1

DESERT KIDS RETURN FOR THIRD VISIT

For the third year, students from Borrego Springs Elementary

School visited Batiquitos Lagoon and other points of interest on

the coast as part of an end-of-school field trip. The group of 30

fourth graders, their teacher and some parents came by bus on

May 14. Their first stop was the Hubbs Sea World hatchery

where they viewed white sea bass being raised for release into the

ocean. They also learned a number of fun facts about fish popu-

lations and ocean conservation. Next they cruised the Coast

Highway to Ponto Beach where they had lunch and explored the

sandy beach environment. Batiquitos Lagoon was their last stop.

They enjoyed an informative talk on Native American culture

and traditional stories, including a really great hike on the north

shore trail. This was the last year that the field trip will be paid

for by a grant from the California Coastal Commission’s Whale

Tail program. Other funding sources are being explored to con-

tinue to make this an annual event for Borrego Springs 4th grad-

ers. -

Don Rideout

CLUB PELICAN COMBINES ART AND NATURE

For the 14th year, the City of Carlsbad Arts Office and BLF have

teamed up to offer the outstanding Club Pelican program to local

kids.

This program is extremely

popular and fills up fast

every year. In three week-

long sessions, 90 enrolled

children (7- 11 years of

age) spent half a day at

the lagoon experiencing

an unbeatable combination

of art instruc- tion and envi-

ronmental education.

Drawing, painting and

sculpting were paired

with bugs, birds, crabs,

frogs, native plants, short

hikes, sun- shine and

fresh lagoon air. Art

teacher Kate Beach and Naturalist Teacher Karen Hoyle were

assisted by BLF docents Dave Dyer, Dudney Odell, Patti Gol-

long, Cecile Wadley, and Don Rideout. Native American culture

was taught by Luiseno teacher Cathleen Chilcote Wallace. They

also received a great lesson in wastewater treatment from Stacy

Spangler of the Encina Wastewater Authority. Everybody had a

great time, kids and adults alike.

Don Rideout

CUB SCOUT CAMP MAKES INAUGURAL APPEARANCE

Local Cub Scout Troop 775 used the BLF Nature Center as its

base of operations for a first-ever Cub Scout Conservation Camp

this summer. Modeled loosely after Club Pelican, 20 scouts

came to the lagoon for 5 consecutive mornings in July. They

worked on art and craft projects and hiked on the trail, learning

about cicadas, sandstone, jumping mullet, and lemonade berry.

The camp was organized by Terrie Butler, a Cub Scout Den

Leader and mom to two kids who love Batiquitos Lagoon from

many previous visits. The scouts made a very generous donation

to BLF for use of the Nature Center and the assistance of our

docents. We hope this will be the first of many future Cub Scout

camps.

Don Rideout

CONSIDER BECOMING A DOCENT,

HOST AT OUR NATURE

CENTER, OR VOLUNTEER IN

MANY OTHER POSITIONS (See page 3)!

The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation (BLF)

The Great Egret Volume 4 Fall 2009

2

Important Numbers

Nature Center: (760) 931-0800

City of Carlsbad Police Department:

Emergency: 911

Non-emergency: (760) 931-2197

Watch Commander: (760) 937-2115

Calif. Dept. of Fish & Game:

Regional Office: (858) 467-4201

CALTIPS: (888) 334-2258

BLF Addresses & Other Information

Mail: P.O. Box 130491

Carlsbad, CA 92013-0491

Website: www.batiquitosfoundation.org

Email: info@batiquitosfoundation.org

Nature Center Location (Not Mailing Address):

7380 Gabbiano Lane

Carlsbad, CA 92011

Nature Center Hours of Operation:

M-F: 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Sat-Sun: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

Board of Directors & Officers

Fred C. Sandquist - President (2007-2010)

Dave Robertson - Vice President (2006-2009)

Don Rideout - Secretary (2007-2010)

Rick Ransburg - Treasurer (2006-2009)

Don Connors (2006-2009)

Paula Kirpalani (2008-20011)

Don Omsted (2008-2011)

