San Dieguito River Park Accomplishments in 2005

 

Endowment

·         Received a $65,000 endowment grant from County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price which leveraged an additional $20,000 of private contributions for the River Park endowment fund.

 

Sikes Adobe

·         Awarded a $10,000 grant from County Supervisor Pam Slater-Price for Sikes Adobe improvements.

·         Received material and labor contributions from the Escondido and Rancho Bernardo Sunrise Rotary Clubs to install a period windmill and well on the Sikes Adobe site, valued at $30,000.

·         Received a $2,000 gift from the Lake Hodges Native Plant Club to create a native plant garden near the Sikes Adobe.

·         Received 2005 Award from the California Preservation Foundation for the Sikes Adobe Farmhouse Restoration in recognition of Outstanding Achievement in the Field of Historic Preservation.

 

San Dieguito Lagoon Wetland Restoration Project

·         Three Interpretive signs were designed and installed at the Grand Avenue Bridge by the Friends of the San Dieguito Lagoon and the Del Mar Lagoon Committee with help from the City of Del Mar.

·         Received a $177,000 State Coastal Conservancy grant for design and construction of the coastal trail segment of the Coast to Crest Trail.

·         Awarded a $1,000 grant from the American Institute of Architects to develop an interpretive sign to show the reuse of an original farm produce stand to the Strawberry Stand Wetland Learning Center.

·         Received Energy Efficiency Integration and Design Merit awards from the San Diego Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for the Strawberry Stand Wetland Learning Center.

·         An agreement was entered into with Southern California Edison to define how the endowment amount for the Wetland Restoration Project would be determined in the future.

·         An agreement was entered into with Southern California Edison and the 22nd   Agricultural District for construction/maintenance of least tern nesting sites, Coast to Crest Trail easements, and river mouth access.

·         The California Coastal Commission gave final approval for the San Dieguito Lagoon Wetland Restoration Project.

·         Received the 2005 Association of Environmental Professionals “Outstanding Environmental Solution” award for the San Dieguito Lagoon Wetland Restoration Project.

 

 

 

 

Habitat Restoration

  • Completed  restoration of former waste site on river bank funded by grants from the State Coastal Conservancy through the Wetlands Recovery Project and the Federal Natural Resource Conservation District.
  • Completed restoration of former waste site in coastal sage habitat area funded by a State Riverine Restoration Grant.

 

Land Acquisition

·          Acquired the 90-acre Reutter parcel located west of Farmer’s Road with State grant funding.

·         Acquired the 353-acre Lake Sutherland East parcel which connects city property at Lake Sutherland with the 249-acre Newton parcel acquired in 2004.  State funding of $809,000 was leveraged with over $300,000 of private donations raised by the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy to purchase the property.

 

Trails

·         JPA Board and San Diego Planning Commission approved design and mitigated negative declaration for the Lake Hodges Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge.

·         The first connection between the San Dieguito River Park Coast to Crest Trail and another regional trail system was initiated in cooperation with the City of Poway.  The link will provide a connection to the Trans County Regional Trail through the City of Poway Trail System.