Understanding California’s Energy Future Part Two: How Did Borrego Springs Become San Diego County’s “Least-Cost” Solar Basin?
Understanding California’s Energy Future Part Two:How Did Borrego Springs Become San Diego County’s “Least-Cost” Solar Basin? David Garmon, Desert Protective Trust San Diego County’s Regional Decarbonization Framework (RDF) identified Borrego Springs as the County’s “least-cost” location for remote, utility-scale solar generation. At first glance, that conclusion seems reasonable. Borrego Springs has abundant sunshine and broad […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Julian Navarrete
Volunteer Spotlight: Julian Navarrete Curiosity, Connection, and Giving Back to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park For Julian Navarrete, a love for Anza-Borrego began with a camera, a sense of curiosity, and a willingness to follow the desert a little farther. His first guided overnight trip to the Park inspired him to begin returning on his own […]
PROTECTING WHAT MATTERS: A Naturalist Campout Along the Proposed Golden Pacific Powerlink Route (Come Join!)
Dear Friends and Stewards of the Anza-Borrego Desert, My name is Lizbeth Bárcena. I am an ABF and ABDSP volunteer, a California naturalist, a designer by profession, and a resident of Borrego Springs. I am also an emerging nature writer, essayist, and poet, currently writing a book about this desert. As a writer, I often […]
Understanding California’s Energy Future Part One: Who Decides Where Transmission Lines Go?
Understanding California’s Energy Future Part One: Who Decides Where Transmission Lines Go? David Garmon, Desert Protective Trust If you ask most Californians who decides where major transmission lines should be built, you’ll probably hear the same answer: CAISO. It’s an understandable assumption. Whenever a major transmission project is proposed, the California Independent System Operator is […]
Balancing the Climate Ledger: What Are We Forgetting to Count?
Balancing the Climate Ledger: What Are We Forgetting to Count? California knows how to measure progress. We count megawatts of renewable energy installed. Miles of transmission approved. Battery storage brought online. Greenhouse gas emissions reduced. But what do we count when building that infrastructure permanently alters an intact ecosystem? That question is at the heart […]
Moments in Time with Dave Van Cleve: Paleontology at the Park
Moments in Time with Dave Van Cleve: Paleontology at the Park David Van Cleve has many ties to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Anza-Borrego Foundation. In the 1980s, he was an environmental scientist in the San Diego regional office, where he collaborated with park staff on many significant natural resource projects. In 1989, he was […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Omar Espinoza
Volunteer Spotlight: Omar Espinoza Volunteers bring Anza-Borrego to life in countless ways. They share their time, curiosity, knowledge, and care to help others experience the Park safely and meaningfully. This month, we are grateful to recognize Omar Espinoza, whose love of the outdoors and willingness to step outside his comfort zone have made volunteering with […]
ABF in Action: Jaime Purinton, Communications & Marketing Director
https://youtu.be/ov986fXysFk?si=3byK5zjzH-pJkOMa ABF in Action: Jaime Purinton, Communications & Marketing Director ABF in Action is our monthly spotlight series highlighting the people who bring Anza-Borrego Foundation’s mission to life. Each month, we introduce you to a member of our dedicated team—the people working behind the scenes (and out in the desert!) to protect the Park, inspire […]
Moments in Time with Dave Van Cleve: The Amazing SBABDRC
Moments in Time with Dave Van Celve: The Amazing SBABDRC David Van Cleve has many ties to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Anza-Borrego Foundation. In the 1980s, he was an environmental scientist in the San Diego regional office, where he collaborated with park staff on many significant natural resource projects. In 1989, he was selected […]
Keep the Desert Thriving: Ways to Support Borrego Partner Businesses This Summer
Keep the Desert Thriving: Ways to Support Borrego Partner Businesses This Summer While daytime temperatures rise and visitor numbers slow, the community that supports Anza-Borrego Desert State Park remains hard at work. Behind every memorable stay, delicious meal, and warm welcome are local businesses that help make Borrego Springs a place unlike any other. Many […]
