Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events
FEBRUARY 2024
We all play a part in preventing stormwater pollution. Here are some ways to get involved in February and help protect our local waterways! All events are free unless otherwise indicated.
Ongoing beach and community cleanups help protect the County’s waterways from stormwater pollution and can preserve water quality for years to come. The County thanks the following beach and community cleanup event partners for their ongoing support in preventing stormwater pollution: I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD), Surfrider Foundation San Diego, San Diego Coastkeeper, San Diego River Park Foundation, Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR), San Diego Canyonlands, Buena Vista Audubon (BVA), San Diego Audubon, Preserve Calavera, Think Blue San Diego, Green Oceanside, Friends of Rose Creek, ASCENDtials.org, Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, City of Carlsbad, and We Clean Trails.
February 2
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9am to 11am – San Diego River Park Foundation World Wetland Day - Hike With a Purpose: BioBlitz at the San Diego River Estuary. Learn more or sign up.
February 3
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8am and throughout the day – Love Escondido Day, Various Beautification and Cleanup Projects. Learn more or register.
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8am to 10:30am – San Diego Canyonlands Swan Canyon Habitat Restoration. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 11am – Surfrider Foundation San Diego Ocean Beach Cleanup. Learn more or register.
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9am to 11am – Surfrider Foundation San Diego Oceanside Pier Beach Cleanup. Learn more or register.
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9:15am to 11:30am – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Beach Cleanup and Kemetic Yoga, Torrey Pines Black’s Beach. Learn more or sign up by selecting the 2/3 date on the calendar.
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9am to 3pm – San Diego Audubon Friends of Rose Creek Love Your Wetlands Day. Learn more or RSVP.
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10am – San Elijo Lagoon Clean-Up with We Clean Trails. Meet at the Cardiff 101 Booth at the Cardiff Farmer’s Market before embarking on a loop around the San Elijo Lagoon. Register by completing waiver.
February 5
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9am to 12pm – TRNERR Monday Stewardship Cleanup and Restoration Session. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – Buena Vista Audubon Weekly Nature Center Garden Work Party. Learn more.
February 8
February 9
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9am to 12pm – San Diego Canyonlands Mission Hills Canyon Maintenance. Learn more.
February 10
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9am to 10:30am – Preserve Calavera Rancho La Costa Restoration. Learn more or RSVP.
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9am to 11am – San Diego Audubon Friends of Rose Creek Native Plant Garden Work Party. Learn more or RSVP.
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9am to 11am – Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Trail Cleanup Event – Discovery Center. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 11am – ILACSD Coffee Date Cleanup: Encanto Southcrest Park. Learn more or register.
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9am to 11am – San Diego River Park Foundation Garden Club. Learn more or sign up.
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10:15am to 11:30am – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Beach Cleanup, Silver Strand Beach. Learn more or sign up by selecting the 2/10 date on the calendar.
February 11
February 12
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9am to 12pm – TRNERR Monday Stewardship Cleanup and Restoration Session. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – Buena Vista Audubon Weekly Nature Center Garden Work Party. Learn more.
February 13
February 15
February 16
February 17
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9am to 10:30am – Preserve Calavera El Corazon Restoration. Learn more or RSVP.
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9am to 11am – Surfrider Foundation San Diego Moonlight State Beach Cleanup. Learn more or register.
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9am to 11am – San Diego Canyonlands Navajo Canyon Habitat Restoration - City Park Ranger Event. Learn more.
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9:15am to 11:30am – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Highway Cleanup, Highway 75 at Coronado Island. Learn more or sign up by selecting the 2/17 date on the calendar.
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10am to 12pm – Surfrider Foundation San Diego Imperial Beach Cleanup. Learn more or register.
February 19
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9am to 12pm – Buena Vista Audubon Weekly Nature Center Garden Work Party. Learn more.
February 20
February 21
February 23
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9am to 12pm – San Diego Canyonlands Mission Hills Canyon Maintenance. Learn more.
