Q: What is Love Your Wetlands Day?
A: Love Your Wetlands Day is an annual opportunity to explore the Kendall-Frost Marsh and participate in hands-on activities to explore, learn about, and protect Mission Bay’s wetlands.
Q: How long is the event?
A: The event begins at 8:30 a.m. with check-in for volunteers at Kendall-Frost Marsh, and will open to the public just before 9 a.m. It will conclude at 4 p.m.
Q: What is the Community Climate Action Day?
A: It’s an opportunity to serve on a climate action project during Love Your Wetlands Day planting trees and native species, collecting seeds for future planting, or removing invasive plant species.
Q: How do I participate in the Community Climate Action Day?
A: If you haven’t signed up already, go to “Walk-in Registration” upon arrival at the marsh on Saturday. Sign-up ends at 9:30 a.m.
Q: Can children participate in the Community Climate Action Day?
A: Yes, although children under 13 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian and have a parent or guardian-signed waiver. The kayaking activity also has an age limit and is only for participants 13 years old and up.
Q: What’s the event schedule?
A: Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m., and the remarks from elected officials and VIPs begins just before 9 a.m. Volunteers can join community partner organizations at a volunteer service project from 10 a.m. to 12 noon.
Q: Who is speaking?
A: Here’s the alphabetical line-up:
– State Senator Catherine Blakespear (SD-38)
– Assemblymember Tasha Boerner Horvath (AD-76)
– California Chief Service Officer Josh Fryday
– San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria
– UCSD Chancellor Pradeep Khosla
– San Diego City Councilmember Joe LaCava (D-1)
– San Diego Audubon Conservation Director Andrew Meyer
– Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50)
– Santa Ysabel Band of the Kumeyaay Nation and Kumeyaay Community College Board Chair Dr. Stan Rodriguez
Q: If arrive late can I still volunteer?
A: Sure, but Community Climate Action Day opportunities are only taking place from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. There are, however, other late-arrival volunteer opportunities:
– Devil’s Thorn Plant Removal from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, and 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
– Native Planting from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
– Guided marsh clean-ups with a science talk every 30 minutes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (each is one hour long)
Q: What’s the event schedule after the opening remarks?
A: Schedule follows below, per location:
Kendall-Frost Marsh
2055 Pacific Beach Dr., San Diego, CA 92109
10 a.m. to 12 noon
– Community Climate Action Day volunteer activity projects
– Tule Boat Workshop with Dr. Stan Rodriguez, in front of the speaker tent toward the marsh
– Guided marsh clean-up and science talks (every 30 minutes, 1 hour long)
12:30 p.m.
– Warner Native Pride Club Bird Singers at the speaker tent
1 to 3 p.m.
– Native species planting at the Kendall-Frost Marsh trailer
3 p.m.
– Closing Ceremony at the speaker tent
Crown Point
3750 Corona Oriente Rd., San Diego, CA 92109
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
– Guided kayak clean-up (ages 13+) along the water at the Crown Point parking dirt lot at 10, 12 noon, and 2. Each clean-up is one hour long with a 15-minute safety talk.
10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
– Devil’s Thorn plant removal at the corner of Crown Point Dr. and Honeycutt St. at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
11:30 a.m. to 1:30 pm.
– Fish seining (i.e., catching fish with a net and then releasing after observation) toward the water at the Crown Point dirt parking lot at 11:30, 12:30 and 1:30.
Q: Are any birds being exhibited?
A: Unfortunately, no. Due to the avian flu, live birds could not be exhibited this year.
Q: Can I visit Kendall-Frost Marsh on another day?
A: The Kendall-Frost Marsh is ideal for birdwatching, even without entering the Reserve. The best overview of the marsh is from Crown Point Dr., where there are two viewing platforms near Honeycutt and Lamont streets. From here, many resident and migratory species can be seen. To visit the reserve, an application and reservation(s) must be submitted to the UCSD Natural Reserve System at least a month in advance.
Q: Where do I park?
A: Parking is available at Crown Point Park. When entering the parking lot at the main entrance, pedicabs will be available on the left side of the parking lot to transport volunteers to Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve. Limited street parking is also available near Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve. There is no on-site parking at Kendall-Frost Marsh.
Q: Where are the restrooms?
A: Two portable potties are located just outside the front gate at Kendall-Frost, while at Crown Point two portable potties are located in the dirt lot near the pedicab pick-up spot. Public restrooms are also available further into the park at Crown Point.
Q: Where can I refill my water bottle?
A: There’s a water station located along the speaker tent.
Q: Where do the pedicabs go?
A: From the Crown Point location to Kendall-Frost Marsh, and back.
Q: Are the pedicabs free?
A: Yes! Thank your pedicab driver!
Q: How long are the pedicabs available?
A: They’re available from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Q: How many people can each pedicab carry at a time?
A: 4 to 6 people, please.
Green wristbands signify a Community Climate Action Day volunteer who has checked in and signed the necessary waivers. Blue wristbands represent Love Your Wetlands Day attendees who are not volunteering for Community Climate Action Day.
Have fun!
Photos by Greg Hoxsie (above, banner) and Tommy Hough (below).
