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DESERT KIDS RETURN FOR THIRD VISIT
For the third year, students from Borrego Springs Elementary
School visited Batiquitos Lagoon and other points of interest on
the coast as part of an end-of-school field trip. The group of 30
fourth graders, their teacher and some parents came by bus on
May 14. Their first stop was the Hubbs Sea World hatchery
where they viewed white sea bass being raised for release into the
ocean. They also learned a number of fun facts about fish popu-
lations and ocean conservation. Next they cruised the Coast
Highway to Ponto Beach where they had lunch and explored the
sandy beach environment. Batiquitos Lagoon was their last stop.
They enjoyed an informative talk on Native American culture
and traditional stories, including a really great hike on the north
shore trail. This was the last year that the field trip will be paid
for by a grant from the California Coastal Commission’s Whale
Tail program. Other funding sources are being explored to con-
tinue to make this an annual event for Borrego Springs 4th grad-
ers. -
Don Rideout
CLUB PELICAN COMBINES ART AND NATURE
For the 14th year, the City of Carlsbad Arts Office and BLF have
teamed up to offer the outstanding Club Pelican program to local
kids.
This program is extremely
popular and fills up fast
every year. In three week-
long sessions, 90 enrolled
children (7- 11 years of
age) spent half a day at
the lagoon experiencing
an unbeatable combination
of art instruc- tion and envi-
ronmental education.
Drawing, painting and
sculpting were paired
with bugs, birds, crabs,
frogs, native plants, short
hikes, sun- shine and
fresh lagoon air. Art
teacher Kate Beach and Naturalist Teacher Karen Hoyle were
assisted by BLF docents Dave Dyer, Dudney Odell, Patti Gol-
long, Cecile Wadley, and Don Rideout. Native American culture
was taught by Luiseno teacher Cathleen Chilcote Wallace. They
also received a great lesson in wastewater treatment from Stacy
Spangler of the Encina Wastewater Authority. Everybody had a
great time, kids and adults alike.
Don Rideout
CUB SCOUT CAMP MAKES INAUGURAL APPEARANCE
Local Cub Scout Troop 775 used the BLF Nature Center as its
base of operations for a first-ever Cub Scout Conservation Camp
this summer. Modeled loosely after Club Pelican, 20 scouts
came to the lagoon for 5 consecutive mornings in July. They
worked on art and craft projects and hiked on the trail, learning
about cicadas, sandstone, jumping mullet, and lemonade berry.
The camp was organized by Terrie Butler, a Cub Scout Den
Leader and mom to two kids who love Batiquitos Lagoon from
many previous visits. The scouts made a very generous donation
to BLF for use of the Nature Center and the assistance of our
docents. We hope this will be the first of many future Cub Scout
camps.
Don Rideout
CONSIDER BECOMING A DOCENT,
HOST AT OUR NATURE
CENTER, OR VOLUNTEER IN
MANY OTHER POSITIONS (See page 3)!
The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation (BLF)
The Great Egret Volume 4 Fall 2009
2
Important Numbers
Nature Center: (760) 931-0800
City of Carlsbad Police Department:
Emergency: 911
Non-emergency: (760) 931-2197
Watch Commander: (760) 937-2115
Calif. Dept. of Fish & Game:
Regional Office: (858) 467-4201
CALTIPS: (888) 334-2258
BLF Addresses & Other Information
Mail: P.O. Box 130491
Carlsbad, CA 92013-0491
Website: www.batiquitosfoundation.org
Email: [email protected]
Nature Center Location (Not Mailing Address):
7380 Gabbiano Lane
Carlsbad, CA 92011
Nature Center Hours of Operation:
M-F: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Sat-Sun: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Board of Directors & Officers
Fred C. Sandquist - President (2007-2010)
Dave Robertson - Vice President (2006-2009)
Don Rideout - Secretary (2007-2010)
Rick Ransburg - Treasurer (2006-2009)
Don Connors (2006-2009)
Paula Kirpalani (2008-20011)
Don Omsted (2008-2011)
Dr. Robert E. Murphy (2008-2011)
Dr. Anne Space (2007-2010)
Newsletter
Published Quarterly
Editor: (Need Volunteer)
Contact: [email protected]
Kid’s Korps A Hit at Batiquitos Lagoon
Weeding the former Mitsuuchi Property
Dave Robertson Gives the Safety Briefing
3
From the Desk of the President …
I continue to be humbled by how all our many volunteers continue to
step up to the plate and support our many programs! As an all volun-
teer organization, our ability to keep our organization viable and sus-
tainable over the years depends on this continued commitment. Keep
up the outstanding support! For those who are considering becoming a
more active volunteer, opportunities abound. Please follow-up and let
us know of your interests. I am confident we can find one or more
matches!
