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Earth Week Event Takes Out The Trash.
The Escondido Creek Conservancy and I Love a Clean San Diego, and thousands of volunteers celebrated Earth week by participating in the 20th Annual Creek to Bay cleanup. This seemingly small effort lends huge results. Since 2...
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2021 Adventure Camp Reunion with Seekey Cacciatore, Education Facilitator.
In early April, Conservancy Education Facilitator, Seekey Cacciatore, hosted a reunion for the 2021 Adventure Camp youth. It was a chance for the campers to get back together and show their parents some of what they learned...
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Trout in the Classroom on CBS Earth8 San Diego
CBS 8 San Diego’s Karlene Chavis (Meteorologist) joined the Conservancy and local elementary students from High Tech Elementary who were completing their journey through the Trout in the Classroom program by releasing t...
2022-04-12 -
Creek To Bay Cleanup 2022
SAVE THE DATE: Volunteer with The Escondido Creek Conservancy and I Love A Clean SD for one of the most significant single-day environmental action events in San Diego County! On April 23rd, from 9 AM-Noon the Creek to Bay 20...
2022-04-06 -
Shrub Club Recap
On April 2nd, we held our monthly Shrub Club volunteer event at the Leomar preserve, The Conservancy’s newest wildlife sanctuary located in Encinitas adjacent to the Gaty reservoir. Volunteers worked diligently from all mor...
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Back in the Boardroom for 2022
The Escondido Creek Conservancy hosted the first in-person Board meeting since the beginning of the pandemic at Boulder Outlook. Boulder Outlook is the new home of the Conservancy and is currently under construction. The head...
2022-03-21 -
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Keepin’ it Rural Fundraiser
In early December 2021, a crew of nature-loving trail runners, hikers, and nature supporters participated in the Keepin’ it Rural Run/Hike through the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve (race map below). We chatted with ...
2022-02-28 -
Illegal Dumping is a problem!
Header photocredit: Andrew Coop Words by Jamison Lauria & Juan Troncoso, Escondido Creek Land Team The problem: Illegal dumping and the accrued litter debris often end up reaching our local watersheds due to stormwater ru...
2022-02-21 -
Seed the Future: A new campaign to sustain our outdoor education efforts.
By Marilyn Gallegos Ramirez | Chair of the Seed the Future Committee Originally printed in the Watershed Voice Fall/Winter 2021 edition. One of the things The Escondido Creek Conservancy realized early on is that it’s diffi...
2022-02-15 -
How Adventure Camp Impacted Youth in Summer 2021.
By Jennifer Imm | Education Manager Originally printed in the Watershed Voice Fall/Winter 2021 edition. This summer, with funding from the San Diego Foundation’s Opening the Outdoors grant, The Escondido Creek Conservancy l...
2022-02-15 -
Education for the Next Generation!
Words By Simon Breen | Education Director Originally printed in the Watershed Voice Fall/Winter 2021 edition. From our modest beginnings as an all-volunteer crew providing outdoor education programming to approximately 250 st...
2022-02-15 -
Conservation Fellows Help to Share the Value of Escondido’s Reidy Creek
Conservation Fellows at the Elfin Forest Reserve analyzing the naturalized portion of Escondido Creek. From left to right: Fabiola Theberge, Sophomore at Torrey Pines High School; Michelle Torres, Senior at Oceanside High Sch...
2022-02-10 -
Reidy Creek Project Completed
Members of Urban Corps of San Diego collect invasive species for removal from Reidy Creek. Written by Hannah Walchak and Ryan Woldt The Reidy Creek project implements large-scale invasive species removal along .81 miles of Re...
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Trout in the Classroom Returns in 2022.
High Tech Elementary teacher Stephanie Lance, a first-time participant in the program, prepares to place a bundle of trout eggs in her aquarium. Every January we get to play the role of the trout stork and deliver bundles of ...
2022-02-03 -
Boulder Update is in Progress.
Back in 2018, we acquired Mountain Meadow Preserve in partnership with the County of San Diego Parks and Recreation and the U.S. Navy as part of our Save 1000 Acres campaign. This preserve includes an old avocado grove and ca...
2022-01-31 -
Youth Project: Native & Invasive Species Brochure
A proud parent and watershed resident shared this native plant brochure created by her 14-year-old daughter, Colette. We’re impressed! But not surprised — youth who have been exposed to nature at an early age ar...
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Toyon Trees Spread Winter Cheer.
