February
2016
   

It's a good thing it's a leap year, because we are packing so much into February! 

Next Monday (the 8th), we're celebrating the continuing restoration work at the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead, as several projects funded by a County of San Diego Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grant were recently completed. We're eagerly anticipating the ribbon-cutting at the completed River Path Del Mar extension. Then there's the Valentine's at Volcan Hike and the return of Valentine's Tea at Sikes Adobe. Read about all those events in this newsletter!

And as always, the Citizen Science monitoring program, Connecting People with Nature program, and habitat restoration projects are moving along. Last month's storms kept the River Park rangers busy with trail repair work. It's wonderful to see full creek beds and rushing waterfalls after it rains!

Lake Sutherland Reservoir, December 2010

The Conservancy's 30th year has gotten off to a great start -- we're excited to see what's coming next!

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!


FEBRUARY
 EVENTS IN THE RIVER PARK
 


 

Sundays, February 
7, 14, 21, 28
10:30 am - 3:30 pm
North San Diego Certified Farmers Market - Rain or Shine!
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:

Thursdays, February 4, 11, 18, and Saturdays, February 20, 27
San Diego Zoo Global Lake Hodges Restoration Planting
Hosted by Research Coordinator Emily Howe, San Diego Zoo Global Institute for Conservation Research

Saturdays, February
6, 13, 20, 27
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Hawk Watch
Hosted by Wildlife Research Institute

Sunday, February 7
7:30 am - 12:00 pm
San Dieguito Lagoon Monthly Bird Count
Hosted by San Dieguito Bird Count Leader Jayne Lesley

Monday, February 8
10:00 am
Celebrate Continuing Restoration of Sikes Adobe
Meet at Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
Hosted by Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead

Saturdays, February 13 & 20
1:00 pm & 3:00 pm
Valentine's Tea
Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead:
$12/person. Purchase tickets.
Hosted by Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead

Saturday, February 13
8:30 am - 2:00 pm
Valentine's at Volcan Hike and Wine Tasting/Picnic
8 miles, moderate/strenuous
Co-hosted by SDRVC and Volcan Mountain Foundation

Saturday, February 13
9:00 am - 10:30 am
Ranger-Led Walk at the San Dieguito Lagoon
3 miles, easy
Hosted by SDRP Ranger Bryan Ward

Sunday, February 14
8:00 am - 11:00 am
Volunteer Trail Maintenance
Hosted by SDRP Ranger David Hekel

Saturday, February 20
8:00 am - 11:00 am
Volunteer Habitat Restoration
Hosted by SDRP Ranger Jake Gibbs

Saturday, February 20
8:30 am - 10:30 am
San Dieguito Lagoon Bird Walk
1 mile, easy
Co-hosted by SDRP Rangers and Buena Vista Audubon Society Member John Haddock

Sunday, February 21
10:00 am - 11:00 am
Yoga at the San Dieguito Lagoon
Co-hosted by SDRVC and Yoga Instructor Susan McCrea

Sunday, February 28
10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Wildcrafting: Native Red Clay Pottery
Meet at Volcan Mountain Nature Center:
Hosted by Volcan Mountain Foundation Conservation Education Coordinator Janice Bina-Smith
RSVP: volcanmt.org (limited to 14 participants)
$20/person


All events are free unless otherwise noted.

 

For hikes, all mileages are approximate.

 

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

 

Join our 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 SUPPORT THE RIVER PARK

 

For more information, please visit these websites:

 

www.sdrp.org 

 

www.sdrvc.org 

 

www.fsdrv.org 

 

 www.sdparks.org







Latest News & Updates
Wax & Wine at the Knorr Candle Factory
We cannot believe that the Conservancy will be 30 years old in 2016.  Time goes by fast when you are working hard to secure the natural legacy of the San Dieguito River Park!

As part of our 30th anniversary celebration, we are hosting a Wax & Wine event at the Knorr Candle Factory on March 20th. Knorr is the #1 beeswax candle manufacturer in the world, located right in our backyard off Via de la Valle in Del Mar! 


Savor wine made in the San Dieguito River watershed as you stroll through Knorr's lush gardens and patios, or join David, one of Knorr's artisan candle makers, as he shows you how to make our own beeswax candles. The Knorr Candle Shop will be open and offering a 10% discount to Conservancy guests.

Learn more about Knorr products here.

Priority registration will be given to Conservancy members -- click here to become a member.

Make your reservation here.
Sikes Adobe Ribbon Cutting
Come celebrate the completion of the County of San Diego Neighborhood Reinvestment Program grant for the continuing restoration of the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead! Join us on a ranger-led hike following the ribbon cutting. 


More information about the grant project and ribbon cutting can be found on the River Park's site. A special thank you to Supervisor Dave Roberts for making this possible! 

When: Monday, February 8th at 10:00 am 
Where: Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead, 12655 Sunset Drive, Escondido (map)

Pets in the Park Photo Contest!
Does your pup (or any kind of pet) love the River Park as much as you do? Show us! Post your best photos of you and your pet in the River Park on the Conservancy's Facebook page or share them on Instagram using the hashtag #SDRVCFurryFriends


We'll share our favorites and announce the winners in an upcoming Riverscape!

River Path Del Mar Update
We're excited to announce the ribbon cutting ceremony for the River Path Del Mar extension is scheduled for April 9th! More details to come!


New Bike Maintenance Station at Lake Hodges
Imagine it's a beautiful San Diego day -- perfect for a bike ride. You load up your gear and head to the trail. You're just starting your ride when you realize that your tire is low and you have a loose water bottle bolt, but you've forgotten your tools. What to do? End your ride and go home? Not if you're riding in the San Dieguito River Park! The San Diego Mountain Biking Association has graciously donated a trailside bike maintenance station to the River Park. 