February 24
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8:30am to 11:30am – City of Carlsbad Trail Volunteer Cleanup, Kelly Trail. Learn more or RSVP.
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9am to 11am – ILACSD Watershed Warriors: Woodhaven County Park. Learn more or register.
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9am to 11am – San Diego Audubon Wander the Wetlands Work Party. Learn more or RSVP.
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9:15am to 11:30 – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Highway Cleanup, Highway 125 at Quarry/Elketon. Learn more or sign up by selecting the 2/24 date on the calendar.
February 25
February 26
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9am to 12pm – TRNERR Monday Stewardship Cleanup and Restoration Session. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – Buena Vista Audubon Weekly Nature Center Garden Work Party. Learn more.
Monthly/Ongoing or On Your Own Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events
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Tuesdays and Fridays, 9am to 12pm – San Diego River Park Foundation Assessment Field Teams (RAFT). Learn more or sign up.
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Tuesdays and Fridays, 9am to 12pm – San Dieguito River Park Foundation Dust Devils Trail Maintenance and Habitat Restoration Events. Locations vary. See February event calendar to learn more.
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Wednesdays and Saturdays, 9am to 12pm – San Diego River Park Foundation River Rescue Cleanups. Learn more or sign up.
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Saturdays – San Diego Canyonlands Cleanup and Restoration Events. Times and locations vary. See February event calendar to learn more.
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San Diego Surfrider Foundation Ongoing Solo Cleanups. Learn more.
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Coastkeeper San Diego Six Cleanup Challenge, Flexible Dates/Times. Learn more and see list of challenge sites.
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ILACSD Adopt A Beach, Adopt A Canyon Program, Flexible Dates/Flexible Times – Volunteer to help keep San Diego County maintained, safe, and beautiful. Run an independent beach/canyon cleanup at your chosen ‘adopted’ location at a date and time that works for you. Requirements include a minimum of three cleanups at your chosen site in one year and the reporting of detailed cleanup data to ILACSD. Learn more and adopt a location.
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) – Love Your Wetlands Day Workshop with San Diego Audubon Society – February 3, 9am to 3pm – Support Love Your Wetlands Day by attending the new site extension of the marshland in Mission Bay. The event includes guided marsh and kayak clean ups, booths from environmental organizations, native planting & a seed planting demonstration area, educational presentations by local scientists, and more. Offered in partnership with San Diego Audubon and the University of California Reserve System. Learn more or register.
UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program Urban and Community Webinar Series – Springtime Weed Identification & Management Webinar, February 15, 12pm – In this webinar learn how to identify common weeds that emerge in the spring and how you can prevent or control them from popping up in your landscape. Learn more or register.
California Landscape Contractors Association (CLCA) – San Diego Chapter Lunch & Learn: Native West Nursery – February 15, 10am to 12pm – Join the CLCA at Native West Nursery for a presentation on the benefits of California native plants and how to select, install, and maintain them. Lunch and a nursery tour will follow. Go to event calendar and click on the February 15th event to learn more or register.
San Diego Botanic Garden – The following events are being offered in February.
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Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, 10am to 12pm – Monthly SAPLinGS Sessions – Children are invited to join in for Science, Art, and Play in Garden Spaces (SAPLinGS) activities. Topics vary and will focus on a different plant or nature-based theme. Science activities engage kids with cool science and hands-on learning that stimulates curiosity. Art activities focus on projects that spark the imagination. Learn more.
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February 17, 2pm – Succulent Heart Topiary – ($$ fees vary) – Create your own heart topiary table decoration with a variety of succulent cuttings from the Garden. Registration closes on February 11th. Garden admission included in the class fee. Learn more or register.
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February 23, 2pm to 3pm – Monthly Science Series – Join the Garden each month as plant science and conservation efforts are presented by San Diego Botanic Garden’s staff, colleagues, and guest speakers. Speakers are to be determined. Registration closes on February 22nd. Learn more or register.
