We started off June with a camping trip at Sweetwater Summit Regional Park with 5 amazing families from El Cajon! Strangers quickly became friends as we navigated through group activities, nature exploration, and time spent around the campfire. One of our favorite activities was seeking scorpions after dark - using UV flashlights on a hiking trail, we found 9 scorpions! Everyone had a blast and can't wait to go on more camping trips and nature adventures with us!

We attended the Viejas Earth Fair and celebrated the connection that the Viejas tribal band of the Kumeyaay Indians have with their environment. We donated native Milkweed and Yarrow to the raffle and a family who is enthusiastic about the Monarch Butterfly were the lucky winners!

We celebrated Climate Action Day with the California Climate Action Corps at Lindo Lake! Volunteers planted native plants, removed invasive species, and enjoyed a resource fair and lunch by the lake.

We partnered with Johanna Flashman, author of “Beer Hiking Southern California,” and Chula Vista Brewery for a Blooms & Brews hike! Johanna’s book features 40 hikes that lead you through stunning natural landscapes and end near a brewery or brewpub where a fresh beverage awaits you. We had a blast on this hike observing flora and fauna, and enjoyed incredible food and samples of exceptional brews at Chula Vista Brewery after!

We attended the Cajon Valley Union School District End of Year Celebration! It was a great way to celebrate the end of an eventful school year and commence summer break (though we seldom hit pause over here in EDI-land!). We feel so lucky to be able to provide environmental education of all kinds to students in east county and had a blast interacting with the kiddos we see regularly and their loved ones. We are thrilled to continue expanding our reach to more families in the community who want to experience and learn nature with us. We look forward to continuing the fun this summer, and can’t wait for the next school year!

We had a lovely family day spent with so many community members from El Cajon at Chollas Lake Park! Friends and family joined us for a nature walk around the lake to view wildlife and fun tree-stump art, free-form art activities, and a group picnic. Funded by SDGE, each family received a groovy hiking fanny pack and water bottle to encourage their outdoor exploration as well as a 1-year Earth Discovery Institute membership!

We attended the San Diego Natural History Museum’s Garden Party, a celebration of the completion of their native plant installation! Partnered with the Resource Conservation District, we highlighted the work that the San Diego Pollinator Alliance is doing and shared resources with the public. It was so fun interacting with so many people visiting Balboa Park!

We enjoyed a lovely morning hike along the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge for a Birds by the Bay excursion! Not only did we have great company, we were lucky enough to observe hundreds of Elegant Terns nesting in the South Bay! We love this time of year.

Join our Nature Explorer Club at El Cajon Library this summer! We offer a Monday club and Friday club, and we invite you and your little ones to have free summer fun with us. No problem if you missed out on the first lessons, there is endless educational fun to be had!

Simon (left) embodies all the qualities one hopes to find in an Education Director. He is deeply passionate about connecting kids with nature, and he is infinitely patient, kind, and calm in the face of any storm (literal or figurative!). Simon has built on the education programming he inherited to double the number of students EDI reaches through school field trips, all while launching new family and after-school programming that enable EDI to engage entire communities in nature. With years of experience under his belt he makes it look easy, but it most certainly is not. We are so grateful you joined the EDI family, Simon. To many more years!

- Sarah