Desert to Coast: Rock Talk and Walk at Santa Ysabel County Preserve
Date: Saturday, October 5, 2024
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
(End time is approximate.)
Location: Santa Ysabel Nature Center and loop trail
Cost:
Non-member – $40/person
ABF Member – $30/person
Student – $15/person
Scholarships: A limited number of scholarships are available for those with financial hardship. If you’d like to request a scholarship, please reach out to [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph description about why you want to attend this program and your need for a scholarship.
Description
Our Desert to Coast series explores the connectedness of our local ecosystems from the desert to the mountains to the coast. By partnering with other conservation organizations, our goal is to increase understanding of the varied habitats in California and stress the importance of connectivity, landscape scale ecology, and wildlife corridors. In this series of programs, attendees will get to hear from expert scientists and be guided on hikes in unique locations throughout the County.
In this program, learn how our desert ecosystem connects to the mountains – specifically the wonderful Santa Ysabel County Preserves. This event offers a blend of education, adventure, and scenic beauty, perfect for nature enthusiasts and curious minds alike. This is a jointly hosted program between the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation and Anza Borrego Foundation.
The event will kick off at the Santa Ysabel Nature Center with a presentation by Park Ranger Doug Andrews, who will explore the rich cultural and geological history of San Diego County from desert to coast, including various artifacts found in the region. Participants will also have the option to tour the state-of-the-art Nature Center. Doug will then lead a rock talk and walk, where he will discuss the geologic and cultural features and wildlife along the Santa Ysabel Nature Center Loop, a 4-mile moderate hike located next to the Nature Center.
Participants will also have the option to meet for wine and lunch at the Volcan Mountain Winery (not included in registration fee).
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, hike, and connect with nature and like-minded individuals. Register now to secure your spot!
Physical Expectations:
This field trip asks participants to walk for about 4 miles on the popular Santa Ysabel Nature Center Loop trail, with many stops for interpretation. The hike is considered moderate, as portions of the hike are steep and there is the possibility of encountering prickly plants such as cactus.
Space is limited! Please register in advance.
About the Location and Field Trip Leaders:
The County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation owns and operates Santa Ysabel Preserve, a 6,347-acre span of land that includes some 20 miles of trails for recreation, along with opportunities for habitat protection, enhancement and education.
In 2010, The Nature Conservancy donated an 84-acre parcel of land in Santa Ysabel to the County, to construct a nature center. The parcel is set in an ideal location for a nature center; tucked into a grove of mature Engelmann oaks, and facing out to rolling grasslands, the property showcases the beauty of the area and the vegetation and wildlife that thrive on site.
Ranger Doug Andrews has worked for twenty-five years as a Paramedic firefighter, flight medic, and an EMT, EMTP instructor. As an avid outdoorsman, photographer, climber, and back country skier, his exploits have taken him around the states and several other countries. He has been a resident of Julian for the past twenty -six years and the last fifteen years has worked in the Santa Ysabel and Volcan Mountain Preserves leading hikes with an emphasis on local history, flora, and fauna.
Ranger Alicia Watkins is a park ranger who began her career with the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation in the fall of 2018. During this time, she’s served with the Ramona Preserves Work Group helping to manage and conserve nearly 15,000 acres of open space in the region and now works with the Mountain/Borrego team where she helps to manage Santa Ysabel West/East preserves, Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve, and Borrego Springs County Park. In her off time, Alicia enjoys spending time with her family, mountain biking, snowboarding, camping, off-roading, and flying airplanes.
Ranger Annette Bettencourt-Ouellette began her career in parks as a volunteer with the US Forest Service Palomar District, then happily joined with the County of San Diego Department of Parks and Recreation as a park attendant, then park ranger. Currently she works with the Mountain/Borrego work group to manage and sustain approximately 13,000 acres of property made up of Santa Ysabel West/East preserves, Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve, Pioneer Park Borrego Springs County Park, and Old Springs Preserve. In her free time, Annette enjoys hiking, snowboarding, camping, fishing, gardening, drawing, and woodworking.
Cancellation Policy:
Notification must be received at least 7 days before the first day of the event if you need to cancel and wish to receive a refund. For cancellations made after the 7-day deadline, we cannot issue refunds for any reason. We understand that unforeseen or emergency circumstances may arise, but our nonprofit organization operates on a limited budget and, while inconvenient, this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last-minute cancellations. If ABF cancels a program, we will issue a full refund or credit. Thank you for understanding!
Hikes may be cancelled due to unsafe weather or road conditions with 24-hour notice if possible
