That’s a wrap! We finished up our final summer lesson of our Nature Explorer Club at the El Cajon Branch Library with a total of 73 students participating across the 7-week program! We also provided 6 weeks of programming to El Cajon-based schools: Lexington Elementary and Magnolia Elementary. Altogether, we served 276 students as part of our Nature Explorer Club! We had so much fun serving new community members and making new friends while exploring the wonders of science and nature together. We can’t wait for next year!

EDI is thrilled to offer After-School Programming as part of our Education Through Recreation program. This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.

We hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast for our dedicated, positive, enthusiastic, and hardworking Tuesday volunteer group - the beating heart of EDI’s conservation work. We couldn’t achieve even a fraction of what we do without them, and we are incredibly grateful for everything they do for our organization. We enjoyed pastries, coffee, and a short hike through native vegetation where we encountered a rather large rattlesnake!

50 East County community members boarded a bus with us and adventured down to Fletcher Cove Beach Park for a day of fun in the sun! Everyone had a blast picnicking on the sand, building sand castle fortresses, looking for sand crabs, and boogie boarding from the moment we arrived until it was time to leave! It is always such a joy bringing families together for these recreational events.

EDI is thrilled to offer Family Day events like this one as part of our Education Through Recreation program. This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.

Our Conservation Director, Ida, and Conservation Technician, Lyla, represented EDI at the Ecological Society of America's Annual Meeting in Long Beach! The meeting encouraged ecologists to grow together professionally through educating one another on new information in the field. Ida and Lyla presented on our 15-acre Cactus Scrub restoration project at El Monte!

We captured more than just memories at our nature photography event for EDI members last weekend! Professional photographer, Tim Stahl, helped us sharpen our eyes and focus our camera lenses on the beautiful splendor of Crestridge Ecological Reserve’s flora, fauna, and landscapes. It was a picture-perfect experience! Thank you so much for all you do, Tim!

East County San Diego families made quite a splash at our day on the bay event last weekend! With paddles in hand, they navigated new waters and learned the ropes (and the strokes) of kayaking and paddleboarding, with help from EDI staff and our wonderful partner, Chula Vista Water Sports. After the event, 100% of the participants who completed our survey said they plan to return to the bay to go kayaking again on their own, and that they learned something on this trip that will help them go to the bay again in the future! This event was made possible from the Explore the Coast grant, provided by the California Coastal Conservancy.

The new school year is just around the corner…our Education Coordinator, Ashley Ersepke, is in full-speed-ahead mode, emailing left and right to schedule field trips, after-school programs, and family day trips for this new school year. We are excited to be expanding our reach with new schools joining us in all areas of programming this year! The countdown begins: one month until field trip season is a-go!

We are heartbroken to share about the passing of a beloved Tuesday volunteer and community member, Jeff. Jeff was far more than a volunteer, he was part of the family. His dedication and commitment predates every staff member here at EDI and to say he leaves behind an indelible mark on our community is an understatement. From building our shade house at the milkweed farm- to fence repairs at the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge- and nearly every restoration project in between- he did it all. He was a crucial member of EDI and his legacy lives on in every project he touched and the memories we made. Rest peacefully, Jeff.