I’d like to recognize some of our volunteers who continue to go that
extra mile for the BLF. Don Rideout as our Education Chair, continues
to make our docent programs something we can all be proud of. I also
want to thank each and every docent and docent-in-training who make
it happen. Don has also another responsibility for keeping our Nature
Center operations going. Don Connors continues to be our handyman
in maintaining our Nature Center and associated infrastructure. Dr.
Anne Spacie, our Science Advisor, is representing us and other North
San Diego County environmental organizations on the South Coast
Regional Stakeholder Group working on California’s Marine Life Pro-
tection Act (MLPA) initiative. She, working with Jim Brown, are lead-
ing our water quality monitoring program. Dave Robertson has again
lead a successful Batiquitos Lagoon Annual Kayak Clean-up event.
The annual fundraiser provided us with significant general fund re-
sources to sustain our many programs. The list goes on and on. A well
done to all our volunteers who helped out!
As you see from our election ballot, board member and Vice President
Dave Robertson has decided not to run for reelection. He intends to
continue to be involved with the foundation and focus more time to
public educational programs. He is reducing his involvement in our
weed-whacking and trail maintenance work. Having worked with
Dave closely over the years, I truly appreciated all his work while a
board member and vice president! I also look forward to working with
him in the future and for his interest to continue supporting the BLF.
We look forward over the next year to hopefully see our Nature Center
Upgrade Project come to fruition. We also have some exciting land
acquisition opportunities that are now on our radar screen which we
expect to report on in upcoming newsletter editions.
Don Rideout and our docents are again planning our 2010 Annual Vol-
unteer Training Class. If you have not attend one, I encourage you to
consider it this year. We expect to post information on it on our web-
site in December, including online registration and credit card process-
ing. With a maximum class size of 25, we expect to fill our class seats
quickly, so plan to register early once registration opens.
If you are not yet a member, please consider joining the BLF family
and get involved in preserving, protecting and enhancing Batiquitos
Lagoon Ecological Reserve and its associated watershed. As always,
feel free to contact me at (760) 918-2408 or send me an email at presi-
[email protected] if you have anything you would like to
discuss or suggest. 2010 should be a very exciting and busy year for
the BLF, and I really appreciate your continued trust and support in
serving you as your President!
…Fred C. Sandquist, President
Volunteers Needed!
As with any all volunteer organization, the BLF de-
pends on our volunteers to fill key foundation posi-
tions in support of our programs and operations. The
following is a list of some of our key positions that
we need support for. If interested or you would like
further information, please call or leave a message at
our Nature Center ((760) 931-0800) or send an email
to: [email protected].
Nature Center Hosts
Fundraising/Marketing
Educational & Marketing Materials Mainte-
nance
Newsletter Editor
Webmaster/Website Maintenance
Trail Captains (for Weed-whacking/Trail
Maintenance)
Docents
Grant Writers
Standing Committee Chairs (e.g., Nature
Center, Marketing & Public Outreach, Fund-
raising, Membership)
A special thanks to some of our key partners who
support the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation by
providing us with discounts, critical services and
products in support of our many programs or
provide direct financial support. These partners
include:
Waste Management
Four Seasons, Aviara
REI, Encinitas
Anderson’s La Costa Nursery
Wild Bird Center
Hobie
Life Technologies
Anderson Stationers, Inc.
