Rotary Clubs Unite for Conservation at San Elijo Lagoon
To participate in Rotary’s Epic Day of Service, Solana Beach ECO Rotary (Amelie Catheline, Alisa Morrison, and Jenny Parker) partnered with Encinitas Coastal Rotary (Ralph Hirschmann, Laura Lingardo, Rob Coury), the Rotary Club of Escondido (Ione Rummery and son), and Nature Collective to work at the San Elijo Lagoon Reserve. We worked alongside other community volunteers at the far eastern edge of the 1000-acre reserve to remove invasive plants and plant natives. The reserve is truly a special place, packed with wildlife and is especially lush and green this time of year. We were treated to generous birdsong and the honking of migrating geese while we worked.
The Nature Collective did a fantastic job of organizing the event. We were even given a tour and lecture on the importance of the wetland’s native plants and the challenges of invasive species in the area. They let us know that the work we did helps re-balance the natural landscape to encourage more biodiversity in the area. This large wetland reserve is critical to maintaining San Diego’s status as the most biodiverse county in the contiguous U.S. The health of the lagoon reserve also helps preserve our coastline, reduces pollution going into the ocean, and acts as a carbon sink. Projects like these make a small but meaningful impact on our environment. Please consider joining us on our future endeavors!
— Article and photo by Jenny Parker