ABF in Action: Briana Puzzo, Operations Director
https://youtube.com/shorts/x0dqQbdawf0?feature=share ABF in Action: Briana Puzzo, Operations Director ABF in Action is our monthly spotlight series highlighting the people who bring our mission to life. Each month, we introduce you to a member of our dedicated team—the people working behind the scenes (and out in the desert!) to protect the Park, inspire visitors, and connect […]
Moments in Time with Dave Van Cleve: How a Baseball Field at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park led to a 5th-grade Camp in Anza-Borrego
Moments in Time with Dave Van Cleve: How a Baseball Field at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park led to a 5th-grade Camp in Anza-Borrego David Van Cleve has many ties to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Anza-Borrego Foundation. In the 1980s, he was an environmental scientist in the San Diego regional office, where he collaborated with […]
Volunteer Spotlight: Matt McArdle
Volunteer Spotlight: Matt McArdle Helping Others Discover the Wonder of Anza-Borrego After Dark From birding tours to adventure hikes, volunteers play an essential role in helping visitors connect more deeply with the beauty and wonder of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This season, volunteer Matt McArdle has shared his passion for the desert by supporting […]
ABF in Action: Noelhy Delgadillo
ABF in Action: Noelhy Delgadillo, Office Manager ABF in Action is our monthly spotlight series highlighting the people who bring Anza-Borrego Foundation’s mission to life. Each month, we introduce you to a member of our dedicated team—the people working behind the scenes (and out in the desert!) to protect the Park, inspire visitors, and connect […]
Five Ways to Support Anza-Borrego Desert State Park This Earth Day
Five Ways to Support Anza-Borrego Desert State Park This Earth Day Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is vast, resilient, and alive with stories written across 650,000 acres of desert landscape. From sweeping badlands and hidden palm oases to delicate wildflowers and dark night skies, it’s a place that needs us to care about it. Here are […]
Moments in Time with Dave Van Cleve: Have you ever VERPed in public?
Moments in Tim with Dave Van Cleve: Have you ever VERPed in Public? David Van Cleve has many ties to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Anza-Borrego Foundation. In the 1980s, he was an environmental scientist in the San Diego regional office, where he collaborated with park staff on many significant natural resource projects. In 1989, […]
New Hope for the Mojave Desert Tortoise: What California’s New Conservation Plan Could Mean for Anza-Borrego
The Mojave desert tortoise is more than an iconic reptile—it is an important part of desert ecosystems. Its burrows provide shelter for other wildlife, and its presence reflects the health of intact desert habitat. Protecting tortoises also helps protect countless other species that depend on the same landscape. In areas connected to Anza-Borrego Desert State […]
Where Teachers Become Learners: Recapping the 2026 Teacher Symposiums
Thanks to funding from Elwyn Heller Foundation of San Diego, the 2026 Anza-Borrego Foundation Teacher Symposiums brought together inspiring groups of educators for immersive, place-based learning experiences at the Steele/Burnand Anza-Borrego Desert Research Center, located within Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Through two symposiums held in March and April, teachers stepped into the role of learners […]
ABF in Action: Emily Blanchard, Education Coordinator
ABF in Action: Emily Blanchard, Education Coordinator ABF in Action is our monthly spotlight series highlighting the people who bring Anza-Borrego Foundation’s mission to life. Each month, we introduce you to a member of our dedicated team—the people working behind the scenes (and out in the desert!) to protect the Park, inspire visitors, and connect […]
The Story of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park How California’s Largest State Park Came to Be
The Story of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park How California’s Largest State Park Came to Be Anza-Borrego Desert State Park didn’t happen by accident. It is the result of vision, persistence, and decades of conservation work by people who believed this vast desert landscape was worth protecting—long before most people fully understood its value. Today, spanning […]