Where We Work
Crestridge Ecological Reserve
1181 Horsemill Rd., El Cajon, CA 92021
Crestridge is located between the communities of El Cajon and Alpine, south of interstate 8. This nearly 2,800 acre reserve is owned by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and managed by the Endangered Habitats Conservancy. Crestridge contains many diverse and pristine landscapes and habitat types, including mature oak woodlands, riparian areas with perennial streams, stands of mature willow, sycamore, and cottonwood, as well as open woodlands, coastal sage scrub, and chaparral. Crestridge is home to many endangered species, including the California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica), San Diego Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), Orange Throated Whiptail lizard (Aspidoscelis hyperythra beldingi), Hermes Copper butterfly (Lycaena hermes), and Lakeside ceanothus (Ceanothus cyaneus), a rare wild lilac. Crestridge is one of the primary locations for our education program as it represents an upper watershed of San Diego County. This beautiful reserve is open to the public from sunrise to sunset.
Crestridge Ecological Reserve is many students' first experience with EDI, and for some, their first experience visiting a wild, native habitat. Crestridge is a perfect place to introduce students to nature exploration; with a variety of habitat types to hike through, students practice native plant and animal identification, making observations, and keeping notes in a field journal. Hands-on activities include learning about watersheds, groundwater and runoff, animal skulls, and ecosystem functions. Here, students work together to plant native grasses in the field to restore a native grassland habitat.
El Monte Ecological Preserve
13950 El Monte Rd., El Cajon, CA 92040
The El Monte Preserve is a 142-acre former sand mine that is now a nature preserve owned and managed by Endangered Habitat Conservancy (EHC). EHC is a local nonprofit land trust, whose mission is to acquire, manage, monitor, and maintain land in Southern California for habitat protection and restoration. El Monte Preserve supports freshwater marsh, open water, coastal sage shrub, and willow riparian habitats. This provides important foraging, connectivity, and lived-in habitat for many species of birds, reptiles, amphibians, bats, and other mammals.
San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge: Sweetwater Marsh
1080 Gunpowder Point Dr., Chula Vista, CA 91910
Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge is where we host our coastal education field trips. We also host birding events at this site as it provides a great trail to walk and a platform to enjoy the views and spot birds! After visiting Crestridge Ecological Reserve, students get a second field trip at the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge Sweetwater Marsh. During this field trip, students build on the foundations they learned at Crestridge by exploring a new habitat—the salt marsh! For many students, this is their first time seeing the coast and the wildlife that live in the salt marsh habitat. Our activities here include water quality testing, science illustration, bird adaptation puzzle games, and birding with binoculars. At this location, students work together to restore coastal sage scrub habitat by planting a variety of species. Between Crestridge Ecological Reserve and the San Diego Bay National Wildlife, students become acquainted with inland and coastal habitats, and the interconnection between these ecosystems.
San Diego National Wildlife Refuge: Sweetwater River Interpretive Loop
Campo Rd. & Singer Ln., Rancho San Diego, CA 91978
Managed by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, this unit of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge is along the Sweetwater River riparian corridor. The Interpretive Loop is along the southeast side of the river and has signage describing the rare and endangered plants and animals supported by the refuge. Students will occasionally visit the refuge as part of EDI's education program, and EDI staff and volunteers help refuge staff by contributing to habitat restoration at this site.
Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve
14715 State Highway 94, Jamul, CA 91935
Located in the eastern part of San Diego County between Jamul and Dulzura, The Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve is a 5,600 acre property of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Although this reserve is not open to the public, EDI hosts volunteer opportunities and outreach events on this site. Occasionally, with permission, we also host members-only hikes here! Our Tuesday volunteers often visit this site with EDI staff to support the restoration and scientific monitoring efforts of the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and other regional agencies and non-profits. Our office is on site, in the historic Daley Ranch House. Students also visit the refuge as part of EDI's education programs!
In addition to the locations above, we also bring families on recreational excursion to a variety of destinations across San Diego County. To learn more, visit our Family Days page!
