No. 81 Spring 2015
Photo: Steve Bier
Anza-Borrego’s Formidable Desert: Implausible Richness By Evan MacKinnon, Environmental Scientist, Colorado Desert District The desert is a land of extremes — dry alkali soils, searing temperatures and relentless winds — it’s the last place you’d expect to find a rich biological system teeming with life. And yet in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, receiving barely seven inches of rain per year, there exists an intact ecosystem, part of a large desert preserve complex in Southern California where ecological processes go largely unimpaired by human exploits. AnzaBorrego is extraordinary, not just as a local conservation achievement in an increasingly urbanized corner of the country, but as a unique and biologically diverse wildland of global conservation importance. My experience of other arid areas of the West didn’t prepare me for the “lushness” of the Anza-Borrego Desert. It certainly didn’t resemble the sagebrush scrub of the Great Basin Desert, the creosote flats of the Mojave Desert, or the alkali scrub habitats of the rarely recognized “San Joaquin Desert” (Germano et al. 2011). Instead, vegetation is abundant and of all types, including annuals, shrubs and succulents, as well as the gangly ocotillo, the emblem of the Sonoran Desert (Schoenherr 1995). The desert’s lushness is seen best in desert washes, where we find trees like desert willow, mesquite and ironwood. These arborescent forms seem implausible given such meager rainfall, yet their fortuitous geographic location and exceedingly deep roots allow them to flourish. Fan palms, another bizarre and seemingly out-of-place form, conjure up
images of the desert’s tropical past. Anza-Borrego’s plant diversity is not unusual by California standards. Indeed the Park lies in San Diego County, quite possibly the most botanically diverse county in the United States (Rebman & Simpson 2014). Much of the diversity of Anza-Borrego has to do with its geological and topographic complexity. For example, moist and shady canyons favor a suite of organisms very different from those growing on rocky mountaintops or silty valley bottoms. Also, the bimodal (winter and summer) rainfall pattern favors different plant communities at different times of year, with essentially two ephemeral communities being supported in one area. Around half of the desert’s plant diversity consists of annual species that withstand periodic dry periods in their dormant seed form (Phillips and Comus 2000). In other words, during most years this species diversity exists only in the form of a soil “seed bank.” The California desert is a place of discovery. One would be hard pressed to locate another region where an inquisitive botanist is more likely to describe a new species than in the under-documented and rugged terrain of California’s desert. Already the desert has provided us with classic ecological lessons on topics like ecological facilitation among species, as well as information on the physiological adaptations and biochemical pathways that allow plants to not only endure the desert,
continued on page 3
From the President
Diversity is hard. We seem to adopt the concept easily, but it is complicated when we look into
BOARD of TRUSTEES: Jim Smith PRESIDENT
Dick Troy
VICE PRESIDENT
Bill Reavey
SECRETARY
TRUSTEES: Nicholas Clapp Ernie Cowan Sharon Goldsmith Bill McDonald John Peterson Philip Pryde Ralph Singer Linda Tandle David Van Cleve ABF STAFF: Paige Rogowski
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Tracie Cofer
STAFF ASSISTANT
Bri Fordem
DONOR RELATIONS MANAGER
Julie Gerson
LAND PROGRAM COORDINATOR
Ashley Kvitek
EDUCATION COORDINATOR
Briana Puzzo
EDUCATION MANAGER
Chris Rogowski
INTERPRETIVE SALES MANAGER
Christina St John SALES ASSISTANT
ANZA-BORREGO FOUNDATION 587 Palm Canyon Drive #110 & 111 Borrego Springs, CA 92004 (760) 767-0446 www.theabf.org info@theabf.org Anza-Borrego Foundation is a non-profit, tax-exempt [IRS code 501(c) (3)] charitable organization
the details. Many of us humans seem to take solace and refuge in sameness, familiarity and predictability. Diversity is a key component to the health of our planet and our relationship with it. Without it, ecological systems begin to crumble, which in turn begin to affect the ability of many organisms to thrive. Why is this important? The richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development and adaptive responses to such new challenges as climate change. We are a part of a network — a web of diverse life — that can be destroyed if we don’t exercise caution. The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago estimates that approximately 25% of all living mammals are close to extinction. This phenomenon is now being referred to as the “sixth extinction,” in reference to there being five other documented great annihilations of living things in earth’s history. Here in our Colorado Desert we know this threat exists to many of our animal residents; the Peninsular bighorn sheep and desert pupfish are two examples. The culprits include redistribution of water, loss of habitat, inappropriate off-road usage, growth and development, and invasive species. And who is responsible for all of these changes? Well, of course, we are. We are also responsible for stopping — and even reversing — these trends. That is what those of us who have grown to love the desert are working and volunteering towards. Since 1967 the Anza-Borrego Foundation has been dedicated to the PRESERVATION of habitat in our region. Our job is to continually search for the funds to permanently preserve land within the park boundaries in order to keep the amazing diversity of these lands intact and protected for the future. We have accomplished this task to the tune of more than 50,000 acres and have another 20,000 to go. Our job is also to constantly educate our young folks so that they will become motivated advocates of desert preservation. There are programs such as PORTS (Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students), which broadcasts into classrooms across the state — introducing 8,000 young students per year to the uniqueness of desert environments. Each year ABF funds Camp Borrego, an environmental education camp for 300+ San Diego and Imperial County fifth graders. Exposing them to three days in the desert so that they can experience what it is like to see a multitude of stars, how the mountain lion lives, and why Palm Canyon looks like it does provides an incredible opportunity. Most of these kids have never been out of their own communities and have very little sense of how all this natural life fits together. After all, it’s hard to tell in the big city. Although it is the largest state park in California, ABDSP is just a little piece of the whole puzzle that makes up the important biodiversity of this planet. We protect what we understand, and sharing the importance of the desert, the diversity of animal and plant life, and our interconnectivity will help uphold not only the health of this Park, but that of the rest of the world. Join us in our effort to make an impact. Thanks, Jimmy Smith ABF President
