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What kind of future do you want for you and your family? How are you investing for that future? How will you allocate your limited resources? And once you have started investing, how do you protect that investment in these troubling times? While these questions are most often heard when we are planning for our financial security, they are important considerations for our environmental security as well! How do you invest in helping to preserve the Earths resources? How are you helping protect that investment for the future of your family? As members of the San Diego Chapter, we invest in saving and preserving precious resources every time we renew our memberships. Our memberships provide a small portion of the funds needed to build our chapter and to continue our efforts. These efforts include our conservation programs that continue vigorously campaiging for the protection of our land, water, air and wildlife. To protect our canyons, the Chapter established a Canyons Campaign to help educate the public and has enabled citizens to form friends groups for 15 canyons, including Switzer, East Tecolote, Acuna, Dove, and Juniper Canyons. We have successfully formed a new friends group for Chollas Creek and are now working to exceed our goals with new friends groups at Fairmont and Maple Canyons. Our Borders Committee continues to be in the forefront of environmental concerns that face both Mexico and Southern California. For

THE

by Richard Miller, Chapter Chair

CHAIR

HI SIERRAN STAFF
EDITOR & Art Director
Sergio Salvador, 619-993-8465 HiSierranEditor@...

COM. CHAIR/OUTINGS EDITOR

Pauline Jimenez 619-660-9898 HiSierranOutingsEditor@...

CONSERVATION EDITOR
B Schmidt, 619-479-3412 HiSierranConservationEditor@...

ACTIVITIES EDITOR
Shelley Warnick, 858-695-3552

over 40 years the Wilderness Basics Course has provided the best in educational outing experience and has trained thousands to safely enjoy the wilderness. Our Inner City Outings program helps children who would never have the opportunity to explore the diversity of our scenic outdoors by taking these children on hikes and camping events. Our Outings programs offer the best in hiking, camping and general exploring. In 2003, the Chapter will continue fighting many of these same battles by working to preserve our habitats, ensuring clean water standards to protect our beaches and wetlands, protecting our endangered species, and preventing sprawl. Unfortunately membership alone cannot ensure the success of our Chapter or the educational programs and campaigns needed to preserve and protect. It takes more. Our Chapters continued success depends on the continued support of our members. It takes the continued investment of your time and/or financial resources to ensure the gains of our Chapter are not lost or lessened in any way. But what about protecting that investment? Little could have been achieved without the dedicated efforts of our volunteers. Whether its one-hour volunteering in the office, attending public meetings, serving on one of our committees, or even helping to call friends and neighbors, each minute helps to ensure that investment. How better to ensure that your investment is protected than to volunteer your time or services on behalf of the Chapter. As the Chapter begins our annual fund appeal (see page 16), I hope that you will consider a continued investment in all of our futures, including that of you and your family, by donating financially and with HS your time.

THERE ARE A VARIETY OF WAYS TO MAKE A LASTING CONTRIBUTION

TOWARD A BETTER WORLD AND ENSURE THE ENVIRONMENT IS PROTECTED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME. BELOW IS A SUMMARY OF THE V ARIOUS WAYS YOU CAN MAKE A FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO THE

HiSierranActivitiesEditor@... ADVERTISING
Sergio Salvador, 619-993-8465 HiSierranAdvertising@...
The suffix for all above e-mails is: @sierraclubsandiego.org

SAN DIEGO CHAPTER

FROM YOUR WILL, LIVING TRUST, OR

OTHER ESTATE PLANS TO PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT.

Will it to Happen!

PLANNED GIVING OPTIONS

* BEQUESTS: Make a gift to support the environmental work of future generations in your will or living trust. Sample bequest language is available. * RETIREMENT PLAN ASSETS: Use your tax deferred retirement plan assets to benefit the environment. * LIFE INCOME GIFTS: Transfer assets to The Sierra Club Foundation and you and your chosen beneficiary receive income for a term of years or for life. After the conclusion of the term, the remainder of the life income gift is distributed to The Foundation. * RACHEL CARSON SOCIETY: We honor and recognize individuals who make a commitment to the environment by including the Sierra Club or The Sierra Club Foundation in their estate plans.

HI SIERRAN, MARCH/APRIL 2003 USPS896140

The Hi Sierran (USPS 896140) is published bi-monthly by the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club, 3820 Ray St., San Diego, CA 921043623, for members in San Diego and Imperial counties. One dollar of the annual membership fee is for a subscription to the Hi Sierran. Periodicals Postage Paid at San Diego, CA.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Hi Sierran, Sierra Club Members Services, PO Box 52968, Boulder CO 803222968.