Dr. Robert E. Murphy (2008-2011)

Dr. Anne Space (2007-2010)

Newsletter

Published Quarterly

Editor: (Need Volunteer)

Contact: newsletter@batiquitosfoundation.org

Kid’s Korps A Hit at Batiquitos Lagoon

Weeding the former Mitsuuchi Property

Dave Robertson Gives the Safety Briefing

3

From the Desk of the President …

I continue to be humbled by how all our many volunteers continue to

step up to the plate and support our many programs! As an all volun-

teer organization, our ability to keep our organization viable and sus-

tainable over the years depends on this continued commitment. Keep

up the outstanding support! For those who are considering becoming a

more active volunteer, opportunities abound. Please follow-up and let

us know of your interests. I am confident we can find one or more

matches!

I’d like to recognize some of our volunteers who continue to go that

extra mile for the BLF. Don Rideout as our Education Chair, continues

to make our docent programs something we can all be proud of. I also

want to thank each and every docent and docent-in-training who make

it happen. Don has also another responsibility for keeping our Nature

Center operations going. Don Connors continues to be our handyman

in maintaining our Nature Center and associated infrastructure. Dr.

Anne Spacie, our Science Advisor, is representing us and other North

San Diego County environmental organizations on the South Coast

Regional Stakeholder Group working on California’s Marine Life Pro-

tection Act (MLPA) initiative. She, working with Jim Brown, are lead-

ing our water quality monitoring program. Dave Robertson has again

lead a successful Batiquitos Lagoon Annual Kayak Clean-up event.

The annual fundraiser provided us with significant general fund re-

sources to sustain our many programs. The list goes on and on. A well

done to all our volunteers who helped out!

As you see from our election ballot, board member and Vice President

Dave Robertson has decided not to run for reelection. He intends to

continue to be involved with the foundation and focus more time to

public educational programs. He is reducing his involvement in our

weed-whacking and trail maintenance work. Having worked with

Dave closely over the years, I truly appreciated all his work while a

board member and vice president! I also look forward to working with

him in the future and for his interest to continue supporting the BLF.

We look forward over the next year to hopefully see our Nature Center

Upgrade Project come to fruition. We also have some exciting land

acquisition opportunities that are now on our radar screen which we

expect to report on in upcoming newsletter editions.

Don Rideout and our docents are again planning our 2010 Annual Vol-

unteer Training Class. If you have not attend one, I encourage you to

consider it this year. We expect to post information on it on our web-

site in December, including online registration and credit card process-

ing. With a maximum class size of 25, we expect to fill our class seats

quickly, so plan to register early once registration opens.

If you are not yet a member, please consider joining the BLF family

and get involved in preserving, protecting and enhancing Batiquitos

Lagoon Ecological Reserve and its associated watershed. As always,

feel free to contact me at (760) 918-2408 or send me an email at presi-

dent@batiquitosfoundation.org if you have anything you would like to

discuss or suggest. 2010 should be a very exciting and busy year for

the BLF, and I really appreciate your continued trust and support in

serving you as your President!

…Fred C. Sandquist, President

Volunteers Needed!

As with any all volunteer organization, the BLF de-

pends on our volunteers to fill key foundation posi-

tions in support of our programs and operations. The

following is a list of some of our key positions that

we need support for. If interested or you would like

further information, please call or leave a message at

our Nature Center ((760) 931-0800) or send an email

to: volunteer@batiquitosfoundation.org.

Nature Center Hosts

Fundraising/Marketing

Educational & Marketing Materials Mainte-

nance

Newsletter Editor

Webmaster/Website Maintenance

Trail Captains (for Weed-whacking/Trail

Maintenance)

Docents

Grant Writers

Standing Committee Chairs (e.g., Nature

Center, Marketing & Public Outreach, Fund-

raising, Membership)

A special thanks to some of our key partners who

support the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation by

providing us with discounts, critical services and

products in support of our many programs or

provide direct financial support. These partners

include:

Waste Management

Four Seasons, Aviara

REI, Encinitas

Anderson’s La Costa Nursery

Wild Bird Center

Hobie

Life Technologies

Anderson Stationers, Inc.