DESERT UPDATE: ABF Staff
Printed in U.S.A. on 50% postconsumer recycled paper. Photo: Jim Densmore
Superintendent’s Corner by Kathy Dice, ABDSP Superintendent
One of the questions our park visitors ask most often is when
the wildflowers bloom. The wildflower bloom is one of the most glorious celebrations of desert plants we know of. As I write this column we are enjoying an extremely colorful spring — I have the sniffling, sneezing staff and pollen-covered pant legs to prove it. Wildflower blooms are hard to predict, as it is all a matter of the timing and amount of rainfall, winter temperatures and some mysteries only native seeds know. We have not yet gotten the same wildflower display year to year. In the last decade we were nearly robbed of wildflowers by the invasive Sahara mustard plant that would bloom early and grow aggressively to shade out native flowers, then spread its seeds with abandon. Dedicated volunteers have worked to pull and clear mustard throughout the Borrego Valley for several years and have been instrumental in saving our native spring wildflower pageant. Volunteers continue to be our heroes in Anza-Borrego! Even in years when we do not have a great wildflower bloom, we can almost always count on shrubs and cacti to put on a show. They really have a way of cheering things up — and when the ocotillos bloom, their red flag blossoms seem to turn the air into a red haze. Although spring flowers delight all of us, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is also celebrated as the home of a large variety of year-round plant habitats. Our most well-known hidden gems are
the palm oases. I love that they are remnants of the last ice age and stand in such quiet dignity. Some groves are in well-watered canyons, while others hover around seeps in the badlands. Most of them require some hiking to truly enjoy their splendor. A palm oasis is a great place to enjoy a wide variety of other desert plants and animals, especially birds and occasionally bighorn sheep. You might be surprised to know that Anza-Borrego Desert State Park has one of the only perennial streams in San Diego County. You would know it as Coyote Creek that runs the length of Coyote Canyon. Riparian habitats are especially rare in the desert, and we are lucky enough to be in the shadow of mountain ranges that provide opportunities for these ecosystems to exist. Coyote Canyon is lush with plant and animal life — from desert willow to mountain lion. It should be no surprise that Coyote Canyon is the location of the Park’s largest cultural preserves — where there is water there is life — and that held true for the Cahuilla tribe as well. Other riparian habitats include cienegas (Spanish for marshes) such as Sentenac, Vallecito and Carrizo. They are key elements of desert life and history. We have higher elevation pines; have you ever spotted pinyons on Whale Peak? How about the juniper, jojoba, wild apricots and plums of Blair or Culp Valley? Funny, those are also cultural preserve locations in the Park! I have a special love of the badlands’ smoke trees, palo verdes and ironwoods — all legume family plants that somehow make a living under even the poorest conditions. One of the best things about them is their sweetsmelling blooms in late spring and summer: yellow palo verde blossoms in April, pink ironwood in May and finally deep purple smoke trees in June. Their celebration is one of the many things we have to look forward to here as summer arrives on our doorsteps. There is so much to love about Anza-Borrego Desert State Park! It’s ironic to think of a desert as having so much diversity, but it is exactly that diversity, as well as the many other extraordinary aspects of this Park, that make Anza-Borrego worth preserving as one of the crown jewels of California. I am lucky to have spent so much time here and hope you can make the same claim!
...Formidable Desert: Implausible Richness continued from page 1
to thrive under the desert’s seemingly ungenerous provisions. The desert has taught us about complex germination cues that prevent species from germinating under any other than ideal environmental conditions, an arrangement of conditions so unlikely as to occur years apart. In Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, ecological zones are visible to even the novice naturalist, who is likely to note the often abrupt altitudinal transitions from creosote flats, through rocky cactus-studded hillsides, and eventually to desert chaparral and pinyon-juniper woodland. There are still many mysteries worthy of study here, especially in the fields of plant physiology and evolutionary and reproductive biology. I have not yet witnessed the dramatic wildflower displays of the desert — in fact every year I’ve lived in California has been a drought year — so in my mind this is a minor element of the desert’s overall charm. Whether forecasts predict a showy wildflower year or not, microclimates will more than likely support small samples of these wildflower arrays, and perennials like cacti will probably bloom prolifically as usual. There are few places where fascinating ecological principles are more conspicuous than in the desert, and these lessons, along with the unique and sometimes haunting growth forms of desert plants are sure to captivate the imagination of any human visitor.
