Groundwork San Diego - Chollas Creek

Programs: Climate action education - groundwork san diego delivered climate action education, aligned with next generation science standards and california content standards, to over 3,000 students from twelve chollas creek wateshed schools. Delivering in-classroom, field trip, and place-based educational activities, the groundwork earthlab served as the organizing hub for the program. This 4 acre open space parcel, within walking distance of 6,000 students, is being developed by groundwork as a state-of-the art climate action education center. Funded by the port of san diego, the california coastal conservancy, u. S. Bank, the county of san diego, the education program uses informal science education to connect students to their watershed, their region, and the global community. The earthlab has been named a uc san diego community station, bringing the universitys rich academic resources to support the students of southeastern san diego.

community development - groundwork leads both watershed and neighborhood-scale initiatives linking environmental improvements with socio-economic and health outcomes. Those efforts include a city of san diego regional park designation for the watershed the chollas creek-to-bayshore bikeway trail project to connect communities to san diego bay and engage hundreds of residents in neighborhood cycling and the encanto eco-village project to install solar/graywater/rainwater/native landscapes in homes and to design a zero net energy community there. Major funders include the california transportation commission, the california department of water resources, and the california engergy commission.

watershed management and restoration - groundworks clean creek and healthy habitats program delivers multiple benefits to the residents and the wildlife of the chollas creek watershed. Working in concert with landscaper architects, biologists, engineers, hydrologists, and others, groundwork leads major retoration, creek de-channelization, wetland enhancement, and other projects throughout the watershed. Ongoing projects include a 12-acre restoration/monitoring effort in the radio/emerald/encanto canyon complex in support of the cactus wren upgrading of a chollas creek stormwater facility to faciliate creek flow and eliminate ponding that poses signficant vector health risks nonnative removal at numerous creek sites to improve water quality. Groundwork is also completing a comprehensive watershed management plan funded by the department of water resources. Other funders include sandag transnet and the county of san diego.