Tree of Life Nursery
FedEx/Kinkos
4
UPCOMING EVENTS
NOVEMBER 2009
Sat., November 7th: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance.
9 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.
Fri., November 13th: Bird Count 7:30 am. All are wel-
come; bring binoculars. Meet at Gabbiano Lane parking lot.
Sat., November 14th: Visiting and Resident Birds. 9:00 am.
BLF Nature Center.
Tue., November 17th: BLF Annual Meeting, Board
Member Elections, & Board Meeting. 4:30 pm., BLF Na-
ture Center.
Sat., November 21st: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance.
9 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.
Sat., November 28th: Explore the Ponto Tide pools.
11:00 am. Dig in the sand to look for critters; then walk to
the jetty where sea stars, crabs, and anemones are exposed
by the low tide. Park at the South Carlsbad State Beach
(Ponto Beach) parking lot. Parking passes available from the
docents when you arrive. Meet at the tables by the stairs.
Note: Our Nature Center will be open Thanksgiving Day,
Thursday, November 26th,
DECEMBER 2009
Sat., December 5th: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance.
9 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.
Fri. December 11th: Bird Count 7:30 am. All are wel-
come; bring binoculars. Meet at Gabbiano Lane parking lot.
Sat., December 12th: Geology of the Lagoon and Envi-
rons. 9:00 am. Meet at the Nature Center to learn about the
geology of the lagoon area. Then take a short guided walk
for a hands on experience with the rocks and geology of the
lagoon environment.
Sat., December 19th: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance.
9 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.
Note: Our Nature Center will be open Christmas Day, Fri-
day, December 25th
JANUARY 2010
Note: Our Nature Center will be open New Years Day,
January 1, 2010.
Sat., January 2nd: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance. 9
am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.
Fri. January 8th: Bird Count 7:30 am. All are welcome;
bring binoculars. Meet at Gabbiano Lane parking lot
Sat., January 19th: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance. 9:00 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.
Consider becoming a docent or volunteer.
On-the-job subject area training and one-on
-one mentoring can be provided.
A North-shore Trail Walk
A Swami’s Beach Walk
A South Carlsbad State Beach - Ponto Beach Walk
5
2010 BLF Volunteer Training Class Being Planned
The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation is an all volunteer organiza-
tion. The health and continued viability of our foundation is,
therefore, dependent on sustaining our cadre of volunteers to
serve the needs of the organization. There is a constant need for
volunteers for activities such as: docents to lead and assist our
public walks, lead private walks and school educational pro-
grams, hosts for our Nature Center, weed-warriors, trail mainte-
nance, administrative and management functions (e.g., newslet-
ter editor, website maintenance, scheduling, publicity, Nature
Center operations, marketing, fundraising, publicity, event plan-
ning), and many others. If you have an interest, there is a
place for your talents at the BLF! This is an excellent way to
learn more about the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve
and what we’re all about.
Our training program runs each year in the mid- February
through late March / early April timeframe for 8 sessions.
While the exact dates and times have not been finalized, those
who are interested should begin thinking about it.. Classes are
held Saturday mornings at the BLF Nature Center 7380 Gabbi-
ano Lane in Carlsbad, starting promptly at 9:00 am and finishing
by Noon.. There is a maximum class size of 25. If unable to attend one or more classes, they may be made up by viewing one or
more of our training class DVD that can be checked out, and then meeting with one of our subject-area docents. Upon completion,
the class usually performs a service project as a group. Any graduate that completes the class and performs 20 hours of service
ears a name tag.
If Interested, please block out the time and look for our online registration to begin in December 2009!
Our 2009 Volunteer Training Class
6
Here refers to the BLF Nature Center, 7380 Gabbiano Lane, Carlsbad, CA
See Page 2 for hours of operation
Tickets will also be sold at the Carlsbad Street Faire, Sunday, November 1, 2009
7
YOU’RE INVITED!!!
