Stormwater Pollution Prevention Events
MARCH 2024
We all play a part in preventing stormwater pollution. Here are some ways to get involved in March 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, Friends of Famosa Slough, ASCENDtials.org, Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation, City of Carlsbad, City of San Diego, City of La Mesa, We Clean Trails and South Bay Sustainable Communities Network.
March 2
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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 – San Diego Canyonlands Tecolote Canyon Habitat Restoration. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 11am – ILACSD Litter Free La Mesa: Waite Drive Neighborhood Cleanup. Learn more or register.
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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 Breakwater - 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 3/2 date on the calendar.
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9:30am to 1pm – San Diego Audubon Community Restoration: Planting at Sweetwater Bike Path. Learn more or register.
March 3
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9am to 12pm – San Diego River Park Foundation California Wildlife Day - Hike With a Purpose: BioBlitz at Eagle Peak Ranch. Learn more or sign up.
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12:15pm to 1:30pm – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Highway Cleanup, 5 South at Mission Bay Beach Club. Learn more or sign up by selecting the 3/3 date on the calendar.
March 4
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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.
March 6
March 7
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9am to 11am – Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Trail Cleanup Event – Hubbs Trail/Garfield Street Trailhead. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – San Diego Audubon Dune Defenders Cleanup. Learn more and RSVP.
March 8
March 9
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8am to 10:30am – San Diego Canyonlands Manzanita Canyon Habitat Restoration. Learn more or sign up.
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8:30am to 11:30am – San Diego Audubon Anstine Nature Preserve Volunteer Work Party. Learn more or register.
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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 Coastkeeper World Wildlife Day Milkwood Planting at Otay Valley Regional Park. Learn more.
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9am to 11am – San Diego Audubon Friends of Rose Creek Native Plant Garden Work Party. Learn more or register.
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9am to 11am – Friends of Rose Creek and We Clean Trails Trash Pickup. Learn more.
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9am to 11:30am – San Diego Canyonlands Friends of Tierrasanta Canyons Habitat Restoration. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – San Diego Audubon Friends of Famosa Slough Work Party. Learn more or register.
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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 3/9 date on the calendar.
March 10
March 11
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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.
March 14
March 16
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8am to 10:30am – San Diego Canyonlands Olivia Canyon Habitat Restoration. Learn more or sign up.
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8:30am to 11:30am – Sustainable Communities Community Clean-Up: Sweetwater River Channel. Learn more or RSVP.
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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 10:30am – ASCENDtials Climate Cares Highway Cleanup, Highway 75 at Coronado Island. Learn more or sign up by selecting the 3/16 date on the calendar.
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10am to 12pm – ILACSD Watershed Warriors: Tijuana River Watershed San Ysidro Community Cleanup. Benefits the Tijuana River Watershed. Learn more or register.
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10am to 12pm – Surfrider Foundation San Diego Imperial Beach Cleanup. Learn more or register.
March 17
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11am to 1pm – Living Coast Discovery Center – Team Up to Clean Up Sweetwater Marsh. Learn more or sign up.
March 18
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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.
March 19
March 20
March 21
March 22
March 23
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8am to 10:30am – San Diego Canyonlands Hollywood Canyon Habitat Restoration. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 11am – ILACSD Watershed Warriors: Del Mar – San Dieguito Park. Learn more or register.
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9am to 11am – Surfrider Foundation Tamarack State Beach Cleanup. 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 3/23 date on the calendar.
March 24
March 25
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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.
March 28
March 30
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9am to 11am – Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation Algerian Sea Lavendar Removal. Learn more or sign up.
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9am to 12pm – ILACSD Watershed Warriors: Ramona Community Cleanup. Offered as part of Sustainable Saturdays events. Learn more or register.
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 March 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 March 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.
County of San Diego Waterscape Rebate Program – Rainwater Harvesting Workshops – Learn how capturing rainwater can help you lower your water bill. Unincorporated residents can receive a free rain barrel by attending (while supplies last). Sponsored by the County of San Diego Watershed Protection Program. Registration required. Learn more or register.
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 March.
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March 2, 9am to 12pm – Water & Irrigation: Utilizing a Precious Resource – Learn strategies to use our limited water sources wisely, including integrating stormwater capture elements into your landscape and conserving water through simple irrigation system retrofits. Learn more or register.
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March 9, 9am to 12pm – Installation & Maintenance: Protecting Your Investment – Learn strategies for success in removing your turf and installing and maintaining your landscaping. 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.
California Native Plant Society (CNPS) – The following events are being offered in March.