Toyon Tree’s Spreading Winter Cheer by Aida Rodriquez As winter spirit floats through the air the Toyon tree’s magical red fruit ripen on its reaching branches. If you look close enough as you hike or stroll along our San...
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Budget Priorities for Clean Air and Water, Natural Resources, and Parks
On January 27, the Conservancy joined other state conservation leaders on a letter urging Governor Newsom and President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins to approve funding for conservation, fire prevention, and improvements to air and...
2022-01-28 -
Remembering Thich Nhat Hanh
Photo credits: Ron Forster Remembering Thich Nhat Hanh The Deer Park Monastery shares a boundary with the MJM Ranch and Daley Ranch and is an important conservation partner of The Escondido Creek Conservancy. The Deer Park Mo...
2022-01-25 -
From the Desk of Jeff Swenerton
By Jeff Swenerton Small, focused organizations can be remarkably effective. As I reflect back on my experience as a board member of The Escondido Creek Conservancy, I am honored to be a part of an organization that has accomp...
2022-01-21 -
Conservancy Completes 5-Year Strategy Plan
The Escondido Creek Conservancy Strategic Plan Framework 2022-2026 Approved January 18th, 2022 After a year of meetings, including focus groups with stakeholders and hours spent pondering the future of conservation in North S...
2022-01-21 -
Education Director Simon Breen Awarded Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s 2021 Educator of the Year.
The Escondido Creek Conservancy Education Director, Simon Breen, awarded Olivenhain Municipal Water District’s 2021 Educator of the Year. ________________________________________ Escondido, CA—01/16/2021 The Escondido Cre...
2022-01-19 -
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Troussel Donation Key to Pickup Purchase
The big job of managing habitat in the Escondido Creek watershed was made easier this month with the purchase of a new pickup truck made possible, in part, by a large donation from the Troussel Family Foundation. The Escondid...
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For birds’ sake, trim trees in fall and winter
Do your trees need trimming? It’s best to plan tree work for the fall and winter months, says our friend Penny Hernandez, president of Palomar Audubon Society. In her “A Bird’s Eye View” column, Hernandez notes that...
2021-04-13 -
Buy a brick to leave a legacy of conservation
The Escondido Creek Conservancy has launched a buy-a-brick campaign to replenish its land acquisition fund. For as little as $100, donors can memorialize their commitment to the environment and leave their mark on the grounds...
2021-03-31 -
Help Wanted: Environmental Education Facilitator
The Escondido Creek Conservancy is seeking a part-time, seasonal Environmental Education Facilitator to develop and implement an outdoor summer day camp program to immerse underserved youth in nature and scientific learning. ...
2021-03-24 -
For Olga Diaz, a new assignment
Olga. During 12 years on the Escondido City Council and in numerous roles as a community volunteer, her first name hasn’t really needed to be followed by the second. People know who she is. Olga Diaz, a champion of the Esco...
2021-03-19 -
Longtime collaborator, environmental educator joins Conservancy board
Little Christina’s work in the Escondido Creek watershed started at age 10. Her research associate was a scruffy, brown terrier, Duncan. The coastal sage scrub and wetlands near their Solana Beach home had a magnetic pull f...
2021-03-12 -
New board member is educational architect
One of the Escondido Creek Conservancy’s newest board members is a career educator and architect of Escondido Union School District’s Protecting Our Watershed: Inquiry to Action Program. Krystle Miller created the framewo...
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All About the Oaks
Jim Crouch, a retired school teacher, is partnering with The Escondido Creek Conservancy to grow seedlings to help restore oak woodland habitat along the Escondido Creek watershed. Passionate about the environment and inspire...
2021-02-09 -
With spectacular surfing, reminders on how pollution and sand reach the ocean
At the western terminus of the Escondido Creek, spectacular surfing at Cardiff State Beach in January reminded us how a clean and natural watershed makes for a clean ocean, and why the work of The Escondido Creek Conservancy ...
2021-02-06 -
Help Us Name our Furry Friend!
Our adorable, preserved coyote pup needs a name. What should we call her? Last year, Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve rangers alerted us to the just-deceased animal, which appeared to have been struck and killed by a car. We...
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American Redstart Returns to Reidy Creek
The sweet little American redstart made a repeat appearance in October at our restoration site on Reidy Creek. We saw this mesmerizing bird at the same location in 2019. We can’t confirm it was the same individual as the on...
2021-01-15 -
New Board Member Wears Many Hats
Lisa Ruder, a sustainability champion and community volunteer in Escondido, is settling in as the newest member of The Escondido Creek Conservancy’s Board of Directors. An Escondido resident who, during the lockdown, has en...
