July 2025 Newsletter
- Earth Discovery Institute
- Jul 31
- 4 min read
Monarch Butterfly Habitat Gardens
Beth and family (some of EDI's wonderful volunteer heroes) visited one of the Monarch Butterfly Habitat Gardens we installed earlier this year, thanks to our Giving Tuesday campaign last year! Not only did they donate to our campaign to fuel the continuation of this project, Beth and Sage (the little one!) helped propagate the Milkweed we used to expand on some of the Monarch Butterfly Gardens (including CJ's [far left]). Such a full circle moment! 🫶 Thanks to CJ, Beth, Joe, and Sage for being passionate about Monarch Butterflies, pollinators, and our planet. We couldn't do this without you!
Birding by the Bay!
Our members' event this past month, we went birding by the bay! We marveled at the sight of thousands of Elegant Terns nesting in the South Bay. While we enjoyed the morning together, we spotted these beautiful birds and several other species of shorebirds that call the South Bay wetlands their home. We always love bird watching with the EDI community and can't wait for our next birding event!
More Summer Time Kayaking
The water was warm and the spirits were high as we spent the day on the bay earlier this month with 58 enthusiastic participants! Thanks to our ever-reliable partner, Chula Vista Water Sports, multigenerational families from East County were given lessons on technique and safety, then they floated on their kayaks and paddle boards like graceful grebes! One of the kayakers said before the event that they were nervous and had a fear of water, but when we asked how they felt afterward, they said, "Great! It was an amazing adventure. I might just want to get my own kayak now and go more often!" Another said, "the staff was super friendly [and] made us feel welcomed." We're excited for more events like this later this summer!
This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.Â
School's Out! The Numbers Are In...2024-2025 School Year Recap
The 2024-2025 school year has come to a close, and now that the dust has settled, we can report that EDI served a record number of students and families during this period! We served more than 6,800 people -- up from just under 4,000 people last year. It's a whopping 74% increase! So where does this growth come from?
A big chunk of the total growth comes from our school field trip programming and our "Family Day" events. Over the course of the last school year, we provided 52 school field trips, primarily to Crestridge Ecological Reserve and the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Outside of regular school hours, we also invited the students' multigenerational families to join us for a wide variety of fun outings -- like hikes in places such as Torrey Pines and the Elfin Forest, a whale watching boat cruise, visits to the Safari Park and the Zoo, overnight camping trips, outdoor movies under the oaks, picnics, birdwatching at Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, beach days, kayaking, climbing, and more -- a total of 29 "Family Day" trips in all from August 2024 - July 2025! And we also increased our presence at schools, bringing nature into classrooms and guiding students to discover nearby nature in their own schoolyards.
It all adds up to more people connected to nature at a crucial time when disconnection from nature is growing increasingly prevalent. It wouldn't have been possible without our donors and grantors who support our programming, the passionate teachers and community liaisons we work with to connect students and families to these opportunities, and our unstoppable team of Field Instructors who help ignite the sparks of curiosity and discovery. Thank you for being part of this journey with us! We look forward to your support in the coming school year!
Early Bird Tickets on Sale NOW!
Early bird tickets are officially on sale NOW for our 4th Annual Fundraiser coming up in November! Join us on Saturday, November 1st, in the Garden at Lemon Grove Bistro for an evening of hors d'oeuvres, drinks, a silent auction, presentations, and more!
We've been told our silent auctions are incredible - and that's all thanks to the San Diego community. As a thank you for making our silent auction one of the best, those who contribute auction items worth $25 or more will receive 20% off their tickets. Additionally, educators, students, and our partners' employees also receive 20% off!
New venue, new updates, same wonderful community. We cannot wait to celebrate all that we've accomplished together this November!
Native Plant Sale in October
We are so excited to announce this year's annual plant sale will take place on Saturday, October 4th, 2025! We hope to see you and help you find the perfect native plants you've been looking for. EDI members get first dibs from 8 AM to 9 AM, then from 9 AM to 12 PM, the sale is open to the rest of the community! Another bonus to being a member is receiving 10% off your purchase. Volunteers receive 20% off their purchase!
Nature has a mind of its own, and what may be available when we order our plants a month in advance is often not available once the in-person sale rolls around! That said, we will not be hosting online pre-orders this year. We thank you so much for your continued support and appreciate your understanding!
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