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March 2, 9am to 3pm – Family Nature Day, Mount Helix Park – Celebrate the historic nature preserve, native plants, and the wildlife that rely on the native habitat at Mt. Helix Park. Includes adult learning lectures and kid-friendly presentations, crafts, kids’ activities, food vendors, and booths from nature-minded organizations. Learn more.
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March 9, 11am to 1pm – Native Plant Class/Lecture at Golden Door Country Store ($30 fee) – Learn about the benefits of nature and biodiversity, and how to create it in and around our homes and living spaces. This class will emphasize our local native plants and their wildlife partners, including how to attract birds and beneficial insects. Learn more or RSVP.
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March 11, 7pm to 8:30pm – Overview of Naturehood: CNPS Native Plant Gardening Webinar –These ongoing webinars will provide deep dives into topics like watering native plants, best pruning practices, choosing aromatic plants for the garden, and much more! Webinars are hosted by CNPS and feature expert gardeners. This month’s webinar will focus on North San Joaquin Valley Chapter’s Naturehood Program. Learn more.
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.
UC Statewide Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program Urban and Community Webinar Series – Insect Egg Identification Webinar – March 21, 12pm – In this webinar you’ll learn about different types of insect eggs you might encounter in the garden and landscape. Learn more or register.
Landscape and Water-Savings Webinars – A series of landscape and water-savings webinars are being offered throughout the month of March. Dates and times vary. Hosted by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. See calendar and learn more or register.
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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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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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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.
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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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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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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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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.
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, Escondido – Little Explorers Spring Camp ($$ fees vary) – March 25 through 29, 9am to 2pm – Campers (ages 4 to 8 years old, kindergarten-3rd grade) will enjoy learning about the Museum’s growing garden through daily art and science activities. Each day of camp includes access to Museum exhibits, hands-on exploration with trained education staff, and an opportunity to make new friends. Registration closes March 8th. Learn more or register.
San Diego Botanic Garden – The following events are being offered in March.
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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.
The Living Coast Discovery Center Compost Workshops – The following events will be offered in March.
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3 de marzo, 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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March 31, 11:30am to 12:30pm – Vermicomposting Workshop – Learn how to build and care for your own worm bin. Learn more or register.
San Diego Fixit Clinics – Coronado Public Library – March 9, 10am to 1pm. 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. Learn more or register.
I Love a Clean San Diego (ILACSD) Waste Reduction Events – The following waste reduction events are being offered in March.
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March 16, 10am to 11:30am – Too Good to Waste Food Recovery Workshop – Learn to reduce your food waste and divert organic waste from our local landfills. Topics include tips to reduce waste when grocery shopping, cooking, and storing food; different styles of composting; why it’s so important to keep organic waste out of the landfill; and how to properly dispose of food waste through the curbside organic waste recycling program. Attendees will have the opportunity to make and take home a vermicomposting bin during the workshop. Sponsored by the County of San Diego. Site location Lindo Lake County Park. Learn more or register.
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March 18, 5pm to 7pm – Slow Down Swap Party at San Ysidro Library – Join ILACSD in making fashion circular, by trading your clothes, accessories, and shoes at their swap party at San Ysidro Library. Donate by bringing lightly used items with you. Learn more.
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March 27, 10am to 11am – Sustainable Traveling Webinar – Explore the world while keeping your footprint small and learn how to plan fun trips while minimizing your impact on the environment. Sponsored by the City of San Diego Environmental Services Department. Learn more or register.
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March 30, 9am to 12pm – Sustainable Saturdays at Ramona Outdoor Community Center – Join ILACSD for a morning of activities focused on waste reduction to help us all be sustainable. The day includes a Litter Clean Up (9am to 11am) around the Ramona Community, Clothing Swap where you can bring gently used clothing items to exchange them for other items at no cost, and DIY Workshop (more info to come). Learn more about all events.
Solana Center for Environmental Innovation Waste Reduction Events – The following residential and business events are being offered in March.
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March 16, 10am to 12pm – Raising Backyard Chickens Workshop – Flinn Springs – Learn the basics and benefits of raising backyard chickens and how they can produce high-quality eggs, reduce waste, protect your garden from pests, and help save you money. Topics include local regulations for keeping backyard chickens, basic requirements for making a home-sweet-chicken-home, feeding and keeping hens healthy and happy, and local and online resources. Funded by the County of San Diego Recycling. Site host Summer Past Farms. Learn more or register.
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March 20 – Free E-Business Waste Pickup – A free monthly e-waste pick-up service is being offered to businesses in San Diego County. Register by Friday, March 8th for the Wednesday March 20th Urban Corps will contact you to confirm pick-up. Offered in partnership with Urban Corps. Learn more or sign up.