Tree of Life Nursery

FedEx/Kinkos

4

UPCOMING EVENTS

NOVEMBER 2009

Sat., November 7th: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance.

9 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.

Fri., November 13th: Bird Count 7:30 am. All are wel-

come; bring binoculars. Meet at Gabbiano Lane parking lot.

Sat., November 14th: Visiting and Resident Birds. 9:00 am.

BLF Nature Center.

Tue., November 17th: BLF Annual Meeting, Board

Member Elections, & Board Meeting. 4:30 pm., BLF Na-

ture Center.

Sat., November 21st: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance.

9 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.

Sat., November 28th: Explore the Ponto Tide pools.

11:00 am. Dig in the sand to look for critters; then walk to

the jetty where sea stars, crabs, and anemones are exposed

by the low tide. Park at the South Carlsbad State Beach

(Ponto Beach) parking lot. Parking passes available from the

docents when you arrive. Meet at the tables by the stairs.

Note: Our Nature Center will be open Thanksgiving Day,

Thursday, November 26th,

DECEMBER 2009

Sat., December 5th: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance.

9 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.

Fri. December 11th: Bird Count 7:30 am. All are wel-

come; bring binoculars. Meet at Gabbiano Lane parking lot.

Sat., December 12th: Geology of the Lagoon and Envi-

rons. 9:00 am. Meet at the Nature Center to learn about the

geology of the lagoon area. Then take a short guided walk

for a hands on experience with the rocks and geology of the

lagoon environment.

Sat., December 19th: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance.

9 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.

Note: Our Nature Center will be open Christmas Day, Fri-

day, December 25th

JANUARY 2010

Note: Our Nature Center will be open New Years Day,

January 1, 2010.

Sat., January 2nd: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance. 9

am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.

Fri. January 8th: Bird Count 7:30 am. All are welcome;

bring binoculars. Meet at Gabbiano Lane parking lot

Sat., January 19th: Weed-whacking/trail maintenance. 9:00 am -12 noon. Volunteers meet at Nature Center.

Consider becoming a docent or volunteer.

On-the-job subject area training and one-on

-one mentoring can be provided.

A North-shore Trail Walk

A Swami’s Beach Walk

A South Carlsbad State Beach - Ponto Beach Walk

5

2010 BLF Volunteer Training Class Being Planned

The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation is an all volunteer organiza-

tion. The health and continued viability of our foundation is,

therefore, dependent on sustaining our cadre of volunteers to

serve the needs of the organization. There is a constant need for

volunteers for activities such as: docents to lead and assist our

public walks, lead private walks and school educational pro-

grams, hosts for our Nature Center, weed-warriors, trail mainte-

nance, administrative and management functions (e.g., newslet-

ter editor, website maintenance, scheduling, publicity, Nature

Center operations, marketing, fundraising, publicity, event plan-

ning), and many others. If you have an interest, there is a

place for your talents at the BLF! This is an excellent way to

learn more about the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve

and what we’re all about.

Our training program runs each year in the mid- February

through late March / early April timeframe for 8 sessions.

While the exact dates and times have not been finalized, those

who are interested should begin thinking about it.. Classes are

held Saturday mornings at the BLF Nature Center 7380 Gabbi-

ano Lane in Carlsbad, starting promptly at 9:00 am and finishing

by Noon.. There is a maximum class size of 25. If unable to attend one or more classes, they may be made up by viewing one or

more of our training class DVD that can be checked out, and then meeting with one of our subject-area docents. Upon completion,

the class usually performs a service project as a group. Any graduate that completes the class and performs 20 hours of service

ears a name tag.

If Interested, please block out the time and look for our online registration to begin in December 2009!

Our 2009 Volunteer Training Class

6

Here refers to the BLF Nature Center, 7380 Gabbiano Lane, Carlsbad, CA

See Page 2 for hours of operation

Tickets will also be sold at the Carlsbad Street Faire, Sunday, November 1, 2009

7

YOU’RE INVITED!!!

