Nature Collective

NATURE COLLECTIVE'S MISSION IS TO DRIVE A PASSION FOR NATURE, FOR ALL.

LAND TRUST:A KEY PRIORITY IS TO PROTECT LANDS IN THE ESCONDIDO WATERSHED, AND IN LANDS BEYOND, BY MANAGING HABITATS AND THE IMPORTANT SERVICES THAT NATURE PROVIDES. THE GREATEST THREAT TO THE DIVERSITY OF LIFE IS LOSS OF HABITAT. AS A LAND TRUST WE ACQUIRE AND PROTECT LANDS IN THE WATERSHED, INCLUDING THE LATEST ADDITION OF 77 ACRES THAT IS CONSERVING RARE COASTAL SAGE SCRUB AND SOUTHERN COASTAL BLUFF SCRUB HABITATS. INTHESE ACRES, SPECIAL STATUS PLANTS SURVEYED INCLUDE: DEL MAR MANZANITA (FEDERALLY ENDANGERED), SEA DAHLIA AND NUTTALL'S SCRUB OAK. AT LEAST TWO SPECIAL STATUS SPECIES OF CONCERN CALL THIS PLACE HOME, THE SAN DIEGO POCKET MOUSE AND THE CALIFORNIA GNATCATCHER. NATURE COLLECTIVE OWNS 143 ACRES THROUGH FEE-TITLE OWNERSHIP, AND HOLDS MORE THAN 70 ACRES OF CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON PRIVATE AND PUBLIC PROPERTY. LANDOWNERS WHO WANT TO MAKE SURE THEIR LAND IS PROTECTED FOR GENERATIONS CAN CONTACT NATURE COLLECTIVE ABOUT WAYS WE CAN HELP CONNECT CONSERVATION GOALS. HARBAUGH SEASIDE TRAILS, A 3-ACRE COASTAL OVERLOOK FEATURES FOUR INDIGENOUS PLANT COMMUNITIES AND PUBLIC TRAILS. AS A NONPROFIT LAND TRUST, NATURE COLLECTIVE COLLABORATES IN SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE MANAGEMENT WITH THE COUNTY OF SAN DIEGO DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION AND CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE.

HABITAT CONSERVATION:THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON RESTORATION PROJECT IS ONE OF THE LARGEST WETLAND RESTORATIONS IN CALIFORNIA. OUR PROJECT INCLUDES NEW MUDFLATS AND TIDAL DREDGING IN THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE IN ENCINITAS, CA. MUDFLATS ARE A KEY HABITAT FOR MANY ANIMALS ESPECIALLY WATERFOWL. WITHOUT RESTORATION, WE WOULD HAVE LOST THESE VITAL HABITATS NOW RESTORED AND ENHANCED FOR SEA LEVEL RISE.KEEPING LAGOON LANDS AND WATERS HEALTHY MEANS INCREASING TIDAL CIRCULATION, A NATURAL PROCESS THAT MODERN INFRASTRUCTURE HAD NEARLY HALTED. BUT WIDER BRIDGE SPANS, AND ENHANCED TIDAL CHANNELS, ARE NOW DELIVERING TIDAL FLOW FARTHER AND DEEPER INTO SAN ELIJO LAGOON. WHEN RESTORATION WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA IS COMPLETE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THROUGH THE NEXT 50 YEARS ENSURING THAT WHAT WE DESIGNED ISWORKING AS SEA LEVELS RISE AND OUR CLIMATE CHANGES.WITHOUT THRIVING PLANT SPECIES INDIGENOUS TO THIS AREA, OUR LANDS AND THEIR ECOSYSTEM AREN'T TRULY HEALTHY. THAT'S WHY WE WORK TO CONTROL INVASIVE PLANTS IN THE SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, THROUGHOUT THE CARLSBAD HYDROLOGIC UNIT, AND BEYOND. THE MORE PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO THIS AREA FLOURISH, THE MORE THAT ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN CALIFORNIA GET TO RESIDE IN THEIR LIFE-GIVING HABITATS.OUR SCIENTISTS MONITOR INDICATORS OF ECOSYSTEM HEALTH AND FUNCTION IN SAN ELIJO LAGOON ECOLOGICAL RESERVE, AND IN LANDS AND WATERS BEYOND. MONITORING ACTIVITIES INCLUDE SURVEYS OF THE CONDITIONS OF MULTIPLE PLANT COMMUNITIES, WILDLIFE POPULATIONS, WATER QUALITY, AND HYDROLOGIC CHANGES. DATA ARE SHARED WITH REGIONAL AND STATE AGENCIES FOR WATERSHED MONITORING.

