East County News Service

February 12, 2023 (San Diego) -- North America’s songbird population has declined dramatically in the last 50 years, and the most significant cause of the decline is loss of habitat. In a lecture on Thursday, March 2 at 6 p.m. at Mission Trails Regional Park’s visitor center, Kay Charter of the nonprofit Saving Birds Thru Habitat will offer tips on creating habitat in your own yard to help songbirds thrive.

San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife Team rehabilitates bobcat before release

February 9, 2023 (Ramona) --  A bobcat, who spent three weeks in care with San Diego Humane Society’s Project Wildlife team, returned to the wild this week. The adult male was released by Project Wildlife staff in Mission Trails Regional Park, not far from where he was initially found on Jan. 18 by a good Samaritan who called San Diego Humane Society’s Humane Law Enforcement for help.

Humane Officers  transported the injured cat to the Veterinary Emergency Group in Encinitas, where he was triaged and given supportive care overnight. The bobcat arrived to San Diego Humane Society on Jan. 19 with injuries indicating he had likely been hit by a car. Project Wildlife’s veterinary team at the Pilar & Chuck Bahde Wildlife Center in San Diego immediately administered pain medication, performed radiographs and treated the bobcat for abrasions and minor contusions.

Once stabilized, the bobcat was moved the next day to the organization’s Ramona Wildlife Center, where Project Wildlife’s staff specialize in caring for native apex predators such as bobcats, coyotes and bears.

By Miriam Raftery

January 25, 2023 (Alpine) – Late last fall, Sweetwater Water Authority authorized draining Loveland Reservoir down to  minimum pool and then in November, further draining to dead pool status over public objections, as ECM reported,  That extreme draining left an L-shaped floating fishing dock paid for by taxpayers through a federal HUD grant perched on dry land.

Then came the deluge of rainfall in mid-January, which ripped apart the fishing dock.

East County News Service 

January 3, 2023 (Escondido)  – San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance won the coveted Animation Award in yesterday’s 134th Rose Parade presented by Honda, with a float celebrating the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s 50th anniversary. The float’s theme, “Celebrating 50 Years of Conservation,” depicted rhinos, giraffes and the Safari Park’s iconic Wildlife Safari experience, bringing to life the Safari Park’s ability to connect guests with wildlife and provide life-changing moments.

The award recognizes the most outstanding use of animation. Giraffes and rhinos on the float were animated, with the rhinos seemingly coming to life as they turned their heads and the giraffes moving their long necks and bending down for a cool drink of water from a flowing waterfall.

 “We are humbled and honored to receive the Animation Award, but more importantly, we are grateful the Rose Parade gave San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and our Safari Park an opportunity to bring our conservation message to a global audience,” said Paul A. Baribault, president and chief executive officer, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. “Conservation starts with people—and at the Safari Park, we are able to make a connection between our guests and wildlife every day. Our hope is that connecting people to wildlife will inspire them to help support our mission and our global conservation programs to protect endangered wildlife.”

Sweetwater Water Authority has drained Loveland Reservoir to dead pool status despite community objections loss of recreational resources, wildlife habitat and firefighting impacts, as ECM reported.  Activist and fisherman Russell Walsh sent in photos and this message in response. 

Photos:  left, Loveland Reservoir after being drained to dead pool level; right, before the draining, maintained at 75 year minimum pool level.

By Russell Walsh

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: dry conditions at Lake Mendocino, via Calif. Dept. of Water Resources

December 19, 2022 (San Diego) -- Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has declared a Regional Drought Emergency for all of Southern California amid a fourth year of drought. MWD is calling on local water agencies to immediately reduce their use of all imported water supplies. This call could become mandatory if drought conditions persist in the coming months.

East County News Service

 December 4, 2022 (San Marcos) – The battle to protect nearly 2,000 acres in San Diego’s North County from development is over. Two years after voters approved ballot Measure B to block construction of the controversial Newland Sierra housing project previously approved by San Diego’s Board of Supervisors, one of the project’s leading opponents, Golden Door spa, has acquired the property to preserve it as open space and wildlife habitat for generations to come. 

 “We are excited to finally secure this remarkable benefit for climate action initiatives,” said Kathy Van Ness, General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Golden Door.  “Protecting this property reflects our deep commitment to sustainability, which we believe is part of our responsibility to our community and beyond.  Caring for the incredible resources on this site is a way we can truly contribute to our shared climate action goals.”

 Nathan Fletcher, Chair of the County of San Diego Board of Supervisors, applauded this unique win-win opportunity for the region.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo  left:  water drains from Loveland Reservoir in Alpine to Sweetwater Reservoir in Otay;

Photo, right: bare mudflat at Loveland, once  400 surface acres, now doomed to be dropped to just 10.

November 23, 2022 (Alpine) – Without any regard to impacts on wildlife, fire danger, rural residents or recreational users at Loveland Reservoir near Alpine in San Diego's East County, the Sweetwater Water Authority (SWA) on November 16 began draining down the lake with an intent to reduce it to “dead pool” level – less than one-half of one percent of the reservoir’s capacity, once draining is completed over the next couple of weeks or so.

The water is being transferred to Sweetwater Reservoir in Spring Valley. From there, it will be used to provide drinking water and other water needs to residents in the South Bay communities of Chula Vista, National City and Bonita.

But critics say  the action is destroying habitat for wildlife, perhaps forever, also eliminating fishing at the area's only reservoir with free fishing access, and threatening firefighters' ability to combat fast-moving wildfires .  Critics also contend that draining the reservoir so low is unnecssary at current drought levels. Yet the people most negatively impacted have no representation on the SWA board, which doesn't include East County.

By Dr. Gary Weitzman, President & CEO, San Diego Humane Society

November 15, 2022 (San Diego) - This fall, San Diego Humane Society is celebrating Project Wildlife’s 50th anniversary. For five decades, this essential program has served as our region’s safety net for wild animals in need. Since its founding, Project Wildlife has rescued and cared for hundreds of thousands of injured, orphaned or sick animals, and has transformed into one of the largest wildlife rehabilitation programs in the country.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: CC via Bing

November 11, 2022 (San Diego) -- The California Public Utility Commission today released a revised version of its Net Metering 3.0 proposal to regulate rooftop solar. The agency will hear testimony at a public meeting on Wednesday, November 16^th and is slated to vote December 15^th on the measure. If adopted, the new rules would take effect next April.

Source: County of San Diego

October 28, 2022 (San Diego) - The County of San Diego Planning & Development Services (PDS) invites you to attend a public meeting to share your thoughts.  The project is identifying Environmental Justice Communities within the unincorporated region of San Diego County. The County will provide project background information and would like your input to help explore priorities, issues and opportunities to inform potential options to expand the identification of “Environmental Justice Communities.” PDS is hosting this virtual public meeting to receive your input on: November 9, 2022, at 6 p.m. (registration link provided below).

Suzanne Potter, California News Service

Photo of mountain lion: CC via Bing

October 12, 2022 (Sacramento) -- Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill into law to require Caltrans to integrate wildlife corridors into its plans as roads are built around the state.

By Anagha Iyer, EarthTalk

By Rhea Joshi, EarthTalk

Photo:  Heinz is working with Pulpex to prototype a food-grade bottle made from sustainably-sourced wood pulp that can be recycled and biodegrades if it is thrown away.

September 23, 2022 (San Diego) - Dear EarthTalk: What’s new in food packaging to make it more sustainable?

--E.C. Bern, NC

East County News Service

September 12, 2022 (La Mesa) – Bicycle need fixing? Pedal into downtown La Mesa, where you’ll now find a do-it-yourself bike repair station complete with tools and how-to tips.