PLEASE COME!!!

THE ANNUAL MEETING

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation (BLF)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

4:30 pm

BLF Nature Center

7380 Gabbiano Lane (lagoon end)*, Carlsbad, CA 92011 (*see map at www.batiquitosfoundation.org)

Agenda

Meeting of Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation membership

Election of three board members

Regular Board Meeting

BALLOT Eligible voters – Active members and in good standing since October 16, 2009

Every year we elect three board members. There are five named candidates this year.

Vote for no more than three, 1 ballot per membership:

[_] Jim Brown

[_] Kathy Combs

[_] Don Connors (Incumbent)

[_] Pamela Martin

[_] Rick Ransburg (Incumbent)

[ ] Other: _________________________________________

MANDATORY- BE SURE TO SIGN

_____________________________________ _________________________________ Date _________________

SIGNATURE PRINT NAME

Bring your ballot to the meeting and meet the candidates

or

Fold this whole page, carefully seal with tape, and mail to the blf

(Mailed ballots must be received by Noon, Tuesday, November 17, 2009 to count)

8

BATIQUITOS LAGOON FOUNDATION

P.O. BOX 130491 Carlsbad, CA 92013-0491

BOARD ELECTION BALLOT

CAREFULLY FOLD HERE & TAPE CLOSED

Return Address

CAREFULLY FOLD HERE & TAPE CLOSED

9

2009 BLF BOARD ELECTIONS

Each year, three board member positions are up for election or re-

election. This year, incumbent positions, Don Connors and

Treasurer, Rick Ransburg are up for re-election. Vice President

Dave Robertson has decided not to run, so his position is open.

Therefore, this election cycle, we have three positions and five

candidates (two incumbents). Only BLF members in good stand-

ing since October 16, 2009 may vote, one ballot per membership.

Please check your address label to ensure your membership is up

to date and renew.. A write-in candidate my be included. Vote

for no more than three candidates.

BOARD CANDIDATE STATEMENTS

This year’s nominating committee, consisting of Donald Omstead

and Robert Murphy, solicited the following 5 candidates and as-

sociated statements as to there interests in serving the BLF.

Jim Brown

I have been an active docent sine finishing the classes in 2008. I

have enjoyed leading walks on the beach as well as on the trail

for students. I have participated in most of the docent meetings.

My central focus has been initiating a water monitoring and test-

ing program for the lagoon. I have enjoyed working with Anne

Spacie and others in performing the testing in a reliable manner.

This program is now finishing its first year.

The testing is carried out in partnership with San Diego Coast

Keeper who carries out testing with other lagoons, rivers and by

organizations throughout San Diego County. I meet regularly

with the other program captains to exchange information and

trends in our County.

My wife Linda and I have lived and raised our family in Encini-

tas for thirty years. I am a licensed roofing contractor and Linda

has an upholstery business. I have been certified in mold testing

and remediation. I have a large interest in archeology and North

American Indian history.

I believe this level of outreach and interests would be a valuable

asset to the board.

Don Connors (Incumbent)

Resident of Spinnaker Hill (Batiquitos Drive) since 1986 and a

member of the Board for many years. Retired federal employee

and USAR. Have strong, active interest in maintaining the trail

and nature center for visitors and improving this unique experi-

ence. Have been involved in keeping the nature center and sur-

rounding areas in serviceable condition and adaptable to BLF

needs. Have been developing requirements and plans for a per-

manent nature center using current and future technologies to be

the "greenest" nature center in California. Am involved in the

transfer of the present nature center to the new double-wide facil-

ity.

Kathy Combs

I’ve lived in North San Diego County for 30 years. Currently, I

am a Carlsbad resident. I am a semi-retired computer software

consultant.