SCIENCE EDUCATION & OUTREACH:AT NATURE COLLECTIVE, CHILDREN CAN GAIN SCIENCE SKILLS AND CONNECT WITH NATURE FROM FIELDWORK TO PREPARATORY AND POST-TRIP LESSONS. SCIENCE BECOMES RELEVANT AND MORE INTERESTING TO STUDENTS AS THEY DISCUSS ECOLOGY AND EXPLORE THE LAND. OUR PROGRAMS FOCUS ON OBSERVATION SKILLS, A CRUCIAL COMPONENT TO ANY SCIENCE-FOCUSED EDUCATION AND CAREER. AS THE STUDENTS EXPERIENCE OUR LOCAL LANDS, OUR EDUCATORS ENCOURAGE THEM TO ASK QUESTIONS, LISTEN TO ONE ANOTHER, POSE EVIDENCE-SUPPORTED ARGUMENTS, DISAGREE RESPECTFULLY, AND UTILIZE THE SCIENTIFIC LANGUAGE OF UNCERTAINTY.OUR K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAM CONNECTS, EDUCATES, AND ENGAGES THE COMMUNITY TO ACT TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THE ESCONDIDO WATERSHED. OUR PARTNER SCHOOL DISTRICTS INCLUDE ESCONDIDO, VISTA, AND DEL MAR. WE SUPPORT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS BY OFFERING NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS, ALIGNED SCIENCE EDUCATION CURRICULUM-BASED FIELD TRIPS AND VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES. OUR GOALS ARE TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO PARTICIPATE IN OUTDOOR NATURE EXPERIENCES IN ESCONDIDO; TO CONNECT STUDENTS TO NATURE THROUGH WATERSHED LITERACY AND RELEVANCY LESSONS AND PROGRAMS; AND TO INSTILL A LIFE-LONG CONSERVATION ETHIC AMONG STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES IN PARTNERING ESCONDIDO SCHOOLS. FROM VIRTUAL ENGAGEMENT, TO IN-PERSON TOURS AND EVENTS, WE OFFER AN ARRAY OF ACTIVITIES TO ENJOY WITH A COMMUNITY AS WELL AS 8 MILES OF TRAILS WHERE ONE CAN GO SOLO AND ENJOY THE PEACE. VOLUNTEER AMBASSADORS WELCOME VISITORS OF ALL AGES WHEN THEY EXPERIENCE ANNIE'S CANYON TRAIL + SWAMI'S BEACH + SEASIDE STATE BEACH AND PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT HIGHLIGHTS UNIQUE FLORA AND FAUNA PLUS GUIDANCE ON HOW TO ENJOY OUR NATURAL WORLD IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY. HABITAT RESTORATION VOLUNTEERS HELP TO REMOVE INVASIVE SPECIES, WATER MANY GROWING PLANTS, MONITOR FLORA AND FAUNA, AND ASSIST IN OUR PLANT NURSERY. THEY ARE REHABILITATING HABITATS AND MAKING A LASTING DIFFERENCE! LOCATIONS VARY ACROSS SAN ELIJO LAGOON, AND BEYOND. YOU ALSO GET A BEHIND-THE-SCENES LOOK AT HOW NATURE THRIVES WHEN WE DEDICATE COLLECTIVE EXPERTISE TO MAKE THE OUTDOORS HEALTHY. THE SAGE INTERNSHIP HELPS YOUNG LEADERS BUILD THEIR RESUME WITH AN ECOLOGY-FOCUSED INTERNSHIP! AT NATURE COLLECTIVE, YOUTH OF TODAY CAN DEVELOP EXPERTISE IN CONSERVATION FIELDS THAT TRULY MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TODAY AND INTO THE FUTURE. THEY DIVE INTO THE SPACE WHERE SAN DIEGO NATURE IS AT A CRITICAL JUNCTURE, RIGHT WHERE THE OCEAN MEETS OUR RECEDING COASTLINE.