collect ant specimens, and record data. The ant specimens were then taken back to the office and identified under a microscope with the help of our local ant expert, Brian Sodeman. Citizen scientists also learned how to use GPS units to obtain latitude & longitude coordinates and how to record data.

 

Survey Results
The survey was intended to assess the presence of Argentine ants only, and does not provide an accurate measure of what native ants are present. Still, the teams detected a total of five native species throughout the majority of the preserve. Argentine ants were found at three of the 18 bait stations -- those located along a natural drainage near a residential development. This means that their level of invasion at this particular site is currently low, but future citizen science monitoring will be required to determine if they are expanding their range and impacting sensitive species.



Groups that provided support include:
  • Cuyamaca College Ornamental Horticulture Department
  • Garmin
  • Palomar Audubon Society
  • Patagonia
  • San Diego Foundation
  • SDG&E
  • Sierra Club North County Chapter

Community Spotlight

 


Trish and Jess had a great time talking with Drew Schlosberg of UT San Diego Community Spotlight! They discussed the Citizen Science Monitoring Program and other ways the Conservancy works to engage the community and connect them with the watershed.

Listen to the podcast here!

  Trish and Jess in the studio 

Executive Director
Trish Boaz Takes on
the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge!
Our very own executive director has accepted the challenge!


Trish let Jess dump ice water over her (and a plant in need of water!) in honor of her godmother, who passed away of ALS in 2008. She nominates:
  • Dick Bobertz, Executive Director of the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority
  • Paige Rogowski, Executive Director of the Anza-Borrego Foundation
  • Colleen Bradley, Executive Director of the Volcan Mountain Foundation
Remember...if you haven't already participated, you don't have to wait to be nominated! Support the ALS Association here

 


Helen Thayer on KPBS

The Conservancy and the Del Mar Foundation are pleased to welcome Helen Thayer for a special DMFTalks on Monday, September 15. Helen was the first woman to make a solo trek to the North Pole. She has walked across both the Sahara and Gobi Deserts, kayaked the Amazon River, climbed some of the world's highest mountains, and more!

  

The event is already sold out, but Helen will be giving an interview on KPBS on Thursday, September 11, at 12:00pm! Don't miss this sure-to-be-fascinating interview with an incredible woman! 

 

Listen live on your radio at 89.5 FM or online at KPBS.org!

 

     

 


Hidden Hike at  

Lake Sutherland 

 


It was a beautiful day for a trek led by San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy Conservation Manager, Jess Norton, at picturesque Lake Sutherland in the San Dieguito River Park.

Be sure to check our Facebook page for more photos!

Starting out on the hike... (photo credit: Brad Bartlett) 
 

Hidden water (photo credit: Brad Bartlett)


Looking out over the valley (photo credit: Carol Carr)


The reservoir (photo credit: Diane Bailey)


Looking over the reservoir through the trees (photo credit: Bob Sheppard)

  The hikers (photo credit: Brad Bartlett)