Volunteer Work at Batiquitos Lagoon: I’ve been helping with

trail maintenance for the past year; I attended BLF Volunteer

Training this year; and I assist in maintaining the two nature gar-

dens located on the trail. Other Volunteer Work: Port Town-

send Marine Science Center, Port Townsend, WA. (2 years). I

cleaned touch pools and fish tanks in the marine exhibit center

and monitored for the European Green Crab in Puget Sound;

Victorian Festival, Port Townsend, WA (2 years). I was the

Media Coordinator for this annual festival; Meals on Wheels,

Vista, CA (5 years). I delivered meals once a week; Rancho

Coastal Humane Society (1 ½ years). I walked dogs and took

them to obedience training once a week; and Carlsbad Library

(current). I will be interviewing long time Carlsbad residents to

log their history. I also shelve books.

Pamela Martin

I have over 30 years experience in professional services market-

ing. I also have served in several volunteer efforts including,

most relevantly, the Executive Committee of the San Diego MIT

Enterprise Forum, a group that sponsors case-study programs of

high-tech start ups. MIT Enterprise Forum is a 501c3 organiza-

tion.

While at MIT Enterprise Forum, I chaired the marketing commit-

tee for five years. I was involved in organizational development

and corporate sponsorships. Professionally, I have worked in all

aspects of marketing including planning, implementation, com-

munications and organizational growth.

I have resided in San Diego County since childhood, and ob-

served with regret, the disappearance of open spaces and natural

habitats. I have contributed to multiple political campaigns and

developed grass-roots organizations for candidates and issue-

oriented projects. I am an avid reader and have a long-term, lay-

person’s interest in scientific subjects including ecological sys-

tems and related topics. My education is in Sociology, Philoso-

phy, Political Science and Economics. I am a generalist and I like

to contribute to the growth of organizations and sharing my

knowledge with both adults and children.

Rick Ransburg (Incumbent)

For the past nine years I have had the pleasure to serve on the

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation’s Board of Directors and have

served as Treasurer for the last six years. During this time many

individuals have come together to help the Foundation achieve

financial stability and a strong environmental voice locally and

regionally. While these achievements serve as a firm base to

build upon, there is still much to achieve. The Batiquitos Lagoon

is a precious resource that should never be taken for granted. I

would be honored to serve another term on the Board of Direc-

tors.

I have lived in Community for twenty-five years and have been

employed by the Four Seasons Resort Aviara for twenty years as

their Director of Recreation. While attending Michigan State

University (Go Spartans) I received a degree in Agronomy.

10

10-Year Biological Monitoring Report

Released

Merkel and Associates recently released their much anticipated

Long-Term Biological Monitoring Report on the health of Batiq-

uitos Lagoon covering 10+ years of monitoring. As part of the

original lagoon restoration project, which culminated with the

opening of the lagoon mouth in December 1996, Keith Merkel’s

consulting firm was contracted to monitor the status of the lagoon

flora and fauna for ten years. The findings are documented in a

detailed report available at Carlsbad’s City web site: http://

www.carlsbadca.gov/pdfdoc?pid=622

The executive summary provides overall results and recommen-

dations for management of the lagoon. In future newsletters, we

will be summarizing the main results on bird, fish, invertebrate,

and plant communities. Each of these biological communities

shows improvement since restoration, primarily because of the

dramatic improvement in salt marsh and tidal habitats following

dredging and lagoon opening. The long-term viability of the la-

goon rests on its tidal exchange, which is declining as sand and

sediment accumulate behind each of the bridge crossings. Future

management projects can use this report as a valuable bench-

mark.

Dr. Anne Spacie

We expect to provide a link to this important document on our

website in the near future.

Some charts, pictures and graphs from the report have been in-

cluded below to encourage you to review the report itself. Please

recognize that there is significant narrative that accompanies

these graphics, so you should look at the report itself before

drawing any firm conclusions and put things in the proper context

that the author intended. As indicated above, we will be provid-

ing articles on specific aspects in this key report in future news-

letters.

Fred C. Sandquist

Some Report Graphic Excerpts

11

Fourth Annual Batiquitos Lagoon Clean-up Event Another Success!