PLEASE COME!!!
THE ANNUAL MEETING
Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation (BLF)
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
4:30 pm
BLF Nature Center
7380 Gabbiano Lane (lagoon end)*, Carlsbad, CA 92011 (*see map at www.batiquitosfoundation.org)
Agenda
Meeting of Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation membership
Election of three board members
Regular Board Meeting
BALLOT Eligible voters – Active members and in good standing since October 16, 2009
Every year we elect three board members. There are five named candidates this year.
Vote for no more than three, 1 ballot per membership:
[_] Jim Brown
[_] Kathy Combs
[_] Don Connors (Incumbent)
[_] Pamela Martin
[_] Rick Ransburg (Incumbent)
[ ] Other: _________________________________________
MANDATORY- BE SURE TO SIGN
_____________________________________ _________________________________ Date _________________
SIGNATURE PRINT NAME
Bring your ballot to the meeting and meet the candidates
or
Fold this whole page, carefully seal with tape, and mail to the blf
(Mailed ballots must be received by Noon, Tuesday, November 17, 2009 to count)
8
BATIQUITOS LAGOON FOUNDATION
P.O. BOX 130491 Carlsbad, CA 92013-0491
BOARD ELECTION BALLOT
CAREFULLY FOLD HERE & TAPE CLOSED
Return Address
CAREFULLY FOLD HERE & TAPE CLOSED
9
2009 BLF BOARD ELECTIONS
Each year, three board member positions are up for election or re-
election. This year, incumbent positions, Don Connors and
Treasurer, Rick Ransburg are up for re-election. Vice President
Dave Robertson has decided not to run, so his position is open.
Therefore, this election cycle, we have three positions and five
candidates (two incumbents). Only BLF members in good stand-
ing since October 16, 2009 may vote, one ballot per membership.
Please check your address label to ensure your membership is up
to date and renew.. A write-in candidate my be included. Vote
for no more than three candidates.
BOARD CANDIDATE STATEMENTS
This year’s nominating committee, consisting of Donald Omstead
and Robert Murphy, solicited the following 5 candidates and as-
sociated statements as to there interests in serving the BLF.
Jim Brown
I have been an active docent sine finishing the classes in 2008. I
have enjoyed leading walks on the beach as well as on the trail
for students. I have participated in most of the docent meetings.
My central focus has been initiating a water monitoring and test-
ing program for the lagoon. I have enjoyed working with Anne
Spacie and others in performing the testing in a reliable manner.
This program is now finishing its first year.
The testing is carried out in partnership with San Diego Coast
Keeper who carries out testing with other lagoons, rivers and by
organizations throughout San Diego County. I meet regularly
with the other program captains to exchange information and
trends in our County.
My wife Linda and I have lived and raised our family in Encini-
tas for thirty years. I am a licensed roofing contractor and Linda
has an upholstery business. I have been certified in mold testing
and remediation. I have a large interest in archeology and North
American Indian history.
I believe this level of outreach and interests would be a valuable
asset to the board.
Don Connors (Incumbent)
Resident of Spinnaker Hill (Batiquitos Drive) since 1986 and a
member of the Board for many years. Retired federal employee
and USAR. Have strong, active interest in maintaining the trail
and nature center for visitors and improving this unique experi-
ence. Have been involved in keeping the nature center and sur-
rounding areas in serviceable condition and adaptable to BLF
needs. Have been developing requirements and plans for a per-
manent nature center using current and future technologies to be
the "greenest" nature center in California. Am involved in the
transfer of the present nature center to the new double-wide facil-
ity.
Kathy Combs
I’ve lived in North San Diego County for 30 years. Currently, I
am a Carlsbad resident. I am a semi-retired computer software
consultant.