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February 24, 10am – Grow Food, End Hunger, Save the Planet ($10 refundable deposit) – Learn about gardening techniques for growing gardens in small spaces, increasing your yields, and ways to reduce waste at home, and more. Registration closes February 23rd. Sponsored by the City of Encinitas. Learn more or register.
Landscape and Water-Savings Webinars – A series of landscape and water-savings webinars are being offered throughout the month of February. Dates and times vary. Hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. See calendar and learn more or register.
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Rainwater Harvesting – Learn how to design your yard using watershed-wise landscaping including criteria and considerations when selecting rain capture methods such as swales, berms, cisterns, and integrating hardscapes.
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California-Friendly Native Plant Landscape – Learn how to design a yard using the four principles of gorgeous and watershed-wise landscaping including building healthy soil, capturing rainfall, selecting native plants that minimize water use, and controlling irrigation.
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Goodbye Grass: Qualify for a Turf Replacement Rebate – Learn about replacing your lawn with a watershed-wise landscape, including removing turf without the use of chemicals, replacing it with climate-appropriate plantings, and how to apply for a turf replacement rebate.
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SoCal Gas Pro Series – Trees, Growing the Urban Forest – Learn the steps necessary to plant, protect and maintain trees in their landscape and community.
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Turf: Remove, Replace, or Maintain Organically – Learn how to design your yard using principles of watershed-wise landscaping including removing your lawn without chemicals, building healthy soil, and selecting climate-appropriate and water-wise plants.
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Irrigation & Water Use Efficiency – Learn how to design a yard using the principles of watershed wise landscaping. Topics include overview of an irrigation system, programming a controller, why drip over spray, and easy ways to conserve water.
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Garden Design Workshop – Learn how to identify critical steps for successfully designing a watershed-wise landscape including developing a successful planting plan, developing a palette of climate-appropriate plants, and sizing and siting the rainwater capture area.
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Understanding Your Irrigation Timer – Learn about your irrigation controller including understanding irrigation’s role in maintaining a soil moisture balance, outlining the purpose of a weather-based controller, reviewing basic terminology and programming principles, identifying special functions like cycle & soak, and troubleshooting typical problems.
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Drip Irrigation Fundamentals – Learn how to save your landscape by understanding soil moisture balance, key components of a properly installed drip system, typical problems with drip and how to avoid them, and developing a successful maintenance practice.
WaterSmart Residential Landscape and Irrigation Events – The San Diego County Water Authority’s WaterSmart Program is providing the following online workshops and consultation services in February.
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February 10, 9am to 12pm – Plan Ahead: Understanding Soil and Site Assessments – Learn about the steps needed to turn water-thirsty turf into a beautiful and sustainable landscape including how to rethink, redesign and renovate your landscape and the important role of healthy soil in a successful landscape. Learn more or register. Learn more or register.
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February 17, 9am to 12pm – Design: Shape Your Space – Learn how to integrate your landscape into your personal lifestyle. Learn more or register.
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February 24, 9am to 12pm – Plants: Inspiring Choices for Our Region – Learn about which plants to use in designing a low-water-use landscape and why some are more water-efficient than others. Learn more or register.
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Designer At Your Door Water Conservation Service – This service provides an opportunity for one-on-one support from industry professionals that complements special topic WaterSmart landscape classes. Homeowners must meet certain criteria to qualify for this service. Learn more about homeowner eligibility by clicking on the Design Program tab and apply.
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Past Recordings of 3-Hour Landscape Workshops – View past workshops.