On Saturday and Sunday, September 26th and 27th, the BLF held its Fourth Annual Batiquitos Lagoon Clean-up Event. It was again

a great fundraising event, while helping to remove trash from the lagoon. Since we began our annual event four years ago, we’ve

seen a reduction in the amount of trash removed each year. This reduction is thought to be attributed to three factors: (1) our lack of

rainfall and regional drought condition which translates into less inflow of trash into the lagoon; (2) our lagoon cleanup activities and

annual cleanup event; and (3) increased public education, awareness and sensitivity to how trash impacts our wildlife and lagoon

health. With an expected El Nino this year during the usually wet season, we can expect to see more trash if we get significant rain-

fall this year.

We want to express our sincere appreciation and thanks to this year’s sponsors. Hobie, who makes kayaks, again provided kayaks

for our event on Saturday. REI again provided kayaks for our Sunday outing. Waste Management provided a dumpster. Finally, we

appreciated California Department of Fish and Game for allowing us to again conduct our event on the lagoon, and to use their Cali-

fornia Least tern nesting site for launching our kayaks. We select a time each year, usually mid to late September for two reasons:

(1) it is after the Least tern nesting season; and (2) we usually get a high-high mean high tide so more of the lagoon can be accessed

by kayak throughout the day. A special thanks to Dave Robertson for again organizing and running this years highly successful

event!

Some of the trash items collected included: tires, fishing line, fish net floats, a fire extinguisher, glass bottles, plastic bottle holders,

golf course out of bounds markers, a surf-casting fishing rig, a large glass and metal mirror, plastic bottles, and general floating mat-

ter. One group attempted to remove two truck tires in the eastern part of the lagoon, but could not free them from the muck. We

hope to get them out using a larger boat this winter.

Many of this year’s

kayakers saw some

sharks, rays, and a lot

of jumping fish! Some

event pictures are in-

cluded below.

Just After Launch Kayak Safety Briefing by REI

Some Trash! Finally On the Water We thank everyone who participated and hope to see everyone next year! Thanks for supporting the BLF!

12

California’s Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA) Up-

date

The South Coast Regional Stakeholders Group (SCRSG) met for

the last time on Sept. 9-10. All meeting materials and public

comments are posted at:

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/mlpa/meetings_sc.asp#sc

Three working groups worked to finalize their arrays. Each of

the groups had a slightly different charge. For example, my

group was asked to work toward "preferred" size and spacing of

the big reserves, while considering potential socio-economic im-

pacts.

Time was called at 5 pm, Sept 10th. We submitted our final ar-

ray, which includes a narrative description of the purpose and

regulations of each marine protected area as well as GPS coordi-

nates of the boundaries, as plotted on MarineMap, a Google-earth

-type mapping program. Anyone can access this tool and view

all of the data layers (bottom type, kelp, etc.) at:

www.marinemap.org/marinemap

As this point, the 3 arrays from the 3 work groups are not avail-

able to the public, but they should appear toward the end of this

month. They are being edited by MLPA staff and then forwarded

to the Science Advisory Team for technical review, which they

will present on October 6. Interested people can watch that meet-

ing in real time on Web video.

Following the reviews by staff and the SAT, the three proposals

will be evaluated by the Blue Ribbon Task Force. Their final

decision will be announced on October 20-22nd. Again, live

video will be available.

At this point, I do not know the content of the other 2 propos-

als. Ours definitely has the major estuaries designated as re-

serves (no take except for monitoring/research purposes). This

includes Batiquitos Lagoon, which is delineated from the western

edge of the HWY 1 bridge to the eastern extent of the mean high

tide line.

There has always been general support of estuary protection, but

the other proposals may have differences in the western boundary

and/or specific regulations.

The major battles among the work groups have been over the

valuable "real estate" at La Jolla/Point Loma, Del Mar/Swamis,

Orange County coast, Palos Verdes, and Catalina.

We are all hoping for a good outcome.

Anne Spacie

Post Script:

The three proposals, and “Proposal 0” which summarizes the

existing designated sites, have been released to the public for

comment.