Volunteer Work at Batiquitos Lagoon: I’ve been helping with
trail maintenance for the past year; I attended BLF Volunteer
Training this year; and I assist in maintaining the two nature gar-
dens located on the trail. Other Volunteer Work: Port Town-
send Marine Science Center, Port Townsend, WA. (2 years). I
cleaned touch pools and fish tanks in the marine exhibit center
and monitored for the European Green Crab in Puget Sound;
Victorian Festival, Port Townsend, WA (2 years). I was the
Media Coordinator for this annual festival; Meals on Wheels,
Vista, CA (5 years). I delivered meals once a week; Rancho
Coastal Humane Society (1 ½ years). I walked dogs and took
them to obedience training once a week; and Carlsbad Library
(current). I will be interviewing long time Carlsbad residents to
log their history. I also shelve books.
Pamela Martin
I have over 30 years experience in professional services market-
ing. I also have served in several volunteer efforts including,
most relevantly, the Executive Committee of the San Diego MIT
Enterprise Forum, a group that sponsors case-study programs of
high-tech start ups. MIT Enterprise Forum is a 501c3 organiza-
tion.
While at MIT Enterprise Forum, I chaired the marketing commit-
tee for five years. I was involved in organizational development
and corporate sponsorships. Professionally, I have worked in all
aspects of marketing including planning, implementation, com-
munications and organizational growth.
I have resided in San Diego County since childhood, and ob-
served with regret, the disappearance of open spaces and natural
habitats. I have contributed to multiple political campaigns and
developed grass-roots organizations for candidates and issue-
oriented projects. I am an avid reader and have a long-term, lay-
person’s interest in scientific subjects including ecological sys-
tems and related topics. My education is in Sociology, Philoso-
phy, Political Science and Economics. I am a generalist and I like
to contribute to the growth of organizations and sharing my
knowledge with both adults and children.
Rick Ransburg (Incumbent)
For the past nine years I have had the pleasure to serve on the
Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation’s Board of Directors and have
served as Treasurer for the last six years. During this time many
individuals have come together to help the Foundation achieve
financial stability and a strong environmental voice locally and
regionally. While these achievements serve as a firm base to
build upon, there is still much to achieve. The Batiquitos Lagoon
is a precious resource that should never be taken for granted. I
would be honored to serve another term on the Board of Direc-
tors.
I have lived in Community for twenty-five years and have been
employed by the Four Seasons Resort Aviara for twenty years as
their Director of Recreation. While attending Michigan State
University (Go Spartans) I received a degree in Agronomy.
10
10-Year Biological Monitoring Report
Released
Merkel and Associates recently released their much anticipated
Long-Term Biological Monitoring Report on the health of Batiq-
uitos Lagoon covering 10+ years of monitoring. As part of the
original lagoon restoration project, which culminated with the
opening of the lagoon mouth in December 1996, Keith Merkel’s
consulting firm was contracted to monitor the status of the lagoon
flora and fauna for ten years. The findings are documented in a
detailed report available at Carlsbad’s City web site: http://
www.carlsbadca.gov/pdfdoc?pid=622
The executive summary provides overall results and recommen-
dations for management of the lagoon. In future newsletters, we
will be summarizing the main results on bird, fish, invertebrate,
and plant communities. Each of these biological communities
shows improvement since restoration, primarily because of the
dramatic improvement in salt marsh and tidal habitats following
dredging and lagoon opening. The long-term viability of the la-
goon rests on its tidal exchange, which is declining as sand and
sediment accumulate behind each of the bridge crossings. Future
management projects can use this report as a valuable bench-
mark.
Dr. Anne Spacie
We expect to provide a link to this important document on our
website in the near future.
Some charts, pictures and graphs from the report have been in-
cluded below to encourage you to review the report itself. Please
recognize that there is significant narrative that accompanies
these graphics, so you should look at the report itself before
drawing any firm conclusions and put things in the proper context
that the author intended. As indicated above, we will be provid-
ing articles on specific aspects in this key report in future news-
letters.
Fred C. Sandquist
Some Report Graphic Excerpts
11
Fourth Annual Batiquitos Lagoon Clean-up Event Another Success!