We welcome the opportunity to show you the potential benefits of making a gift to support our work. Personal discussions, visits, or written presentations incur no obligation on your part, and of course, all information discussed is confidential. For a confidential discussion of these options to support the Sierra Club legacy in San Diego, call Martha Coffman at 619-299-1741.

page 2 San Diego Chapter March/April 2003 Hi Sierran

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Sierra Club Bookstore

* Operated by Sierra Club volunteers

Dear Hi Sierran,
Dear Editor: There was an interesting article about saving water in the last issue of the Hi Sierran. Luis Generoso, Water Resources Manager, City of San Diego, provided a number of generalizations about how to save water. The assumptions upon which the numbers were based were left out so it was impossible to evaluate whether the numbers had any validity. For example, Generoso suggested that San Diego could save 60 gallons of water/week by not using a garbage disposal, but we don't know if that was for a couple or a family of five. This is pretty loose use if not abuse of statistics. The bigger issue is whether water conservation is a good thing for the San Diegans who want to preserve natural places and limit suburban sprawl. It would be reasonable to assume Sierra Clubers would be in favor of this kind of thing. It could be argued that water shortage is a major factor limiting sprawl and unplanned population growth. The shrill rhetoric surrounding the future of Colorado River water underscores the import of imported water for unbridled growth. If one accepts these premises, then it would seem logical that saving water promotes the destruction of natural environments by encouraging suburban sprawl. It might be wise for friends of John Muir to examine for themselves the assumptions and agendas of those promoting water conservation. Although it goes against the grain of us conservationists, one might logically argue that to help save the backcountry from suburban sprawl, one should waste water not conserve it. Sincerely, Jackson Underwood, Ph.D., R.P.A. San Diego, California Your last issue had a full page piece on how to save water from the San Diego Water Department. There are many facts that were left out that Sierra Club members need to know. Eighty per cent of the water in California is used by the agriculture industry. Some of the agriculture use is enormously wasteful. For instance, it takes 5,280 gallons of water to produce one pound of California beef. By switching to a healthy vegeburger, you can save enough water to take a daily five minute shower for one year. Gordon LaBedz, M.D. National Sustainable Consumption Committee Dear Editor, I want to thank the Sierra Club members who answered my call for help in removing the sloughing from the Pacific Crest Trail caused by the Pines Fire of 2002. I could still use the help of a few more volunteers for March and April. Just let me know what day you are available. Thanks again! Jim Weinel, 1-858-487-4963

3820 RAY STREET SAN DIEGO, CA 92104

One block east of 30th St, just south of University in the community of North Park
IN ADDITION TO OUR WIDE SELECTION OF BOOKS, WE ALSO FEATURE MAPS ON CD-ROM, SIERRA CLUB DAYPACKS, AND NOTE CARDS

MONDAY NOON

- FRIDAY - 5 PM

CALL BEFORE
ALL
PROFITS BENEFIT THE

COMING DOWN!

(619)299-1797
SAN DIEGO CHAPTER DISCOUNTS: 10% MEMBERS; 20% COLS AND CHAIRS

Whales and Wildlife

A Fundraising Eco-Cruise to the Sea of Cortez

APRIL 5TH-12TH, 2003

EXPLORE REMOTE ISLANDS AND DESERTED BEACHES! SNORKEL WITH FRIENDLY SEA LIONS! KAYAK IN PRISTINE WATERS! ZODIAC TO SEE BLUE WHALE! AND SO MUCH MORE...
There has never been a better way to support the incredible work of the local Sierra Club Wildlife and Border committees! Lindblad Expeditions, a cruise company with a conservation ethic, will host our group aboard the spacious 70-passenger Sea Lion, and guests will be treated to an adventure and educational experience that they will never forget! See below for more information.
This eight-day cruise departs from Guayamas, Mexico, on April 5th and arrives in La Paz, Baja CA, on April 12th, 2003. Price starts at $2290 per person, and include a double occupancy cabin, all meals and services, snorkel gear, wet suits, kayaks, zodiacs, and the services of on-board naturalists. Hold your space with a $300 check made out to "Sierra Club"and sent to: 3820 Ray Street, San Diego, CA 92104. To request a brochure or for further information please contact Cheryl Reiff at 619-299-1743 or admin@sierraclubsandiego.org. Make your email subject "Whales and Wildlife Cruise".

