The San Diego River Park Foundation

We have a goal of connecting people with nature through the creation of river-long park system which traversed the San Diego Region. In doing so we can serve the more than 3 million residents of this community by providing safe, quality outdoor experiences. Studies show that being outdoors is healthy for the mind and the body.

Due to development partners and planning goals of past decades, the historic San Diego River is an underutilized regional asset. It suffers from neglect which has polluted, fragmented and threatened this globally signficant biological area. We believe that through greater access we can engage new stewards of our natural places, enhance the quality of life in San Diego, and health create a new appreciation for sustainable communities.

1. Advancing formal plans for the River Park system by engaging each municipality along the River as well as the County and the National Forest Service to update corresponding plans or create new ones as needed.

2. To engage people by fostering understand and appreciation for the river so that a growing community voice advocates for a better future for the river and the communities it runs through.

3. Targeted land acquisitions to conserve critical wildlife corridors and iconic landmarks associated with the river as well as providing for trail and other access.

4. Creating signature projects to serve park deficient communities and to provide programs to heighten awareness and understanding of the river including the rich cultural heritage associated with it.

1. We have a dynamic volunteer board of directors which are community leaders. They provide great networks of people to connect with to advance our mission. They are also experienced in business, including nonprofit, affairs which will provide appropriate oversight.

2. Through the national awards we have received we have developed connections across the Country which can assist us, serve as a knowledge base, and advance partnerships at the federal, state and local level.

3. We reach more than 10,000 people on a monthly or better basis through our publications.

4. We are fortunate to have a wonderful, dedicated base of staff and volunteers which are committed to our mission of creating a better future for the San Diego River and the communities along it.

5. We have a track record of success and more than a decade of work learning how to be more effective.

Future Resources and Tools
1. We need to develop better online mapping abilities to engage the public more in our mission
2. If we are successful in our fundraising efforts, we will open the River Center at Grant Park. This facility will give our programs their first base of operation. it will greatly enhance our capacity and visibility in the community and provide as many as 10,000 kids annually with hands-on nature education.
3. As more trails and access points are open to the River Park system, it will be able to serve more people which will provide greater awareness of our organization and our partners. As this is accomplished, we hope to be able to create more volunteer trail guides and patrols so that users not only gain knowledge but also a better sense of security.
4. We continue to strive for a clean, healthy San Diego River. This requires addressing the sources of trash and other pollution. We will continue to collect data about the health of the river to inform policy efforts and on-the-ground action.

1. When we started the San Diego River was neglected, full of trash, inaccessible and largely ignored. We strongly believe that the River now has a voice through our organization. More than 20,000 people have now volunteered with our organization. More than 3 million lbs. of trash has been removed through our programs and even more has been removed through our advocacy with the support of public agencies and landowners. We know have been monitoring the river for more than 15 years and so we are able to document the healthy improvements as well as the ongoing challenges. This data collection provides a wealth of information as well as a valuable resource for others. The San Diego River Park Foundation is widely recognized as the leading voice and expert for the river.

2. Our land acquisition and restoration efforts have made significant progress. We have seen endangered wildlife species return to areas that we have cleaned and restored. We continue to see wildlife enjoy lands that were at risk of being developed that our Save the Source program has conserved. We are much closer to conserving our target of 80% of the lands we identified which needed to be conserve to provide for the sustainability of the river ecosystem through the project of critical habitat areas and wildlife corridors and linkages.

3. The City of San Diego this year adopted a river park master plan for 17.5 miles of the river, this is 1/3 of the total length of the river. This organization was the champion of this effort which took more than 10 years to accomplish. This single accomplishment secures the future of the river and the intent of the City to advance the vision of the River Park system.