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is an extraordinary example of some of California’s wildest desert country. It provides a rare glimpse into a complex ecosystem virtually uncompromised by human activities, where life is uninhibited by a seemingly harsh and unforgiving environment. There may be no other place where the tenacity and abundance of biological life are more miraculous. Literature Cited Germano, D.J., Rathbun, G.B., Saslaw, L.R., Cypher, B.L., Cypher, E.A., & Vredenburgh, L.M. (2011). The San Joaquin Desert of California: Ecologically Misunderstood and Overlooked. Natural Areas Journal 31: 138-147. Phillips, S.J., & Comus, P.W. (Eds). (2000). A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Rebman, J.P. & Simpson, M.G.. (2014). Checklist of the Vascular Plants of San Diego County 5th ed. San Diego, CA: San Diego Natural History Museum. Schoenherr, A.A. (1995). A Natural History of California. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Photo: Susie Ortiz Jones
www.theabf.org Desert Update Spring 2015
3
ABF’S Vice President of Acquisitions Retires: Her Background Skills Benefitted the Organization By Diana Lindsay Over an 18 year period from 1997 to 2015, ABF Trustee Delores Lukina has managed the acquisition program of the AnzaBorrego Foundation. In that time period over 22,000 acres of land was transferred to the Foundation. That is more land than what 260 California State Park units have for their individual total acreage. Only Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and ten other state park units have more acreage. Delores first became interested in the Foundation in 1993 when she met Roma Philbrook Rentz, who previously headed the Foundation’s land acquisition program. They both served on the Hunter Valley Home Owners Association in San Marcos where they lived. Delores began helping Roma type up applications on two-part carbon paper to complete applications on newly acquired parcels to obtain annual San Diego tax exemptions. In 1994 Roma invited Delores to an ABF meeting, and soon afterwards, Delores became an ABF trustee and a member of Roma’s acquisition committee, assisting her for the next three years. When Roma retired from the board in 1996, after 18 years of heading acquisitions, Roma recommended that Delores be appointed the new Vice-President of Acquisitions. Delores has been an ABF trustee for 21 years. The first thing that Delores did in her new position was to apply her knowledge of data processing to help ABF’s Manager Linda Nordstrand [Tandle] make changes to the inventory as new parcels were acquired and identify resources on the property. These changes were based on years of Delores’ professional experience in the business world. Also at the same time, there was a turning point in ABF’s vision about the acquisition of large parcels. In previous years, ABF merely solicited land owners whose properties were located within the boundary of the Park to see if they would be willing to sell or donate their land to ABF. The acquisition of Sentenac Canyon changed things. That set the stage to acquire whole projects 4
Spring 2015 Desert Update www.theabf.org
adjacent to the Park in addition to the regular individually-owned parcels within the boundary (inholdings) that ABF had focused on in previous years. Other major properties that followed the acquisition of Sentenac Canyon included Lucky 5, Mason Valley, Tulloch Ranch, and Vallecito Ranch.
ABF was fortunate to have a dedicated volunteer with a skill set that was perfect for this service position. It was a skill set that was developed during a time when most women were not given jobs that would allow them to advance in a company. In fact, Delores had to fib to get her first job.
Delores normally generated the various documents needed to purchase lands or accept donations of land, but because of the intricacies of the financial arrangements and the size of the larger acquisitions, both Mason Valley and Vallecito Ranch required the expertise of a real estate broker versed in the purchase and selling of larger ranch-type holdings. Delores assisted these realtors as needed and continued to directly handle the smaller properties that were either purchased or donated to ABF.
After repeated interviews in which she was asked if she had children and had been turned down for job placements, she fibbed and said she had no children to get a clerical job with M. Penn Phillips Company in 1958. She actually had three children; two in school and a three-yearold. Her job was in the Engineering Department for the M. Penn Phillips Company. She filed California subdivision reports that were needed in order to sell the property and worked with the engineering company.
Delores worked closely with the Native American Land Conservancy to protect sacred lands within ABDSP. She was able to have NALC partner with ABF to purchase two sections of land in Coyote Canyon ultimately resulting from selling those parcels to California State Parks and being reimbursed for the money spent. She also had her hand in some skillful fundraising, successfully soliciting$200,000 from major donor Glenn Napierski, which ultimately funded the purchase of a portion of the Las Arena Ranch. Delores is dedicated to the mission of the Foundation to make the Park whole and especially to acquire lands to protect the desert bighorn sheep. Since her own retirement from a very successful business in land development, she has treated this voluntary service as a regular “unpaid” job dedicated to land acquisition. Her work has saved the Foundation thousands of dollars a year in staff salaries to cover the work she has been doing. She was honored by California State Parks as an Honorary Ranger and also as the recipient of the Medallion Award – the highest award the state can issue to a volunteer for meritorious service to state parks, and in 2001 she was named Earth Share Volunteer of the Year.
After WWII, M. Penn Phillips was known as the “Sugar Daddy of the U-Finish House.” Because there were few county requirements, the company would erect just the frame of a house, stucco the exterior, and leave the interior for the purchaser to finish. This allowed returning GIs to purchase a home with little down payment and to finish the interior while they lived in the house. The company expanded its interests and began to deal with large land developments located in Azusa, Hesperia, and Salton Sea. Delores was involved in the subdivision and development of Salton Sea. M. Penn Phillips purchased close to 20,000 acres from Harry Pon (who had originally obtained the land from the Southern Pacific Railroad). Pon held the mortgage on the land and as each parcel was paid in full by the buyer, it was released from the Pon Mortgage. M. Penn Phillips used investors for this project. In fact, he sold tracts
of land to 13 other participating real estate sales companies consisting of approximately 300 or more lots all connecting their subdivisions along Marina Drive in Salton Sea. M. Penn Phillips offered free lots to builders to construct homes, a promotional idea to gain the interest of the public. It turned out to be a clever way for the M. Penn Phillips Company to reduce their initial investment. Treadwell Engineering was the original engineering company that subdivided the property. Treadwell Drive in Salton Sea is named for that firm. After the owner of Treadwell Engineering was killed in a plane crash, the engineering firm was reorganized as Tri-County Engineering and continued to work with M. Penn Phillips on projects.