WED LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!

Letters policy: Submit your letters of 300 words or less via email to: hisierraneditor@sierraclubsandiego.org or by mail to our office. Your submission is not a guarantee that your letter will be published, and we reserve the right to edit all content for errors in spelling and/or grammar. Letters do not necessarily represent the beliefs of the Hi Sierran staff or the Sierra Club.

page 3 San Diego Chapter March/April 2003 Hi Sierran

Chapter Notes
SIERRA CLUB LAUNCHES NEW WEB FEATURE SIERRA CLUB LARRY DUMLAO GALLERY The national Sierra Club offices are about to roll out the beta OPENINGS FOR MARCH AND APRIL!
launch of a new national Sierra Club Web site feature called Zoomer and the Hi Sierran wants to give you a sneak preview of it. Check it out at http://zoomer.sierraclub.org Many of the chapter web and newsletters editors who attended our training in November 2002 took a peek at it, myself included, and the feedback was very positive Zoomer is a guide to Web sites that provide ZIP code based (or sometimes county- or state-based) information that will be of value to those who care about their backyard environment. In fact, we think it's a resource that will keep folks coming back to our Web site any time they're trying to track down local information, whether they want to check where to get rid of their old paint cans, find out about Superfund sites near them, learn about local wildlife or check the day's pollen count in their region. If you are interested, go to Zoomer, enter your zip code, and then click on a Resource of Interest. When you land on a site, you can rate it for its usefulness and add comments if you have details that may be pertinent to other users in your zip code. For instance, if the recycling Web site says Joe's Recycling Center is open 7 days a week at 9 a.m., but you know that the hours have changed and Joe doesn't open until noon on Saturdays, you can pass on that tidbit of info for others to see. Let us know what you think, and be sure to tell National about any Web sites you know of that have zip-code or county or state-based information that would be of interest to Sierra Club Web site visitors. Comments should be sent to mailto: zoomer@sierraclub.org HS

MARCH 8-APRIL 11: Thomas Kerrigan, Ceramics Artist; Window: Philip Matzigheit APRIL 12-MAY 9: Joan Boyer, Landscape painter; Window: Lynn Susholtz
THOMAS KERRIGAN, LARRY DUMLAO GALLERY MARCH 8-APRIL 11 Thomas Kerrigan, Artist and Professor Emeritus at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, will be showing his ceramic art in conjunction with the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts 2003 Exhibition in San Diego. Thomas is intrigued by spaces that are not accessible to the human eye but are accessible to the human spirit. He uses textual forms to entice the spirit to penetrate the interior of an unknown but vaguely familiar environment. He aims to create a spiritual resonance in the works and his goal is that they will create a calming, healing effect. The works are done in earthenware clay and fired to earthenware temperatures. Thomas Kerrigans art has been exhibited in numerous galleries, museums, private and corporate collections, and featured in magazines. PHILIP MATZIGHEIT, MARCH WINDOW DESIGNER In celebration of the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts' annual conference being held in San Diego, the March 2003 window will feature Philip Matzigheit and Public Address's, BIG SCALE, NCECA Tile and Garden Tour. Philip is well known to Sierra Club members for his coyote-friendly retaining walls in Poway. Sierra Club members are invited to take this tour and meet artists from around the country, as well as Public Address members and Philip on site, where they will answer questions. JOAN BOYER, LARRY DUMLAO GALLERY APRIL 12-MAY 9 Born in Alameda, California, Joan spent many summers exploring the Sierras and surrounding foothills. These days she hikes with the watercolors to paint studies for her larger oil paintings, seeking late afternoon light when the trees cast long shadows and the hills turn to gold. Her buttery brushstrokes and intense palette reflect her interest in the Impressionist painters. With her work widely exhibited in juried and group shows, Joan is a member of the Artists Guild, the San Diego Watercolor Society and the California Art Club. LYNN SUSHOLTZ, APRIL WINDOW DESIGNER Lynn Susholtz is a public artist in North Park known for her studio Stone Paper Scissors, which created the artwork for the Vermont Street Pedestrian Bridge and "Water Marks", an informational entry wall in Mission Trails Regional Park. She is the artist and principal designer for the current improvements to the North Park Community Park. In collaboration with community members, other artists, and students in her environmental design class, Susholtz was responsible for the design of the hardscape, amphitheater, mural, and entry gates at the school. She continues to teach free art classes to children at the North Park Recreation Center. Science concepts embedded in the art include the rotation of the earth and planets and the life cycles of frogs and butterflies. This exhibit features drawings, models and photographs showing the development of this unique and artful play environment. HS

