Initial funding provided by:
United States
Bureau of Reclamation

Primary Purpose:
To document effect of recent wildfires, identify threats to wildlife and habitat recovery, and take actions accordingly.

Overview

Eagle Peak Preserve is a 516 acre wildlife preserve within the San Diego River Watershed. It is owned by SDRPF as part of its mission to preserve and better understand the River and its associated ecosystem. The property has seasonal streams and is adjacent to the public lands of the Cleveland National Forest. The area has been proposed to be designated as critical habitat for the federally listed coastal California gnatcatcher, Polioptila californica ssp. Californica.

The San Diego River Park Foundation entered into a grant agreement with the US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation, in August 2004 to investigate the impact of the 2003 Cedar Fire on the habitat for the gnatcatcher, to identify threats to its recovery, and to make recommendations based upon this threats assessment. As part of this project, a biological resources inventory was created.

In 2007 fire burned approximately 85% of the Preserve. As part of the largest "twice burned" area in San Diego County. During this fire, approximately 20 miles of the San Diego River corridor burned. Fired recovery efforts are ongoing. Donations of time, talents, and resources are needed for this effort. As part of these efforts, we have an ongoing monitoring program to document the recovery from the fires and our restoration programs. We invite you to join us!

Monthly Monitoring Team

Once a month we conduct monitoring at the Preserve and add to the Extensive Plant and Animal List. Experienced and non-experienced people are welcome to join the team. We alternate between weekends and weekdays to provide some flexibility in scheduling.  Members of the monitoring team have the opportunity to become Preserve Docents for future Open Houses and Events.

How it Works

1. Send us an email and we will add your name to the email noticing list
2. Join us when you can and as often as you want
3. Carpool with other monitors or meet us at the Preserve at 10AM.
4. We go out in teams of 4 to 6 people. We typically have 1 - 3 teams each trip. The monitoring takes at least two hours but we have been known to stay longer to enjoy the incredible beauty of the Preserve.

More about the Preserve

Views from the Preserve are inspiring! Look for the 300+ ft tall Mildred Falls or hike up Son 2 Peak to see views all the way to El Capitan Reservoir. The San Diego River Gorge and the upper Cedar Creek are on both sides of the Preserve, and they have been proposed for Wild and Scenic River Status. With 516 acres there is a lot to see like 1000 year old grinding rocks, remains of the original homestead house, beautiful engelmann oaks and native grasslands plus an amazing spring flower show from the coastal sage scrub and chaparral vegetation. The drive to the Preserve on Eagle Peak Road is amazing, but once you get there you may not want to leave! RECENT NEWS: Pacific Treefrogs and Coast Horned Lizards seen on July 2008 monitoring Trip.

LOCATION

For more information about visiting the Preserve or for supporting efforts to care for these amazing lands, please contact the River Park Foundation Executive Director, Rob Hutsel, by email or 619-297-7380.