We have had yet another eventful month full of fun, education, and a whole lot of gratitude!

At the beginning of the month, a group of wonderful community members joined us at El Monte Preserve for our Bats, Birds, and Biodiversity event to learn about our Bat Hotel project and El Monte project. Between volunteers and active community members, we are so thrilled with how involved and interested our fellow neighbors are in our projects that better our communities, the health of our local wild spaces, and our planet.

We are so grateful to the 16 donors (including San Diego Gives) that helped us raise $1,893 on San Diego Gives Day of Giving 2023. It is because of YOU that we are able to achieve all that we do, and continue improving upon our programs and making as much of a difference as we possibly can for our local communities.

In partnership with United Way of San Diego and San Diego Gives, we had a very successful Day of Service! Many incredible volunteers joined us at our native milkweed farm in Lakeside, CA to help bag up the native milkweed seeds in preparation for harvesting. And just in time, as our first seeds of the season are bursting!

We began a series of Science & Nature Club lessons at the El Cajon Library! Participants and their grown-ups can join us on Mondays from 3 - 4 PM to learn about pollinators, climate change, watershed, and more! If you would like to sign up, visit our Events page to view the schedule of upcoming lessons. We can’t wait to see you there!

We also started up our after-school programming again for the 2023-2024 school year! This time at Lexington elementary. So far, we are off to a great start, and are ready for a jam-packed and exciting new school year.

Our oak project at El Monte Ecological Preserve is going strong! Though we’ve had some loss from ground squirrels and other natural factors, dozens of the oaks we planted in March (many planted thanks to YOU) are nearing 4 feet tall and are thriving despite entering their more dormant period. Look at that new growth!

We are finishing off September with a 2-night camping trip. We had such a blast at our last camping event and this one is proving to be just as amazing. We couldn’t think of a better way to enter fall and October than enjoying the great outdoors and cooler weather with our fellow community members!

Erin’s love for wildlife began when she was growing up in the Pacific Northwest. Her passion continued to grow while working in her high school’s Students Saving Salmon club. Since then, she has helped with several ecological research projects, and will graduate this winter with a Bachelor’s in Biological Sciences, concentrating on ecology, evolution, biodiversity, and conservation.

Jorge earned his Bachelor’s in Animal Science & Biology at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and considers himself a true advocate and steward for nature. It was when he worked abroad at a wildlife rescue center in Costa Rica that proved to be a transformative experience for him and deepened his commitment to wildlife conservation. He believes everyone can make a difference in the world and is excited to create a lasting positive impact through his work!

Lexy (Alexandra) has a background in environmental science and community engagement, and is passionate about nurturing the next generation of environmental stewards. She is excited to guide students on captivating expeditions during EDI field trips and share her deep appreciation for San Diego’s native biodiversity through our outdoor education program!

Katherine joins us as our very first intern thanks to our Outdoor Equity Grant* (OEP). She discovered EDI while hiking at Crestridge Ecological Reserve, and is excited to serve her local community and San Diego’s natural spaces.

Mackenzie joins us as an intern for her Bachelor’s program at SDSU, where she is studying Sustainability. She was one of EDI’s 2022-2023 scholarship recipients and has been a wonderful presence in our community ever since! She is hopeful her hands-on experience with EDI will aid her personal and professional growth.

As always, we thank you for being part of our community, and we hope to see you in October!

*OEP was created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.