On Saturday and Sunday, September 26th and 27th, the BLF held its Fourth Annual Batiquitos Lagoon Clean-up Event. It was again
a great fundraising event, while helping to remove trash from the lagoon. Since we began our annual event four years ago, we’ve
seen a reduction in the amount of trash removed each year. This reduction is thought to be attributed to three factors: (1) our lack of
rainfall and regional drought condition which translates into less inflow of trash into the lagoon; (2) our lagoon cleanup activities and
annual cleanup event; and (3) increased public education, awareness and sensitivity to how trash impacts our wildlife and lagoon
health. With an expected El Nino this year during the usually wet season, we can expect to see more trash if we get significant rain-
fall this year.
We want to express our sincere appreciation and thanks to this year’s sponsors. Hobie, who makes kayaks, again provided kayaks
for our event on Saturday. REI again provided kayaks for our Sunday outing. Waste Management provided a dumpster. Finally, we
appreciated California Department of Fish and Game for allowing us to again conduct our event on the lagoon, and to use their Cali-
fornia Least tern nesting site for launching our kayaks. We select a time each year, usually mid to late September for two reasons:
(1) it is after the Least tern nesting season; and (2) we usually get a high-high mean high tide so more of the lagoon can be accessed
by kayak throughout the day. A special thanks to Dave Robertson for again organizing and running this years highly successful
event!
Some of the trash items collected included: tires, fishing line, fish net floats, a fire extinguisher, glass bottles, plastic bottle holders,
golf course out of bounds markers, a surf-casting fishing rig, a large glass and metal mirror, plastic bottles, and general floating mat-
ter. One group attempted to remove two truck tires in the eastern part of the lagoon, but could not free them from the muck. We
hope to get them out using a larger boat this winter.
Many of this year’s
kayakers saw some
sharks, rays, and a lot
of jumping fish! Some
event pictures are in-
cluded below.
Just After Launch Kayak Safety Briefing by REI
Some Trash! Finally On the Water We thank everyone who participated and hope to see everyone next year! Thanks for supporting the BLF!
12
California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Up-
date
The South Coast Regional Stakeholders Group (SCRSG) met for
the last time on Sept. 9-10. All meeting materials and public
comments are posted at:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/meetings_sc.asp#sc
Three working groups worked to finalize their arrays. Each of
the groups had a slightly different charge. For example, my
group was asked to work toward "preferred" size and spacing of
the big reserves, while considering potential socio-economic im-
pacts.
Time was called at 5 pm, Sept 10th. We submitted our final ar-
ray, which includes a narrative description of the purpose and
regulations of each marine protected area as well as GPS coordi-
nates of the boundaries, as plotted on MarineMap, a Google-earth
-type mapping program. Anyone can access this tool and view
all of the data layers (bottom type, kelp, etc.) at:
www.marinemap.org/marinemap
As this point, the 3 arrays from the 3 work groups are not avail-
able to the public, but they should appear toward the end of this
month. They are being edited by MLPA staff and then forwarded
to the Science Advisory Team for technical review, which they
will present on October 6. Interested people can watch that meet-
ing in real time on Web video.
Following the reviews by staff and the SAT, the three proposals
will be evaluated by the Blue Ribbon Task Force. Their final
decision will be announced on October 20-22nd. Again, live
video will be available.
At this point, I do not know the content of the other 2 propos-
als. Ours definitely has the major estuaries designated as re-
serves (no take except for monitoring/research purposes). This
includes Batiquitos Lagoon, which is delineated from the western
edge of the HWY 1 bridge to the eastern extent of the mean high
tide line.
There has always been general support of estuary protection, but
the other proposals may have differences in the western boundary
and/or specific regulations.
The major battles among the work groups have been over the
valuable "real estate" at La Jolla/Point Loma, Del Mar/Swamis,
Orange County coast, Palos Verdes, and Catalina.
We are all hoping for a good outcome.
Anne Spacie
Post Script:
The three proposals, and “Proposal 0” which summarizes the
existing designated sites, have been released to the public for
comment.