All the detailed record keeping for the M. Penn Phillips’ subdivisions, including escrow department, was under one roof in the company offices located in Azusa, California, where Delores worked. By the time the company figured out that Delores had children, it was no longer a concern to them. She had already proved that she could fit in and do the job well. Around 1959, M. Penn Phillips sold a portion of their projects to Holly Development, a Texas corporation, which later partnered with McCulloch Development Company, a subsidiary of McCulloch Oil and Manufacturing. Under the leadership of Loren B. Pratt, the combined companies brought in Tri-County Engineering (the old Treadwell Engineering Company), and used the same M. Penn Phillips concept of offering builders free lots to construct homes in the subdivisions. Projects they developed included Fountain Hills (AZ), Scottsdale (AZ), Pueblo and Pueblo West (CO), Elko (NV), Holiday Isle (AR), and Lake Havasu City (AZ). When the financial offices moved to Beverly Hills, they wanted Delores to move with them. After trying the commute one day, Delores said she would not do the drive. Shortly thereafter, the remaining corporate offices moved from Azusa to Scottsdale, Arizona, and again they tried to get Delores to move. Because her children were still in high school and involved in activities, she said no. To retain her services, the company
leased a portion of the old Azusa office and allowed her to work there with a small staff and flew her to Arizona almost every week to run the office in Scottsdale also. In the late 1960s, Robert O. McCulloch, working with promoter and friend C.V. Wood and came up with the idea of buying the London Bridge and then reinstalling it at Lake Havasu City to help lure people to the lake to purchase lots. They also erected a hotel and solicited several home builders to construct model homes in the area, again providing free lots, much like M. Penn Phillips had done with Hesperia and Salton Sea. In 1969 when Delores’ children were out of the house, Delores and her husband Wally moved to Scottsdale when the corporation offered Delores a large increase in salary and the title of Vice President and Manager of the Property Qualifications Department. In her new position, she headed an office that was involved with the many phases after a subdivision map recorded. It required intimate knowledge of state and federal regulations and the expertise to do all of the required paperwork. As things became more complicated with the many regulations designed to protect consumers from speculative land sales, costs began to go up. In 1973, McCulloch offered its key employees a special contract to assure they would continue to work for the company. A few years later in 1977, the company was on the move again. Because of the stiff and more complicated subdivision regulations, they wanted the registration department to move to Phoenix. Delores and Wally made the decision to retire and return to California. They purchased a home in the Hunter Valley development in San Marcos where they met Roma and began a new phase in their lives. Delores has many fond memories while working for Holly Corporation. She recalls how William E. Newell, one of the 13 subdivision developers at Salton Sea, built the Salton Sea Yacht Club and how later Holly Corporation built the Holly House Restaurant and Hotel on the corner of highways S86 and S22, where the Arco station is now located. Delores recalls boat races at the Salton Sea where Hollywood celebrities would enjoy themselves. She also recalls the fun she had working with the sales team to encourage enthusiasm and comradery among the staff, often assisting with social events and entertainment. When the Lukinas moved to San Marcos, Delores became active with the Hunter Valley HOA and staged tennis tournaments for the Lake San Marcos Tennis Club. She worked with the Carlsbad Recreation Department to help organize
tennis clinics for children that never held a tennis racket in their hands. Both Delores and Wally worked hand-inhand on such projects. During fall, she coordinated the North County San Diego amateur league of some 1,000 women and formed the first evening tennis league for working women, called Sunset League. For 13 years Delores and Wally volunteered for the world-class women’s tennis event held every August at La Costa Resorts, and they were Volunteers for the Year 1999. It was while volunteering for the Hunter Valley HOA that Delores began to take an interest in Roma’s acquisition work for ABF. Roma recruited her for the board, knowing her diversified background. They became good friends and Delores later became the executor of Roma’s estate when she passed away in May 2010. Delores has always been physically active, playing on an industrial women’s baseball team, playing tennis and winning numerous amateur awards, dancing, skiing, skating, and bicycling. She and Wally had enjoyed doing jitterbug dancing and even participated in some dancing marathons. Whatever Delores is involved with, it is always with total enthusiasm, focus, and determination to make it better. Always Wally is there in full support and ready to help. It is not an exaggeration to state that it will take at least two people to do the daily work that Delores did as a volunteer for the Park and the Foundation now that she is retiring from the board. Delores said that she will continue to volunteer for other organizations that are closer to her home in La Quinta. An inspiration for her own energy has been a quote she learned from Roma Rentz’s mother who said, “I hope I can continue to expand my energy to fill the space that I have occupied during my time on Earth.”
www.theabf.org Desert Update Spring 2015
5
Recap: 2014 Colorado Desert Natural History Research Symposium Symposium Report (November 7-9, 2014) By Andrew Gottscho As part of ABF's mission to support research in the Park , Andrew attended the symposium through an ABF Student Scholarship provided by the Rose Foundation's California Wildlands Grassroots Fund.
