Earth Discovery Institute

CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

ENGAGING COMMUNITIES IN STEWARDSHIP

THE EARTH DISCOVERY INSTITUTE PARTNERS WITH THE US FISH AND WILDLIFE SERVICE TO FACILITATE OUTDOOR LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS AND RESIDENTS IN EL CAJON PARTICIPANTS WILL VISIT A WILDLIFE REFUGE GAINING VALUABLE EXPOSURE TO THE OUTDOORS DURING THE ACADEMIC YEAREARTH DISCOVERY INSTITUTE PROPOSES TWO STRATEGIES THAT SUPPORT THE SAN DIEGO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE COMPLEXS PRIORITY PUBLIC USES THESE ARE 1 AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM TAILORED TO STUDENTS IN EAST COUNTY SAN DIEGO AND 2 INTERPRETIVE EVENTS ENGAGING THE BROADER SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY AS CONSERVATION PARTNERS THESE INITIATIVES WILL PROVIDE UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARTICIPANTS TO ENGAGE WITH NATURE GROW THEIR OUTDOOR RECREATION EXPERIENCE AND FOSTER A SENSE OF STEWARDSHIP BY UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL FOR RECREATION EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION IN THEIR BACKYARD THE PROGRAM WILL INCREASE EXPERIENCE OUTDOORS AND A DEEPER INTEREST IN RECREATION OPPORTUNITIES

SAN DIEGO IS A BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT, CONTAINING GREATER DIVERSITY OF LIFE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTYIN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. IT IS ALSO HOME TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. MEANWHILE, THE INCREASINGLY URBAN AND RACIALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF EAST COUNTY SAN DIEGO HAVE SOME OF THE POOREST ACCESS TO NATURE AND GREEN SPACES ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY, WITH LESS THAN 8 ACRES OF PARKLAND PER 1000 PEOPLE. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS PEOPLE FROM THESE UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES FACE TO MEANINGFULLY CONNECT WITH NATURE, AND TO ENGAGEPARTICIPANTS AS PARTNERS IN CONSERVATION. THIS WORK DIRECTLY SUPPORTS EARTH DISCOVERYINSTITUTES MISSION, TO INSPIRE STEWARDSHIP OF SAN DIEGOS NATIVE BIODIVERSITY THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION. EDI WORKS EXCLUSIVELY WITH TITLE 1 SCHOOLS, WHICH ARE COMPOSED OF MORE THAN 50 PERCENT MINORITY STUDENTS, AND HAS BROUGHT MORE THAN 30,000 CHILDREN TO ENGAGE IN SCIENCE-BASED,HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ON CONSERVED LANDS IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE AS MANY KIDS AS POSSIBLE FROM THESE COMMUNITIES ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT AND PERSONALLY EXPERIENCE OUR WILD LANDSCAPES. THIS IS HOW EDI BOTH BUILDS EQUITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND SUPPORTS THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS. EDI WILL CONTINUE ITS LONG-TIME PARTNERSHIP WITH USFW REFUGE STAFF TO HOST SEVERAL TYPES OFCOMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, INCLUDING, WEEKLY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES THAT SUPPORT HABITAT RESTORATION EFFORTS ON SAN DIEGO REFUGE PROPERTIES, REPRESENTATION AT COMMUNITY EVENTS, AND GUIDED NATURE HIKES.

THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS PEOPLE FROM UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES IN SOUTHEAST SAN DIEGO COUNTY FACE, TO MEANINGFULLY CONNECT WITH NATURE, AND TO ENGAGE PARTICIPANTS AS PARTNERS IN CONSERVATION. THIS WORK DIRECTLY SUPPORTS EARTH DISCOVERY INSTITUTE S MISSION, TO INSPIRE STEWARDSHIP OF SAN DIEGO S NATIVE BIODIVERSITY THROUGH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION. EARTH DISCOVERY INSTITUTE WORKS EXCLUSIVELY WITH TITLE 1 SCHOOLS AND HAS BROUGHT MORE THAN 30,000 CHILDREN TO ENGAGE IN SCIENCE-BASED, HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ON CONSERVED LAND IN SAN DIEGO COUNTY. OUR GOAL IS TO ENSURE AS MANY KIDS AS POSSIBLE FROM THESE COMMUNITIES ENJOY THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT AND PERSONALLY EXPERIENCE OUR WILD LANDSCAPES.

SAN DIEGO IS A BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT, CONTAINING GREATER DIVERSITY OF LIFE THAN ANY OTHER COUNTY IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. IT IS ALSO HOME TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY. MEANWHILE, THE INCREASINGLY URBAN AND RACIALLY DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF EAST COUNTY SAN DIEGO HAVE SOME OF THE POOREST ACCESS TO NATURE AND GREEN SPACES ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTY. THIS PROGRAM AIMS TO OVERCOME THE BARRIERS PEOPLE FROM THESE UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES FACE TO MEANINGFULLY CONNECT WITH NATURE, AND TO ENGAGE THEM AS PARTNERS IN CONSERVATION.EARTH DISCOVERY INSTITUTE WILL PARTNER WITH THE USFWS TO PROVIDE TWO, 3-HOUR FIELD VISITS (ONE TO A SAN DIEGO REFUGE) TO 250 STUDENTS FROM TITLE 1 SCHOOLS THAT SERVE DIVERSE POPULATIONS (AT LEAST 50% NON-WHITE). STUDENTS WILL PLANT A MINIMUM OF 125 NATIVE PLANTS ON A SAN DIEGO REFUGE PROPERTY TO SUPPORT HABITAT RESTORATION. WE WILL PARTICIPATE IN A TOTAL OF THREE COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENTS, IN EL CAJON, CHULA VISTA, AND ONE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY TO ENGAGING A MINIMUM OF 300 PEOPLE. WE WILL AIM TO ENGAGE AT LEAST 50 NEW PEOPLE TO RECEIVE EDI'S NEWSLETTER WITH INFORMATION AND INVITATIONS TO UPCOMING EVENTS, AND SOME PROPORTION OF THESE TO PARTICIPATE IN INTERPRETIVE EVENTS. EDI STAFF WILL LEAD TWO GUIDED NATURE HIKES ON A WILDLIFE REFUGE, WITH THE AIM OF ENGAGING AT LEAST 30 COMMUNITY MEMBERS. AND LASTLY EDI WILL WORK WITH A MINIMUM OF 6 VOLUNTEERS TO PERFORM AT LEAST 400 HOURS OF HABITAT OR INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENT WORK DURING 28 WEEKLY EVENTS ON A WILDLIFE REFUGE. WORK WILL BE COMPLETED UNDER THE DIRECTION OF THE REFUGE MANAGER AND BIOLOGIST.

ECOLOGY MEETS TECHNOLOGY PROJECT

MILKWEED FARM PROJECT, SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

HANDS-ON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO STUDENTS OF SOUTH SAN DIEGO BAY