SCRSG proposals 1 and 3 recommend that Batiquitos Lagoon be
designated a State Marine Reserve (SMR); proposal 2 recom-
mend dropping Batiquitos Lagoon from a MLPA designation -
hopefully that will not happen! Proposal 1 only has the SMR
from I-5 east, thus opening the middle and western basins poten-
tially for fishing and less protection that currently exists. Pro-
posal 3 proposes to have the SMR extend from the eastern HWY
101 bridge to El Camino Real and offers us more protection.
The next step is the review of the proposals by California Depart-
ment of Fish and Game. Their options include selecting one of
the three or a hybrid of parts of each. We will continue to report
progress in future newsletters. We encourage you to keep in-
formed on this very important project.
Graphics depicting the three options for the San Diego area are
indicated in page 13. Note that proposal two has less marine pro-
tected areas than the other two.
The BLF has submitted a letter to the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task
Force (BRTF) that will be reviewing the various proposals and
taking public comment on October 20-22, 2009. at the Hilton
Long Beach and Executive Meeting Center in Long Beach Cali-
fornia. Dr. Anne Spacie, BLF board member and Science Advi-
sor, who serves on the South Coast Regional Task Group, will be
attending this meeting. She will be involved in presenting Pro-
posal Number 3. Anne also represents a number of San Diego
environmental and conservation organizations, including lagoon
organizations in Carlsbad.
The chart below indicates the key players and the process associ-
ated with the MLPA initiative.
MLPA Players & Process
Fred C. Sandquist
13
MLPA San Diego Area Proposals.
14
A Scorpion Pays Me A Visit!
Paruroctonus silvestrii (An example of one common to the San
Diego area)
One evening, I was relaxing watching TV and dozed off. It was
hot and I had the front door open with the screen closed. When
ready to go upstairs and turn in, I started up the steps and some-
thing caught my eye. At first it looked like a small insect, but on
closer examination, I saw that it was a small scorpion. Being in-
terested, I carefully placed it in a small plastic zip-lock bag and
decided to show it to Dave Dyer, our BLF insect expert, who was
hosting at our Nature Center the next day. When living in New
Jersey many years ago as a teenager, I found a much larger scor-
pion in my basement, but I was not as kind to that one!
Dave confirmed that it was a scorpion and subsequently mounted
it for display at our Nature Center. Unfortunately, there are many
types of scorpions, and identifying exactly which one had visited
me proved elusive. Dave has kindly researched scorpions and we
decided to share some of what he found with you. Stop by our
Nature Center to view my unexpected visitor!
Fred C. Sandquist
Scorpions? Yes, we have scorpions in the San Diego area, includ-
ing Carlsbad and the lagoon area. While nocturnal, they are sel-
dom seen during the day, usually when disturbed under a log or
rock. They are predators and seek their prey during their night
time wanderings. Their prey includes insects and spiders which
they catch with their pincers. They look like a crab in the front,
but have an elongated tail that ends with their sharp stinger.
During the day, scorpions seek shelter under stones, dark areas
(including basements, closets) or in burrows in the ground. Some,
during their night wanderings, may enter homes where their dis-
covery brings cries of alarm. The small ones can easily enter
through a small opening, open door, or crack. According to the
San Diego County Vector Control, none of our local scorpions are
considered dangerous, although all inject venom. Their sting is
painful, much like that of a bee or wasp sting. A scorpion that has
caused deaths is found in Arizona and has the formidable name of
Centruoides Sculpturatus. The few scorpion sting patients have
shown a reaction ranging from panic to pain to bragging in about
three hours!
All scorpions are viviparous, with the young being carried on the
back of the female until after their first molt, when they start fend-
ing for themselves. Rock hounds have learned that under black
light, scorpions are florescent and appear gray in color.
