San Diego Sierra Club Meeting
Learn how everyday citizens are partnering with local experts to collect scientifically valid data to meet regional management goals and objectives as part of the new Citizen Science Monitoring Program at the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy and River Park. Citizen science takes advantage of the fact that visitors to the River Park are constantly observing their surroundings as they hike, bike or ride their horse on our trails. This program offers residents, volunteers, trail-users and other outdoor enthusiasts a way to actively contribute to the betterment of their local outdoor spaces; they can be a field scientist for a day. It also offers students, when combined with school and university programs, a great way to get hands-on learning opportunities. Recent examples include Argentine ant surveys, wildlife tracking outreach program, herp surveys, bird surveys, rare plant surveys, and botanical survey. The presenter, Jess Norton, brings over ten years of federal, state, and local experience in protected species regulation, natural resource management, and environmental planning to the Conservancy. Jess gained extensive knowledge of San Diego’s native habitats and species during her 4-1/2 years with the County of San Diego Department of Parks & Recreation, where she was responsible for preparing Resource Management Plans, overseeing biological/cultural surveys, and obtaining grant funds for habitat restoration projects. Info: [email protected].