On Friday evening, November 7, after a scenic sunset drive over Yaqui Pass from San Diego, I arrived at the newly refurbished Steele/Burnand AnzaBorrego Desert Research Center where the welcome reception was held. With dorm rooms, bathrooms, kitchen and camping space outdoors, the modern and spacious research center is capable of hosting numerous researchers. Nine posters were presented at the welcome reception, including several by undergraduate and graduate students, and symposium attendees had ample opportunities to chat with the presenters in a relaxed setting while enjoying hor dourves and beverages. Once symposium attendees had finished breakfast the next morning, Jimmy Smith (President, Anza-Borrego Foundation), Kathy Dice (Superintendent, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park), and Dr. Travis Huxman (Faculty Director, University of California, Irvine) welcomed us to the symposium. They noted that 2014 is a special year for both ABDSP and the California wilderness, marking 150 years since the California State Park system was founded, 50 years since the Wilderness Act was passed by Congress and the University of California (UC) Natural Reserve system was created, and 20 years since the California Desert Protection Act was enacted, all historic achievements in desert conservation. There has never been a better time to reflect upon the progress we have made in wilderness conservation, and to draw upon that inspiration to face the challenges that lie ahead of us. Our first speakers of the morning were Dr. Cameron Barrows (Center of Conservation Biology, UC Riverside) and Dr. Mark Fisher (UC Natural Reserve System). Dr. Barrows presented interesting research regarding the impacts of climate change on four species of “blue-belly” lizards (genus Sceloporus) in southern California. It turns out that a circle with a 50 km radius centered over the northern Peninsular Ranges contains 30+ lizard species, the highest number reported for any national park or biosphere reserve in North America. The good news is that despite reduction of their range, these lizards are predicted to survive 6
Spring 2015 Desert Update www.theabf.org
Photo: Steve Bier
climate change, either by persisting in local refuges or by migrating to higher elevations. Dr. Jennifer Gee (UC Riverside) was up next, and presented a fascinating account of California quail and Gambel’s quail that hybridize along the northeastern escarpment of the Santa Rosa Mountains near Deep Canyon, where the California Floristic Province meets the Colorado Desert. This unique study system offers insight into how one species evolves into multiple species – the fate of hybridizing species depends on the causes of hybridization. The California quail occupies chaparral and woodland habitat at middle to high elevations, while Gambel’s quail generally prefers desert scrub at lower elevations. Surprisingly, however, it appears that the California quail is invading the habitat of Gambel’s quail due to climatic shifts, which is the exact opposite of what I would have expected. This result goes to show that the effects of climate change are not always straightforward or easily predicted. Before lunch, we listened to an open panel discussion on the current status and future directions for conservation in the Colorado Desert, with an emphasis on bighorn sheep, the iconic species of ABDSP. The panel consisted of Jim DeForge (Bighorn Institute), Mark Jorgensen (former Park Ranger, Naturalist and Superintendent of ABDSP), Dr. Lisa Nordstrom (Institute
for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global), Dr. Esther Rubin (AZ Department of Game and Fish), and Steve Torres (CA Department of Fish and Wildlife). We learned about the challenges facing desert bighorn and other wildlife in ABDSP, including the historical development of springs and other natural water sources, habitat fragmentation, disease transmitted from domestic livestock and renewable energy development in adjacent public lands. This panel discussion was eye opening to me because I had little idea of the long, hard battles that were fought over the decades to preserve the Park, bighorn sheep and our wilderness heritage. After we enjoyed our lunch outside on the patio courtesy of the Borrego Springs Resort, Dr. J. Mark Porter of the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Garden kicked off the afternoon with an enlightening presentation on the evolutionary relationships of the Phlox family. This family has nearly 400 species, and is most diverse in western North America, with a diverse array of breeding and pollination systems. Given this high species diversity, the taxonomy of this family has been unstable over the years, with new species still being discovered. Dr. Porter is analyzing DNA sequences with computer models to infer the evolutionary history of these enigmatic plants. This technical taxonomic research is important because we can’t protect biodiversity, much of it hidden in plain sight, unless we really know what is out there and how it evolved in the first place. Next, Dr. Travis Huxman (UC Irvine) spoke about the ecology of woody shrubs in the Sonoran and Colorado deserts. He noted that the past fifteen years have been the driest ever recorded in southern California, and we need to expect drought as the new normal. He argued that the copious displays of annuals that appear after rains are not truly desert plants, for they only grow “when the desert is not a desert.” It is really the woody shrubs, such as creosote, acacia and mesquite that must endure the full fury of long-term drought, and many of them are succumbing. What surprised me was that some climate change models predict that the American deserts might turn into grasslands, because although drought conditions are expected to intensify, increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations may increase the efficiency of photosynthesis. To test this
controversial hypothesis, Dr. Huxman and colleagues have set up a creative high-tech experiment in the Mojave Desert to artificially increase carbon dioxide concentrations in a large plot to projected levels ~30 years from now. Under these conditions, plants indeed grow faster and more copious annual blooms were observed in wet years, but scientists are still unsure how the cocktail of increased temperatures, carbon dioxide and intense drought will actually impact desert plant communities. Again, the
Photo: Andrew Gottscho
message hit home that climate change is more than just global warming. After a snack break, we listened to Dr. Michael Wells (University of San Diego and CA State Parks) explain the ecology of wildfires in San Diego County, specifically how coniferous woodlands, chaparral and grasslands respond differently to fires. For example, mature yellow pine trees in the highest elevations of the county, with their thick fire-resistant bark, thrive under frequent, low-intensity fire regimes. Ground fires clear away underbrush, allowing cones to germinate and preventing fuel levels from accumulating to dangerous levels. But if fire is suppressed in a pine forest for extended periods, catastrophic canopy fires can occur, especially during Santa Ana conditions, such as the infamous Cedar Fire of 2003 – California’s worst fire that mostly destroyed a huge swath of the county. Dead forests are often succeeded by chaparral. Although chaparral is harder to get a fire started in, once it gets going it is very intense. But if a chaparral habitat is burned frequently enough, the seed bank becomes exhausted and grassland can take over. This is how early cattlemen converted rangelands to pasture for their livestock, as native Californians did for wild game before them. Analyses of rings from adult trees killed in Cuyamaca during the Cedar Fire show that the interval between fires increased dramatically after