SCRSG proposals 1 and 3 recommend that Batiquitos Lagoon be

designated a State Marine Reserve (SMR); proposal 2 recom-

mend dropping Batiquitos Lagoon from a MLPA designation -

hopefully that will not happen! Proposal 1 only has the SMR

from I-5 east, thus opening the middle and western basins poten-

tially for fishing and less protection that currently exists. Pro-

posal 3 proposes to have the SMR extend from the eastern HWY

101 bridge to El Camino Real and offers us more protection.

The next step is the review of the proposals by California Depart-

ment of Fish and Game. Their options include selecting one of

the three or a hybrid of parts of each. We will continue to report

progress in future newsletters. We encourage you to keep in-

formed on this very important project.

Graphics depicting the three options for the San Diego area are

indicated in page 13. Note that proposal two has less marine pro-

tected areas than the other two.

The BLF has submitted a letter to the MLPA Blue Ribbon Task

Force (BRTF) that will be reviewing the various proposals and

taking public comment on October 20-22, 2009. at the Hilton

Long Beach and Executive Meeting Center in Long Beach Cali-

fornia. Dr. Anne Spacie, BLF board member and Science Advi-

sor, who serves on the South Coast Regional Task Group, will be

attending this meeting. She will be involved in presenting Pro-

posal Number 3. Anne also represents a number of San Diego

environmental and conservation organizations, including lagoon

organizations in Carlsbad.

The chart below indicates the key players and the process associ-

ated with the MLPA initiative.

MLPA Players & Process

Fred C. Sandquist

13

MLPA San Diego Area Proposals.

14

A Scorpion Pays Me A Visit!

Paruroctonus silvestrii (An example of one common to the San

Diego area)

One evening, I was relaxing watching TV and dozed off. It was

hot and I had the front door open with the screen closed. When

ready to go upstairs and turn in, I started up the steps and some-

thing caught my eye. At first it looked like a small insect, but on

closer examination, I saw that it was a small scorpion. Being in-

terested, I carefully placed it in a small plastic zip-lock bag and

decided to show it to Dave Dyer, our BLF insect expert, who was

hosting at our Nature Center the next day. When living in New

Jersey many years ago as a teenager, I found a much larger scor-

pion in my basement, but I was not as kind to that one!

Dave confirmed that it was a scorpion and subsequently mounted

it for display at our Nature Center. Unfortunately, there are many

types of scorpions, and identifying exactly which one had visited

me proved elusive. Dave has kindly researched scorpions and we

decided to share some of what he found with you. Stop by our

Nature Center to view my unexpected visitor!

Fred C. Sandquist

Scorpions? Yes, we have scorpions in the San Diego area, includ-

ing Carlsbad and the lagoon area. While nocturnal, they are sel-

dom seen during the day, usually when disturbed under a log or

rock. They are predators and seek their prey during their night

time wanderings. Their prey includes insects and spiders which

they catch with their pincers. They look like a crab in the front,

but have an elongated tail that ends with their sharp stinger.

During the day, scorpions seek shelter under stones, dark areas

(including basements, closets) or in burrows in the ground. Some,

during their night wanderings, may enter homes where their dis-

covery brings cries of alarm. The small ones can easily enter

through a small opening, open door, or crack. According to the

San Diego County Vector Control, none of our local scorpions are

considered dangerous, although all inject venom. Their sting is

painful, much like that of a bee or wasp sting. A scorpion that has

caused deaths is found in Arizona and has the formidable name of

Centruoides Sculpturatus. The few scorpion sting patients have

shown a reaction ranging from panic to pain to bragging in about

three hours!

All scorpions are viviparous, with the young being carried on the

back of the female until after their first molt, when they start fend-

ing for themselves. Rock hounds have learned that under black

light, scorpions are florescent and appear gray in color.