Dave Dyer
Status of Batiquitos Bluffs
Development Project
Batiq-
uitos
Bluffs
Site
Plan
Overall Habitat Plan
(Includes wetland
acreage in Carlsbad)
As many of you may
know, the City of Enci-
nitas Planning Com-
mission approved an
application to develop
47.81 acres of property
west of the intersection
of El Camino Real and
La Costa Avenue in the
southeastern area of
Batiquitos Lagoon Eco-
logical Reserve. The
proposed development
includes pads for 19 single-story single family easements on the
property. Following the project’s permit application and associ-
ated planning program amendments, the decision has been ap-
pealed to and accepted by the California Coastal Commission,
with a formal hearing being planned for sometime after the first of
the year.
The developer, Westbridge Capital, is keeping all options on the
table and, in response to a letter from the BLF, is looking into
possibly selling it or other arrangements that might lead it to be
kept as open space habitat. If this were to happen, this additional
acreage would be added to the lagoon’s protected area. Much
work needs to be done in developing these options, with the
Coastal Commission’s decision on the appeal being a critical fac-
tor. We will be reporting progress on this project in future news-
letters.
Fred C. Sandquist
15
Fall 2009 Newsletter
Dear Friends of Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve & Foundation Members:
With the holiday season approaching, I am writing to you to give you an opportunity to
make an end-of-year holiday season tax deductible donation to support the Batiquitos Lagoon
Foundation (BLF). The BLF was formally established in 1983 as a 501(c) (3) non-profit or-
ganization with the mission to preserve, protect and enhance the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological
Reserve and associated watershed. With over 95% of our coastal wetlands lost over the years as
a natural habitat for many endangered species, the Batiquitos Lagoon remains one of Carlsbad’s
and Southern California’s most treasured natural resources.
The BLF, however, does not receive ongoing City, County, State or Federal funding to
support our many programs and to maintain our nature center. This year, with the nation ex-
periencing a very difficult and challenging economic environment, we expect to see a reduction
in donations and financial support as we all tighten our purse strings. Our Nature Center serves
as the BLF’s educational and exhibit center in direct support for our many visitors, including
schoolteachers and their students. It also serves as a meeting place for nature walks, special
educational programs, and is the location for Club Pelican, a children’s summer camp program.
Volunteer training and various volunteer activities also take place here. The Nature Center is
staffed solely by volunteer hosts, who also maintain it as well as prepare visual displays and
“hands on” exhibits for our many visitors with items from nature. The Nature Center also has a
library of books and reference materials on local plant and wildlife. In addition, our volunteers:
replant sensitive environmental areas; monitor the water quality of the lagoon and its associated
watershed; help maintain the 1.6 mile lagoon trail and our newly acquired 18.2 acre property;
lead nature walks for children and adults; sponsor educational programs; and write grants for
various programs and projects.
During this holiday season, please consider making a tax deductible donation and help us
maintain this North San Diego County natural treasure. Fill out the form included in this news-
letter and return it with your donation. Donations can also be made via credit card online
through our website, www.batiquitosfoundation.org. Thank you in advance for your support.
Sincerely,
Fred C. Sandquist
President
Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation
16
Membership
Membership in Batiquitos Lagoon
Foundation is a great way to support our efforts to
maintain and improve this beautiful natural resource.
Annual memberships are available in the following
categories:
Student/Senior Citizen $15
Individual $20
Family $30
Sponsor $60
Patron $160
Business Assoc $250
Sustaining $500
Join & pay via bank debit or major credit card through
our website
www.batiquitosfoundation.org
Memberships and donations are tax deductable.
REMINDER TO MEMBERS: Check the expiration date at the top of your mailing label to find out when you need to renew your membership.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE
PAID ENCINITAS, CA PERMIT #471
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation P.O. Box 130491 Carlsbad, CA 92013-0491
The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation was established on January 7,
1983 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, dedicated to preserving,
protecting, and enhancing the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve
and its associated watershed, riparian, coastal sage and upland
habitats.
NATURE CENTER HOURS
Monday—Friday: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm
For information:
Visit our Website: www.batiquitosfoundation.org
Call: (760) 931-0800
Email: [email protected]