the 1860s, coinciding with the relocation of the Kumeyaay people. There is good news and bad news regarding wildfires over the next century. The bad news is that wildfires are expected to destroy more pine woodlands under hotter and drier climatic conditions. The good news is that Dr. Wells and colleagues are actively working to restore and protect conifer woodlands by planting select species in isolated refuges in Cuyamaca Rancho. Dr. Bruce Pavlik (Royal Botanical Gardens Kew), author of the critically acclaimed book The California Deserts: An Ecological Rediscovery, delivered the keynote address about the immense challenges that America’s deserts will face in our lifetimes. Right now one of the biggest challenges is renewable energy on public lands – for example, there are currently proposals for projects directly impacting up to 177,000 acres within the 22.5 million acre plan area in southern California under the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan (DRECP; www.drecp.org). Dr. Pavlik argued that this wave of development is dividing conservationists by pitting those concerned about global climate change against those focused on regional desert biodiversity, ultimately resulting in a giveaway of public lands to multinational corporations. Dr. Pavlik argued that there is a better way to address climate change without developing high-biodiversity wilderness (for instance, by using parking lots, rooftops, and other developed or degraded lands for solar panels). But first, we need to overcome the perception of deserts as a wasteland by the general public. Dr. Pavlik urged the promotion of eco-tourism and for citizen scientists to engage with their communities. He urged everyone to do his or her homework on the trade-offs of renewable energy projects. He lamented the lack of research regarding the impacts of renewable energy on biodiversity, especially rare species. After the keynote address, we enjoyed our banquet dinner on the patio courtesy of the Borrego Springs Resort. It was clear that the talks of the day had inspired attendees, as I overheard many interesting stories and debates. After the banquet, Mark Jorgensen presented photographs from his new book (photographed by Jeff Young), Desert Bighorn Sheep: Wilderness Icon. Mr. Jorgensen is well qualified to write this book, given his 50 years of experience working with desert bighorn as Park Ranger, wildlife ecologist,
and Park Superintendent, and Mr. Young’s photography, focusing on rarely-seen behaviors of these sheep, is stunning. It was a wonderful conclusion to a very full day. Sunday morning brought numerous opportunities to learn about natural history firsthand from the presenters, including separate field trips to learn about bighorn sheep, birds, plants, fire ecology, etc. I opted to attend the lizard trip with Drs. Fisher and Barrows, who took a small group of us out to the windblown sandy flats just outside of town. With decades of combined experience searching for life on the dunes, our guides were expert trackers and pointed out all sorts of things we might have normally overlooked. The highlight was when we tracked down a Colorado Desert fringe-toed lizard and we learned about numerous adaptations that this species has evolved for life in fine wind-blown sand, including toe fringes, which increase traction in loose sand, a camouflaged pattern and a shovel shaped snout. We also discovered some rare plants, found a tarantula burrow and learned how to identify the tracks of burrowing owls, roadrunners, beetles, lizards, snakes and more. That afternoon, taking an alternative route back to San Diego up Grapevine Canyon, I enjoyed a renewed sense of enthusiasm, appreciation and concern for the California desert wilderness and its irreplaceable flora and fauna. I certainly look forward to returning to Borrego Springs for the next symposium. Acknowledgments I would like to thank ABF, especially Education Manager Briana Puzzo, for organizing the symposium and providing scholarships, and the Borrego Springs Resort, UC Irvine and ABDSP for hosting us throughout the weekend. I also thank the presenters and attendees for making this a symposium worth writing about. Andrew Gottscho was the 2012 winner of Anza-Borrego Foundation’s Howie Wier Memorial Conservation Grant for his research on the evolution and conservation of fringe-toed lizards in the Colorado Desert.
SAVE THE DATE DEC 4-6 2015
Colorado Desert Cultural Heritage Symposium
Join ABF for a weekend devoted to the cultural history of our Southern California desert. The weekend of events will include research posters, a full day of lectures, a banquet dinner and field tours. Participants can enjoy a relaxed weekend learning about the variety of research projects happening in our region. We hope to see you there! www.theabf.org Desert Update Spring 2015
7
2015 Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest ADULT
Frond Abstract Susan Heller 1st Place, Plants
ADULT
What Do You Think Happened After This Photo Was Taken Denise Zuranski 1st Place, Animals People's Choice
A hearty congratulations to our 2015 Anza-Borrego Desert Photo Contest Winners! This year we had 228 Adult and Youth submissions, and our judges tirelessly reviewed all of our wonderful contest entries and assigned First, Second and Third Place Winners and Honorable Mentions in each category for both Youth and Adult divisions. Many thanks go out to our contest judges, Donna Cosentino, Aaron Dennis, Paul Johnson, Dennis Mammana and Alfred Pagano, for all their hard work. As usual, we could never pull off the photo contest without the help of our dedicated volunteers. Thank you all for working to make the contest a success!
YOUTH
Desert Fishhook Quintin Rufino 1st Place, Plants Best of Show
YOUTH
Blooms by the Creek Jocelynn Troncoso 3rd Place, Plants People's Choice
8
ADULT
Storm Catcher Jan Mowrey 1st Place, People Best of Show
Spring 2015 Desert Update www.theabf.org
YOUTH
Creekside Natalia Cormona 1st Place, People
ADULT
Doves and Octotillo Philip B. Constant 1st Place, Black and White
ADULT
Fire Sky Denise Zuranski 1st Place, Landscapes ADULT
Tres Amigos Cliff Mowrey 1st Place, Macro
YOUTH
Historical View Kailan Mao 1st Place, Landscapes
YOUTH
Desert Graphics Lupita Arias 1st Place, Black and White YOUTH
Rock Frog Quintin Rufino 1st Place, Animals
www.theabf.org Desert Update Spring 2015
9
ABF Grants Fund Research on the Costa’s Hummingbird and Sahara Mustard Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is more than just a beautiful place to explore; it is an incredible living laboratory! Anza-Borrego Foundation is proud to support research in the Park through various scholarships and is pleased to announce the awardees for the 2015 Howie Wier Memorial Conservation Grant and the inaugural Paul Jorgensen Bird Research Grant. A heartfelt thanks goes out to the donors who contributed to this important research. We couldn't have done it without you!
