If you missed our ReWild Celebration last night, you missed a great gathering of wetland-supporting community—new and old! The ReWild Coalition Turned 100!
The hundred attendees had hours to relax and laugh and share and update on all our important projects. But we also got some important business done. Jim Peugh and Muriel Spooner gave Pam Heatherington the Jim Peugh Conservation Award. Jim and Muriel’s remarks about how remarkable Pam is are below (in case you couldn’t hear them), and we even pulled some happy tears from Pam. Congratulations Pam!
Council President LaCava added his kudos and thanks to Pam, inducted her into the unofficial club of ‘you’re such a pain, but don’t ever stop!’ and told all the ReWild supporters to keep fighting and hold the City’s feet to the fire or they won’t get wetland restoration done in our lifetimes. Thank you for your support and actions, Council President!
And amid the pizza and drinks, our ReWild update was:
- We finished the Tecolote Creek historical ecology report a month ago and have been sharing it with any and everyone. We are inspired by the really interesting information in it about the habitats, layout, and Kumeyaay uses of the mouth and canyon that we now call Tecolote, and we will use this to guide our advocacy for wetland restoration at the Tecolote mouth.
- The Mission Bay Park Committee has finally approved a letter from the Committee to the Mayor that says ‘we need projects that we can spend the Improvement Fund money on that are wetland restoration, shoreline improvements and reserve protections—exactly as the City Charter requires. Where are those projects!’ That’s awesome news that the Committee is agreeing with us that the Improvement Fund needs to be spent on the remaining Charter priorities—and the ReWild project is a great thing to spend it on!
- The City told us they are committed to not permitting the Bayfair within the California Least Tern nesting season—excellent news for the birds of Mission Bay and what we’ve been asking for since terns were killed last year after the July 4th fireworks shows. This is directly from our combined advocacy to improve the balance of recreation and natural resources in Mission Bay, and thank you to the Mayor and CP LaCava for putting their foot down and saying the Bayfair should not happen within that existing protected season.
- And, we’ve hit 101 Coalition members! This week, the ReWild Coalition topped 100 when Wildlife Jewels, BirdSafe UCSD and the WorldBeat Cultural Center all joined to support wetland restoration in Mission Bay–big power! We’ll need the Coalition’s expertise and authority to pull the City towards a Roadmap for ReWild that we need to get active on even while the Coastal Commission is reviewing the plan. Keep it rolling!
And thanks to Coronado Brewery in Bay Park for hosting us—tasty, refreshing and friendly!
Wildly!
Andrew
Muriel Spooner’s comments for Pam Heatherington, 2nd recipient of the Jim Peugh Conservation Award:
I just want to thank both Jim and Pam for their years of leadership in advocating for the environment. Their guidance and mentoring provide inspiration to all of us to continue the fight to save our precious habitats and the creatures that live in them.
And Jim Peugh’s comments:
For many years our Chapter awarded the Norma Sullivan Conservation Award to people who made special contributions to the protection and restoration of our environment. Norma was a phenomenal champion for Birds, Other Wildlife and their Habitats. For some strange reason that Award was renamed after me.
It is my great honor and pleasure to award the Jim Peugh Conservation Award to Pam Heatherington. Pam has been selected by the San Diego Bird Alliance Conservation Strategy Team, with input from the Conservation Committee.
Our region has benefitted by a heritage of champions that have contributed to on-the-ground conservation, improving projects and plans, advocating for a better world, and mentoring and inspiring others in this vital work.
Pam is an incredible example for all of us about how to champion the environment. Her tireless work for the habitats and people of San Diego is legendary in environmental circles and public agencies. She has been leading environmental efforts in the region for many years with grace, wisdom, and determination. Pam manages the local 30X30 Coalition, ECO San Diego, and initiated the Environmental Leadership Summit. We recognize her for her broad, sophisticated and effective role in creating regional initiatives, assembling coalitions, and facilitating communication and getting results among organizations, jurisdictions, and agencies. The Birds, Other Wildlife, and Their Habitats, people and places of San Diego are all very fortunate to have her.
Pam, thank you very much for all that you do for our region and our environment.