The station includes various tools, like Allen keys and tire levers, to get your bike back up and running, as well as a pump with a pressure gauge. If you don't know how to make the repair your bike needs, just scan the QR code on the top of the station with your smart phone for help and instructions. 

The new bike maintenance station is located on the north side of the David Kreitzer Lake Hodges Bicycle Pedestrian Bridge on the Coast to Crest Trail. The stand is in the perfect location to provide service for both bike commuters as well as mountain bikers. Enjoy the trails!

Welcome Ranger David Vidal!
Welcome to the River Park's newest Park Ranger, David Vidal! David will oversee the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead and focus on other interpretive and outreach programs. 


He grew up in Ramona and is a lifelong resident of San Diego County. He attended San Diego State University, where he studied history as an undergraduate and graduate. For the past several years, David was employed with California State Parks in Old Town and the Maritime Museum of San Diego, working primarily in education, interpretation, and living history. In his free time, David is an avid hiker and sails tall ships. He looks forward to increasing volunteer involvement and improving the Park's historical and interpretive programs as part of the San Dieguito River Park team. 

Trail Closure Alert
Please be advised that the Coast to Crest Trail is CLOSED through the eastern half of the Del Mar Horsepark. The trail has collapsed due riverbank failure following the heavy storms we had in January. If you're on the trail heading east, please turn around at the Horsepark interpretive kiosk. The entrance at El Camino Real is closed. Visit the River Park's site for more info. 


Remember to stay off trails for 48 hours following storms, as wet, muddy trails are prone to erosion. Check the Conservancy's and River Park's websites for further updates on trail alerts and closures. 


Coming Up in February
Valentine's at Volcan
Feb. 13th
Grab your (21 years and older) loved ones and join us for a moderate/strenuous 8-mile round-trip Valentine's Day hike up Volcan Mountain! 


Take in the scenic views of the Anza-Borrego Desert to the east, downtown San Diego to the south and the San Dieguito River Park to the west from the summit at Volcan Mountain. Then, we'll celebrate with a picnic and wine-tasting! 

When: Saturday, February 13th at 8:30 am 
Where: Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve Parking Area (map
Directions: From Julian, take Farmer Road 2.2 miles, turn right on Wynola Road for 100 yards, then turn left, back onto the continuation of Farmer Road. Proceed a short distance and park on the shoulder of the paved road by the Preserve's sign on the right side of the road.

Valentine's Tea at Sikes Adobe
Feb. 13th, 20th
The annual Valentine's Tea returns for the sixth year at the Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead! 



Find those special people in your life and invite them to share tea in our 1880s farmhouse! Tea will be served on two Saturdays in February, the 13th and 20th, at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm each day. 

Tickets are $12 each. Please purchase your tickets early through the SDRP Online Store, as seating is limited to 30 people per time. For further information, contact [email protected].

When: Saturdays, February 13th and 20th, at 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm
Where: Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead, 12655 Sunset Dr., Escondido (map)

Yoga at the Birdwing
Feb. 21st
Join yoga instructor Susan McCrea for a relaxing, coastal yoga session at the Birdwing -- every third Sunday of the month! Bring your mat; all levels welcome.


When: Sunday, February 21st at 10:00 am 
Where: Birdwing Open Air Classroom (map)
DirectionsFrom I-5, take Via de la Valle exit and go east. Turn right on San Andres Drive and turn left into driveway to parking area. There is a short, easy hike to the Birdwing from the parking area.

What Happened in January
Citizen Science Botanical Survey
The Conservancy kicked off our 2016 Citizen Science monitoring program at Bernardo Mountain with a botanical survey on January 23rd

Led by expert botanists, 15 Citizen Scientists scoured the hillsides in an effort to compile a list of all the trees and shrubs growing on site. While not much is flowering this time of year, volunteers found some California four o'clocks (pictured) blooming after our recent rains. We're tallying the final results and will be posting a species list on our website. 



Don't worry if you missed this opportunity -- we're planning a second survey in the spring to document flowering annuals. Keep an eye out for future dates listed in the Riverscape or on the Conservancy's website, Facebook page, and Meetup group

San Pasqual Valley/Raptor Ridge Exec Trek
What a great way to kick off 2016's Exec Treks! Several Conservancy members and trekkers from the Valley Center Trails Association hiked the San Pasqual Valley/Raptor Ridge segment of the Coast to Crest Trail on the 23rd


The next Exec Trek is scheduled for Saturday, March 26th at Bernardo Mountain, starting at 8:30 am. Register here!

Habitat Restoration with Teen Volunteers in Action
A great group of workers from Teen Volunteers in Action brought their energy and enthusiasm to January's monthly habitat restoration in San Pasqual Valley!


This organization is dedicated to getting young men and their families together to participate in structured programs of volunteering, philanthropy, and personal development. The group believes that through these programs, the young men will grow up to become strong community leaders.

They helped the River Park clear a selected site of non-native vegetation and plant over 120 coastal prickly pear to establish healthy habitat for the Coastal Cactus Wren. They enjoyed spending time in San Pasqual Valley with the Rangers and helping the River Park accomplish its goal to provide valuable habitat for San Diego's wildlife. We look forward to working with this group of dedicated volunteers again!


Connecting People with Nature
The Conservancy and River Park staff hosted 120 High Tech High students at the San Dieguito Lagoon from January 19th through the 21st as part of our Connecting People with Nature program. This program, funded by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Coastal Program, is working to create a field ecology curriculum to teach students about field data collection, citizen science, and conservation. 


Students researched soil types, hydrology, geology, and water quality, and conducted mammal, bird, and plant surveys. They also assisted the River Park by planting 127 native plants in one of the habitat restoration sites at the San Dieguito Lagoon.