Paul Jorgensen Bird Research Grant Just like young children learn to speak by hearing other people talk, hummingbirds learn their vocalizations by listening to other hummingbirds. Katherine Johnson, a PhD candidate at UC Riverside, is studying the evolution of vocal learning and its mechanisms in the Costa’s Hummingbird. ABF is happy to announce that Katherine has been awarded the Paul Jorgensen Bird Research Grant of $1,500. Climate change and habitat destruction could potentially fragment the Costa’s habitat, but the hope is that understanding their song-learning mechanisms and mating behavior could enable us to help protect this native species of the Colorado Desert. Our grant selection committee was pleased to fund a study involving Costa’s Hummingbirds as they are often considered a symbol of the Colorado Desert and what one member called “the heart and soul of birding in Anza-Borrego.” Howie Wier Memorial Conservation Grant If you’ve visited Anza-Borrego in the past five years, you’ve likely heard of the invasive weed Sahara mustard (Brassica tournefortii) and the negative impacts it has had on the Park’s natural ecosystems. This year, the Wier Memorial Conservation Grant was awarded to two research projects that focus on Sahara mustard so that these projects can progress simultaneously. Sarah O’Neill, a PhD candidate at UC Riverside, will examine the impacts of Sahara mustard on native arthropods, plants and soil seed banks and determine the effectiveness of weeding efforts in restoring native assemblages. Daniel Winkler, a PhD candidate at UC Irvine, will use molecular genetics to determine Sahara mustard’s points of introduction in the Colorado Desert and, through modeling, predict the potential spread of the species. Each student received $1,500 in support of her/his proposal. Understanding the ecology of Sahara mustard is critical to the effective management of the invasive plant and successful restoration of affected environments. ABF recognizes the value in studying mustard both on a local and regional level and is happy to fund studies that will look at the issue more closely.
Katherine Johnson
Sarah O'Neill
Photo: E. A. Falon
Daniel Winkler
10
Spring 2015 Desert Update www.theabf.org
Spring 2015 Programs
Visit theabf.org/events or call 760-767-0446 ext 1003 for full event information
Photo: BSA
Traditional Arts and Artists of Baja California May 29–31, 2015 Leader: Michael Wilken $645 / $595 for ABF Members Visit three indigenous communities of Baja California, acquire authentic traditional arts and enjoy learning about the cultural and natural heritage of the region. The small size of our expedition allows us to interact with the artists and to experience what is local and unique. Mike Wilken, your guide, is an anthropologist, professor and researcher who lives in Baja California and has worked with the indigenous peoples of Baja California for over 30 years. Visit theabf.org/baja for the full itinerary. Limited to 14 participants. Trip price includes meals, lodging, custom guide service, driver and van transport from border and back, extra vehicle with driver/guide for baggage, wine tasting and a donation to the Tecate Community Museum.
Hikes & Hops in Palomar Mountain State Park May 30, 2015 Leader: Scott Turner $15 / $10 ABF Members This six mile point-to-point route snakes its way through the numerous highlights of Palomar Mountain State Park, including spectacular views at Boucher Hill Lookout Tower, Scott’s Cabin, the old apple orchard, Chimney Flat, thickets of Pacific dogwood and western azalea, Thunder Spring, Doane Pond, dense mixed-conifer forest along Doane Valley Nature Trail, spacious Lower Doane Valley and the Weir before concluding in Doane Valley Campground — where ice chests of delicious cold beer will reward our diligence and determination.
Special thanks
to Ballast Point and Stone Brewing Co.
for their contributions to our HIKES AND HOPS and BIKES AND BREWS events. Photo: Adam Whitlock www.theabf.org Desert Update Spring 2015 11
New ABF Board Members Linda Tandle, former ABF Executive Director, is one of two new members elected to the Board in January. She currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. Linda continues to work in the nonprofit sector as Deputy Executive Director of the Center for Ecosystem Management and Restoration (www. cemar.org). Located in Oakland, CEMAR’s mission is to rehabilitate California coastal watersheds by addressing water supply reliability and habitat degradation.
Dr. Philip Pryde is the second new member elected to the ABF Board of Trustees. Dr. Pryde is a Professor Emeritus at San Diego State University, where he taught courses on environmental policy for 32 years. He has served as Chair of the San Diego County Planning Commission and on the Boards of Directors of the County Water Authority and San Diego River Park Foundation. He has done Christmas Bird Counts in ABDSP since the 1980s. Phil is the editor and primary author of San Diego: An Introduction to the Region, which has recently appeared in its fifth updated edition.
New ABF Employees Julie Gerson joins
ABF as Land Program Coordinator where she will support ABF’s efforts to save more land in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. She moved to Borrego Springs from Nevada City where she was the General Manager of a small medical manufacturing business. She also served as a volunteer river monitor for the South Yuba River Citizens League. Julie and her husband Terry enjoy exploring the Park and getting to know their new desert environment.
Anza-Borrego Foundation welcomes a new sales assistant to the State Park Store, Christina St. John. Christina grew up in Long Beach and has been visiting Anza-Borrego since she was a child. She has her degree in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology with a minor in Geology from UC Santa Cruz, and has been working on plant restoration projects in the Pacific Northwest and the Channel Islands for the past five years. Christina is excited to share her passion for plants and desert ecology with others and to explore as much of the desert as she can. Feel free to stop by the State Park Store and talk about wildflowers with her!
ABF Wish List There are many ways to give to Anza-Borrego Foundation. Some of our donors give financially, others give their time and expertise, and some just pop in and help us with anything and everything. We know that there are people who prefer to donate useful objects instead of money. And most folks like to know what their general donation might be used for. As such, ABF and the ABDSP Visitor Center have put together a wish list of things we would buy if we had unlimited resources. These are all things we need but either can’t afford or that end up getting pushed down on our priority list. If you’d like to help us with any of these specific items, please let us know. We’d greatly appreciate it! Contact Bri Fordem at 760-767-0446 ext. 1006 to make a donation.