Programa de certificación dual de paisajismo con eficiencia hídrica: marzo de 2024 Taller de certificación dual: 6, 13 y 20 de marzo, de 10 am a 4:30 pm (depósito reembolsable de $50 al asistir al taller y completar todos los requisitos) – La Asociación de Contratistas de Jardinería de California y el Distrito Metropolitano de Agua del Sur de California ahora ofrecen una certificación única para obtener dos certificaciones profesionales WaterSense de la EPA reconocidas a nivel nacional con un curso y un examen escrito. Los esfuerzos conjuntos combinan el Programa de Certificación de Gestión del Agua de CLCA con el programa de Paisajista Calificado con Uso Eficiente del Agua para ofrecer a la industria del paisajismo la oportunidad de obtener dos certificaciones profesionales WaterSense de la EPA reconocidas a nivel nacional con un curso y un examen escrito. El plan de estudios combinado se centra en los fundamentos del paisajismo e incluye temas como de dónde proviene nuestra agua, paisajismo sostenible, sistemas y gestión de riego, gestión y presupuesto del agua del paisaje, y más. Ofrecido en asociación con la Autoridad del Agua del Condado de San Diego y el Condado de San Diego. Obtenga más información o regístrese.
The Water Conservation Garden – Lil’ Sprouts Storytime with Ms. Smarty-Plants 2024 – February 21, 9:30am to 10:30am – Join Ms. Smarty-Plants™ on the 3rd Wednesday of every month for a featured story followed by a nature craft. Storytime is free with Garden Admission. Registration will close on Monday, February 19th. Sponsored by Boys and Girls Foundation and Dr. Seuss Foundation. Learn more or register.
I Love a Clean San Diego (ILACSD) Waste Reduction Events – The following waste reduction events are being offered in February.
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February 3, 10am to 12pm – Slow Down Swap Party at Lake Miramar – Join ILACSD in making fashion circular, by trading your clothes, accessories, and shoes at their swap party at Lake Miramar Concession. Donate by bringing lightly used items with you. Learn more.
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February 13, 12pm to 1pm (February 27, 12pm to 1pm Spanish Version) – Organic Waste Recycling Webinar – Learn about the City of San Diego’s curbside organic waste recycling program. Topics include why it’s so important to divert organic waste from our landfills, what types of waste can be put in the green bin, and how to properly dispose of food waste through the curbside organic waste recycling program. Sponsored by the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department. Learn more or register.
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February 22 5pm to 6pm – Say No to Single-Use Plastic Webinar – Learn about many zero waste product swaps to eliminate single-use plastic items from all areas of your daily routine. Topics include why it’s so important for our health and the health of the environment to reduce plastic usage, what happens to plastic after we use it and throw it away, how to properly recycle or dispose of plastic waste, and zero waste product swaps for single-use items. Sponsored by the City of Encinitas. Learn more or register.
The Living Coastal Discovery Center Compost Workshops – The following events will be offered in February.
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4 de febrero, de 11:30am a 12:30pm – Bilingual Workshop – Aprenda los conceptos básicos sobre cómo comenzar su propia pila de compostaje y convertir los desechos de alimentos en tierra rica en nutrients. Asista a estos talleres in situ, gratis con la entrada. También se encuentran disponibles talleres de video pregrabados. Patrocinado por la Ciudad de Chula Vista. Obtenga más información o regístrese.
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February 11th and 18th, 11:30am to 12:30pm – Sunday Compost Workshops – Learn the basics on how to start your own compost pile and turn food waste into nutrient-rich soil by attending these on-site workshops, free with admission. Pre-recorded video workshops are also available. Sponsored by the City of Chula Vista. Learn more or sign up for the February 11th and 18th
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February 25, 11:30am to 12:30pm – Vermicomposting Workshop – Learn how to build and care for your own worm bin. Learn more or register.
South Bay Sustainable Communities Network – The following events will be offered in February.
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Free Compost Workshops – February 4th and 18th, 8:30am – Through these hands-on compost workshops, learn how to turn and harvest a backyard compost system. Learn more and RSVP to Tina at (619) 738-4188 or email: SBSustainableCommunities@gmail.com.
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Monthly Compost Pile Turnings – various days, timeslots and cities – Join South Bay Sustainable Communities Network for monthly turnings of their soil saver compost bins at select compost hub locations throughout South San Diego County. Compost hubs are also available to community members to drop off food scraps. Scroll to bottom of home page to check calendar for hub locations and dates.