Dave Dyer

Status of Batiquitos Bluffs

Development Project

Batiq-

uitos

Bluffs

Site

Plan

Overall Habitat Plan

(Includes wetland

acreage in Carlsbad)

As many of you may

know, the City of Enci-

nitas Planning Com-

mission approved an

application to develop

47.81 acres of property

west of the intersection

of El Camino Real and

La Costa Avenue in the

southeastern area of

Batiquitos Lagoon Eco-

logical Reserve. The

proposed development

includes pads for 19 single-story single family easements on the

property. Following the project’s permit application and associ-

ated planning program amendments, the decision has been ap-

pealed to and accepted by the California Coastal Commission,

with a formal hearing being planned for sometime after the first of

the year.

The developer, Westbridge Capital, is keeping all options on the

table and, in response to a letter from the BLF, is looking into

possibly selling it or other arrangements that might lead it to be

kept as open space habitat. If this were to happen, this additional

acreage would be added to the lagoon’s protected area. Much

work needs to be done in developing these options, with the

Coastal Commission’s decision on the appeal being a critical fac-

tor. We will be reporting progress on this project in future news-

letters.

Fred C. Sandquist

15

Fall 2009 Newsletter

Dear Friends of Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve & Foundation Members:

With the holiday season approaching, I am writing to you to give you an opportunity to

make an end-of-year holiday season tax deductible donation to support the Batiquitos Lagoon

Foundation (BLF). The BLF was formally established in 1983 as a 501(c) (3) non-profit or-

ganization with the mission to preserve, protect and enhance the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological

Reserve and associated watershed. With over 95% of our coastal wetlands lost over the years as

a natural habitat for many endangered species, the Batiquitos Lagoon remains one of Carlsbad’s

and Southern California’s most treasured natural resources.

The BLF, however, does not receive ongoing City, County, State or Federal funding to

support our many programs and to maintain our nature center. This year, with the nation ex-

periencing a very difficult and challenging economic environment, we expect to see a reduction

in donations and financial support as we all tighten our purse strings. Our Nature Center serves

as the BLF’s educational and exhibit center in direct support for our many visitors, including

schoolteachers and their students. It also serves as a meeting place for nature walks, special

educational programs, and is the location for Club Pelican, a children’s summer camp program.

Volunteer training and various volunteer activities also take place here. The Nature Center is

staffed solely by volunteer hosts, who also maintain it as well as prepare visual displays and

“hands on” exhibits for our many visitors with items from nature. The Nature Center also has a

library of books and reference materials on local plant and wildlife. In addition, our volunteers:

replant sensitive environmental areas; monitor the water quality of the lagoon and its associated

watershed; help maintain the 1.6 mile lagoon trail and our newly acquired 18.2 acre property;

lead nature walks for children and adults; sponsor educational programs; and write grants for

various programs and projects.

During this holiday season, please consider making a tax deductible donation and help us

maintain this North San Diego County natural treasure. Fill out the form included in this news-

letter and return it with your donation. Donations can also be made via credit card online

through our website, www.batiquitosfoundation.org. Thank you in advance for your support.

Sincerely,

Fred C. Sandquist

President

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation

16

Membership

Membership in Batiquitos Lagoon

Foundation is a great way to support our efforts to

maintain and improve this beautiful natural resource.

Annual memberships are available in the following

categories:

Student/Senior Citizen $15

Individual $20

Family $30

Sponsor $60

Patron $160

Business Assoc $250

Sustaining $500

Join & pay via bank debit or major credit card through

our website

www.batiquitosfoundation.org

Memberships and donations are tax deductable.

REMINDER TO MEMBERS: Check the expiration date at the top of your mailing label to find out when you need to renew your membership.

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

PAID ENCINITAS, CA PERMIT #471

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation P.O. Box 130491 Carlsbad, CA 92013-0491

The Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation was established on January 7,

1983 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation, dedicated to preserving,

protecting, and enhancing the Batiquitos Lagoon Ecological Reserve

and its associated watershed, riparian, coastal sage and upland

habitats.

NATURE CENTER HOURS

Monday—Friday: 9:00 am to 12:30 pm

Saturday & Sunday: 9:00 am to 3:00 pm

For information:

Visit our Website: www.batiquitosfoundation.org

Call: (760) 931-0800

Email: info@batiquitosfoundation.org