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March 23, 10am to 1pm – Taking on Textile Waste – Learn about the impact of clothing and textile waste, and the urgent need to move towards more sustainable models in fashion. This family-friendly event includes interactive displays and activities that will teach you how you can be part of the solution, a close up look at an innovative textile recycling process that doesn’t use water, dyes or chemicals, a San Diego Fix-It Clinic focused on repairing damaged clothing and textiles (pre-registration link coming soon), a clothing swap, crafting activities, and more. Learn more.
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March 23, 1:30pm to 3:30pm – Backyard Composting Basics Workshop – Encinitas – Learn the basics of traditional backyard composting including the importance and benefits of composting, composting bin options, tools and materials, and how to build a compost pile. Funded by the City of Encinitas. Learn more or register.
City of Chula Vista – Free Compost Event – March 30, 8am to 12pm – City of Chula Vista residents are invited to pick up free compost from the Otay Landfill to beautify your landscape and improve your garden soil. Bring your shovels for loading and containers to fill. Learn more.
South Bay Sustainable Communities Network 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.
I Love A Clean San Diego (ILACSD) ‘World Without Water: Solution to Pollution” Art Exhibition – March 16, 10am to 12:30pm – Participate in this family-friendly event where attendees can observe an art exhibition created by emerging young artists, and be part of a beautification project by painting their own ocean-centric masterpiece. Site location San Ysidro Public Library. Learn more or register.
San Diego Coastkeeper Mission Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program – March 16, 9am to 12pm – Be part of a team of passionate individuals interested in protecting and restoring our waters and wilds. Join San Diego Coastkeeper’s new Mission Bay Water Quality Monitoring Program and participate in monthly field days to collect water samples at ten sites in Mission Bay. Learn more.
San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy Speaker Series – Connecting Creatures, Climate, and Communities – March 6, 6:30pm to 8pm ($$ fees vary, donations accepted) – Join renowned environmentalist Serge Dedina for this month’s topic on rewilding our coast and ocean with blue-carbon based natural climate solutions. Topic will include insights on how the well-being of creatures, the health of our climate, and the protection of our coastal wetlands are intertwined. Site location Del Mar Town Hall. Learn more or get tickets
Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation – The following events are being offered in March and the summer.
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March 6, 5:30pm to 7pm – Adult Lecture Series: Caulerpa Taxifolia (Killer Algae) – ($10 fee includes beverage and presentation) – Celebrate World Water Day (March 22nd) and learn more about Caulerpa taxifolia or "killer algae,” a dangerously invasive seaweed that has devastating effects on marine ecology. Learn more.
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Daily program Monday through Friday, 9am to 1pm – Preschool Playdates Program ($$ fees vary) – All children ages 3 to 5 are invited to join the daily program for nature-themed lessons and activities. Each day will include environmental education and literacy, a craft made from recycled materials, outdoor play and more. You can choose to register for the entire week, four days, three days, two days or one day a week. Topics vary by month with the March topic being ‘And Then It’s Spring.’ Learn more or register.
Registration Now Open – June through August Summer Discovery Camp 2024, 9am to 3pm – Discovery Camps are for children in kindergarten through 5th grade and feature hands-on, educational lessons and activities around a central theme designated for that camp week. All camps take place outdoors and include nature walks, animal interactions, and crafts. Camp groups are split by age ranges and capped at 12 campers per group with 1 teacher. Learn more or register.
Center for Watershed Protection – 2024 Webcast Series: Webcast 3 – New Tools for Stormwater Management – March 20, 10am to 11:30am ($159 fee non-member) – Learn about the City of Boston’s Coastal Stormwater Discharge Analysis regarding stormwater discharge and coastal flood vulnerability. Note time on website posted as Eastern Time. Scroll to webcast 3 to learn more or register.
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum, Escondido – Nature Night 2024 ($$ fees vary) – March 23, 5pm to 7:30pm – Advocate for the planet by participating in Nature Night 2024. Through hands-on activity booths and an endless amount of fun, children will learn about topics including pollution and cleaning up our oceans from microplastics, ways to keep waterways clean, native plants, composting, recycling, sustainability, and more. Learn more and purchase tickets.
San Diego County Water Authority – Applications Open through March 1 - Spring 2024 Citizens Water Academy Class (May 15th, 16th, and 18th sessions) – The San Diego County Water Authority is accepting applications for the Spring 2024 Citizens Water Academy class. In three class sessions, participants will learn firsthand about critical water issues affecting the region and go behind the scenes with water planners, managers, engineers, and other staff to gain a deeper understanding of the water supply system and Water Authority’s life-sustaining mission. The application period is open from January 29 to March 1, with the class taking place in mid-May. Participants must attend all three sessions to graduate. Learn more or submit an application. Learn more or apply by March 1st.
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