San Diego Fixit Clinics – The following fixit clinics will be offered in February. Learn how to reduce waste by fixing things instead of throwing items away. Bring your broken, non-working items—electronics, appliances, computers, toys, bicycles, clothes, and more—for assessment, disassembly, and possible repair. Workspace, specialty tools, and guidance to help you take apart and troubleshoot your item will be provided. Hosted by Zero Waste San Diego.
Solana Center for Environmental Innovation Waste Reduction Events – The following residential and business events are being offered in February.
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February 19, 12:30pm to 1pm – Vermicomposting Basics Workshop – Lakeside – Learn about the benefits of worm composting, how to feed your worms and set up a worm bin, and tools and materials needed. Funded by the County of San Diego. Site host Lakeside Garden Club. Learn more or register.
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Free E-Business Waste Pickup – February 21 – A free monthly e-waste pick-up service is being offered to businesses in San Diego County. Register by Friday February 16th for the Wednesday, February 21st Urban Corps will contact you to confirm pick-up. Offered in partnership with Urban Corps. Learn more or sign up.
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February 24 through March 23, 9:30am to 12:30pm – Master Composter In-Person Course ($25 fee) – Escondido – This five-week Master Composter course provides training in the art and science of composting covering topics on traditional composting and vermicomposting, Bokashi fermentation, compost bin building and troubleshooting, macrodecomposers in your compost pile, and more. Course includes lectures, demonstrations, and a tour of Deer Park Monastery’s composting system. Eligible for Master Composter certification upon meeting certain requirements. Funded by the County of San Diego. Site host Deer Park Monastery. Learn more or register.
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February 25, 10am to 11am – Rain Barrel & Water Harvesting Workshop – Think Blue, City of San Diego – Learn about the benefits of rain barrels and best practices for rainwater collection at this workshop designed for City of San Diego residents. Topics include installation demonstration, downspout and rain chain connections, rain barrel maintenance and emptying practices, and rebates and discounts for City of San Diego residents. Webinar funded by Think Blue San Diego. Site host San Diego Jewish Academy. Learn more about workshop and pre-order rain barrels.
San Diego River Park Foundation World Wetland Day – Hike With a Purpose: BioBlitz at the San Diego River Estuary – February 2, 9am to 11am – Celebrate World Wetland Day and the exceptional biodiversity of our world's wetlands while also encouraging actions to protect it. Participate in this event by walking around Ocean Beach and the San Diego River Estuary and documenting the area's flora and fauna. Learn more or sign up.
San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy Speaker Series – Connecting Creatures, Climate, and Communities with Dr. Drew Tally – February 7, 6:30pm to 8pm ($$ fees vary, donations accepted) – Join this event for a thought-provoking and inspiring series that explores the intricate connection between creatures, climate, and communities within the San Dieguito River Valley. Learn the ways in which our delicate ecosystem intertwines, and gain a deeper understanding of the challenges and solutions to a sustainable future. Site location Del Mar Town Hall. Learn more or get tickets
Center for Watershed Protection – 2024 Webcast Series: Webcast 2 – Stormwater Funding – February 21, 10am to 11:30am ($159 fee non-member) – Two speakers will be presenting information on stormwater funding sources. The first area of focus will be the main water infrastructure funding sources in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The other topic will explore a variety of federal, state, local and private funding sources that have been deployed in greenprint, floodprint, urban stream restoration, and other green infrastructure projects. Note time on website posted as Eastern Time. Scroll to webcast 2 to learn more or register.
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Preschool Playdates Program – Daily program Monday through Friday, 9am to 1pm ($$ fees vary) – All children ages 3 to 5 are invited to join the daily program for nature themed lessons and activities. Each day will include environmental education and literacy, a craft made from recycled materials, outdoor play and more. You can choose to register for the entire week, four days, three days, two days or one day a week. Topics vary by month with the February topic being Habitat Happenings. Learn more or register.
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