2021-01-07 -
Who can help nature? Anyone and everyone!
People often wonder how they can help nature but just aren’t sure how to get started, or what they have to offer. It’s been our experience that everyone has skills or talents that can provide essential assistance to nonpr...
2021-01-07 -
Escondido Creek Conservancy to receive $500,000 donation
The Escondido Creek Conservancy will receive a $500,000 donation to support its work to protect and restore the Escondido Creek watershed. The donors, who wish to remain anonymous, want to inspire others to take advantage of ...
2020-12-17 -
Our Creative Get-Together
Of all the creative ways to get together this year, we bet you weren’t imagining working with your neighbors on a project to remove invasive plants from the Escondido Creek. But an Elfin Forest neighborhood project is d...
2020-12-10 -
Busy Hands at Quarry Preserve
The Quarry Preserve, once heavily disturbed by granite mining operations, continues to improve in habitat value thanks to coordinated restoration efforts. The 11-acre site is located along a stretch of Escondido Creek at Harm...
2020-12-10 -
Farewell, John Dummer!
Twelve years ago, there was a lot of talk about development near Harmony Grove. The chatter led Jon Dummer to the board room of The Escondido Creek Conservancy. “I was looking for a place where I could help preserve the nat...
2020-12-08 -
Farewell, Brent Alspach!
The year was 1999. Brett Alspach – 20-something, new to California, and fresh out of Cornell University with a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering – was milling about an environmental fair near his ho...
2020-12-08 -
Hauling in the Awards
Olivenhain Municipal Water District recognized The Escondido Creek Conservancy as Nonprofit of the Year during an online ceremony Nov. 18. The water district also honored one of the Conservancy’s founders, Leonard Wittwer, ...
2020-12-08 -
Our Case for Community Gardens
We are pleased to join the City of Escondido in talks to plan the Escondido Creek Trail Expansion and Renovation Project. The project has great potential to provide residents with natural park space to soften the existing, co...
2020-11-24 -
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Chainsaw Training Has Eucalyptus Stumped
In our never-ending battle against invasive species, chainsaws are a most important tool. But the safety of our staff and volunteers always takes precedent. So last month, Conservancy staff, volunteers, and some of our conser...
2020-11-17 -
Farewell, Dare and Nathan!
This fall, the Conservancy says goodbye to two very important people: Dare Delano and Nathan Serrato. For more than a decade, real estate attorney Dare has been a key part of the Conservancy team — a steady, calming inf...
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Our Hilltop Fixer-upper
When the Conservancy acquired the 700-acre Mountain Meadow property in Hidden Meadows, it came with an old duplex overlooking Daley Ranch and points beyond. An inspection of the structures quickly revealed deferred maintenan...
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Revving Up Restoration
The number of preserved acres in our watershed continues to grow and we don’t anticipate this stopping anytime soon! With more land spread throughout the watershed, we were faced with the need and opportunity to hire more s...
2020-08-24 -
Home To The Gray Fox… It’s Official
Gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) are known to be quiet, stealthy creatures… but we were starting to wonder if any gray fox lived in the Escondido Creek watershed. The occasional trail tails, unidentifiable scat, and pecu...
2020-08-24 -
5 Ways to Cool Your Climate
It’s summertime and the heat is on. As I write this, the temperature in Escondido is 98°F and San Diego County is experiencing a major heat wave that is spurring planned power outages. While our temperatures may fluctu...
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Introducing The Keithley Preserve
If you live in the Elfin Forest area, you may have noticed some sign changes to the former Los Cielos Preserve. After much thoughtfulness and consideration, we have decided to rename the Preserve after one of our dedicated bo...
2020-08-24 -
Brochures Coming In Spanish!
In an effort to our story more accessible to others, we’ve partnered with Translation Services to translate some of our marketing materials into Spanish. Thank you so much! ...
2020-08-18 -
Why Are Oak Trees Wearing Pink Ribbons?
by Rose Wilkinson & Lissa Schroeder If you’ve been hiking near Elfin Forest, you may have noticed our oak trees have some pink ribbon around them. No, they aren’t streamers leftover from Isabella the deer’s birthday...
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Our Conservation Team Gets Bigger
Like little acorns growing into mighty oaks, The Escondido Creek Conservancy is coming into its own with a growing land care team! This summer, we welcomed Conservation Land Assistant Jamison Lauria and Shirley Innecken joine...