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE & POPULATION COMMITTEE TO PRESENT PUBLIC FORUM

Sprawl is presently the Sierra Club San Diego Chapters number one environmental focus. Population fuels sprawl, and predictions can become self-fulfilling prophesies. With that in mind, make sure to mark your calenders for Thursday evening, March 13, when the Executive Committee will team with the Population Committee to break down SANDAGs controversial population projections to the year 2020. The event starts at 5:30 pm, and will take place at Cocos Restaurant at 2644 El Cajon Boulevard. Both Sierra Club Members and the General Public are invited. Be sure to bring a very good appetite and plenty of questions! All conservation-minded members are advised to attend and bring friends! For more information call Bob Coates or Tom HS Mullaney, 619-795-1753.

DONT MISS SAN DIEGO SOCKERS ACTION!

Mark March 21st, 7pm on your calendars for fun-filled chapter fundraiser with the San Diego Sockers during their fan appreciation night! The home team goes up against the Baltimore Blast that night. Tickets for the game are only $10 each, half of which goes directly to the Sierra Clubs San Diego chapter! Contact Cheryl Reiff for tickets by calling 619-299-1743 or sending an email to admin@sierraclubsandiego.org. This event is sure to be fun for the whole family, so bring a friend. For information about the Sierra Club Larry Dumlao Art Gallery, contact HS Leslie McNabb, Ray at Night Coordinator, at: gallery@sierraclubsandiego.org Heck, bring a crowd! page 4 San Diego Chapter March/April 2003 Hi Sierran

Coastal News and Notes

Compiled by Mark Massara, Sierra Clubs Director of Coastal Programs
MENDOCINO/MONTEREY/SAN DIEGO The California Coastal Commission voted unanimously to send letters to the State Water Board in opposition to a proposal to pump "extra" water from the Albion and Gualala Rivers in Mendocino County and tow it via tugboats to San Diego in huge plastic bags the size of football fields. Entrepreneur Ric Davidge sought to make millions selling the water he'd taken for free. Coastal Commissioners and staff raised environmental concerns regarding the project. Now Davidge proposes to take water from Humboldt Countys Mad River and barge it down to Monterey County. Davidge has proposed to use water from the Mad River that was formerly allocated to industrial pulp mills that are no longer operating on Humboldt Bay. Officials in both San Diego and Monterey claim they have no interest in Davidges plans to start a water war between northern and southern California. For more info, go to: http://www.sierraclub.org/ca/coasts/hotbox/ SANTA BARBARA After 15 years of threat, the Coastal Commission has denied the Arco/Dos Pueblos Golf Course proposed for Naples Wildlife Sanctuary in Santa Barbara County. The complex would have been built along a mile of coastline west of Goleta. Since the beginning the project has been beset with problems and delays. The developers refused to design their course to be consistent with the Coastal Acts mandate that wildlife and coastal resources be protected. In the ten years the project has been fought publicly, additional rare, GUALALA ESTUARY IN threatened, migratory, endangered and MENDECINO COUNTY, protected species onsite have been idenPHOTO BY P.T. NUNN tified. Dozens of concerned citizens traveled from Santa Barbara to protest the project. Surfrider Foundation, Sierra Club and CoastWalk all participated in the arguments against the project. The Arco golf course will rear its head once again in March 2003 as developers attempt to win a Motion for Reconsideration. This last ditch attempt to resurrect the fatally flawed project is unlikely to succeed. To learn more about this issue, contact Ariana Katovich at: ariana.katovich@sierraclub.org STATEWIDE CoastWalk, the nonprofit organization long associated with the establishment of the California Coastal Trail, is planning an ambitious project this summer to hike the entire California Coast. Starting on June 3, 2003, dedicated hikers will start at the Oregon border and hike to Mexico. The trip is scheduled to end on September 22, 2003. YOU are invited! You can hike the entire 1,100-miles or join the long-haulers for day hikes throughout the trek. For more information contact CoastWalk at (800)550-6854 or go to www.coastwalk.org
To join Sierra Clubs Great Coastal Places Campaign or to learn more about threats to the coast and opportunities for protection, go to http://sierraclub.org/ca/coasts/. From this site you can also sign up for the California CoastWatcher newsletter, from which the above excerpts are taken. HS

page 5 San Diego Chapter March/April 2003 Hi Sierran