12
Spring 2015 Desert Update www.theabf.org
5–8 passenger 4WD, high-clearance vehicle Binoculars to lend during programs New and complete desert-ready First Aid Kits 3 multi-tools with pliers Red-lens flashlights for Night Sky Programs Cushioned mats for park volunteers and staff to stand on during floor duty New laptop computer New desktop computer Goal Zero charger for cameras, radios, etc. Two 100-foot hoses for Visitor Center garden
Anza-Borrego Century Circle Members February 2014 - February 2015 Century Circle members are annual supporters of ABDSP who give $1,000 and above. Their passion and support are what make so many of our projects possible. Thank you all for your commitment to our mission. Founder's Circle Ann Keenan Barbara Oyler Bob and Barbara Kleist Cuyamaca Rancho Foundation Desert Protective Council Dr. George Sardina Foster Family Private Foundation Gabriel and Diana Wisdom Hattie Ettinger Conservation Fund at The San Diego Foundation Henry Feilen Leslie and John McQuown Mike Medema Porter Sesnon Foundation Ralph Singer and Lou Bahar Resources Legacy Fund San Diego Gas and Electric Sharon and Jerry Goldsmith President's Circle Diane and Frank Hydoski Engel Fund at the San Diego Foundation Jim and Judy Smith Pratt Memorial Fund Rich Caldwell and Gwenn Marie Benefactor's Circle Andrew Zimbaldi Bonnie and Nicholas Clapp Bruce and Christine Clegg Bruce Crabtree Bruce Heimbach Callie Mack and Phil Roullard
Colwell Family Foundation Distributable Fund at The San Diego Foundation Cynthia Stribling and Paul Webb Dick and Joanne Ingwall Donald J. Stang and Helen Wickes Elizabeth A. Javens Eric Mustonen and Amee Wood Florian G. Boyd Jack and Kathleen Osborn Janet and John Kister Jeanne Johnstone and George Jefferson Jim and Linda Roller John and Diane Prewitt Foundation Judith Begole Rahner Karen Smith Larry and Peggy Puzzo Laura Roderick Melvin and Ellen Sweet Mike Wells and Marie Simovich Nancy and Bill Homeyer Ralph and Rosalie Webb Richard Fowler and Terry Begole Fowler Steve and Carolyn Conner Susan Gilliland The Community Fund Serving Richmond and Central Virginia University of California Irvine
What We Do Century Circle members are an integral part of making a larger impact and have unique opportunities to learn more about AnzaBorrego Desert State Park though exclusive tours, lectures, and events. Whether it’s a tour to view a newly acquired property, or a gathering to discuss Park activities and celebrate accomplishments, Century Circle members have access to park officials and communicate closely with Foundation staff and Board Trustees. Together we achieve our goals for a world class park. How You Can Join Becoming a Century Circle member means you are making a measurable and critical difference in the success of the Park. We offer three accessible levels of annual membership:
$1,000 - $2,499
Benefactor’s Circle
$2,500- $4,999
President’s Circle
$5,000+
Founder’s Circle
Donors, December 2014 – February 2015 Camp Borrego Desert Protective Council Engel Fund at the San Diego Foundation Janet and John Kister Mark M. Jackson San Diego Gas and Electric Sharon and Jerry Goldsmith Education Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits Borrego Springs Rotary Carlee's Stone Brewing Co. Annual Fund Adrienne Ballwey Alan L. White Alice Hutchinson Amada Isabel Almase Amgen Foundation Andrea Wagoner Ann Pogue and Molly McKiechan Anne Hayden Anne-Charlotte and Michael Harvey Anthony Jordan Barbara and Daniel Tartre Barbara and Stanley Kus Barbara Lyss Barbara Matson Barbara Oyler Barbara Smith Barbara Washburn and Bill Murphey Barry and Susan Graceman Ben and Mariann Hayes Benevity Bennett and Peggy Kayser Betty and Stephen Ball Betty Wallin and Donald Sweinhart Big Horn Fudge Bill and Nancy Leonard Bob and Anita Caplan Bob and Jeanne Niles Bob and Lisa Hartman Bob and Sandra Keeley Bob Battagin and Deborah Fitzpatrick Bonnie and Nicholas Clapp Brad Torgan Brian and Stephanie Van de Wetering Brian D. and Katie Ford Brian E. Silvey Bruce Heimbach Bucky and Colleen Maurin Callie Mack and Phil Roullard in memory of Gail Roullard Carlo Gardin Carol and Frank Colligan Carol and Harold Barrett Carol Black and Bob Blum Carol Gamble Carol Lindemulder Carol Mason Cary Lowe and Patricia Butler Celso Morrison Charles Ablard Charles and June Meacham Charlotte Brockway Charlotte Kreitzer Chester Kawiecki Christine Caliandro Christine Lee Oler Christopher & Mary Louise Muller
Cindy Outlaw Clair Burwell Clark and Eleanor Shimeall Crystal Johnson Cynthia Stribling and Paul Webb Dale Wendel Damaris J. Cotton Dan and Shelley Hammer Dan Mercola and Eileen Adamson Dave and Gail Jones Dave and Lou Klindienst David and Ann Nunez David and Helen Dichek David and Peg Engel David and Ruth Otis David Clapp and Gayle Barsamian David Huffman David Reneau David Zimmerman and Anabel Moreno-Navarro Davis and Esther Ross Delores and Wally Lukina Devin Milner Dian M. Gabriel Diana and Lowell Lindsay in memory of Robby Hoffman, Linda Tandle's Father and George McDaniel Diana Hahn Diana Stephens Holman Diane and Larry Perry Dick and Joanne Ingwall Dick Troy Don and Meredith Gallagher Don and Patti Gunning Don and Sharon Balfour Don and Sharon Bonney Don Barden Don Tellez Donald Gregory Donald J. Slymen Donald J. Stang and Helen Wickes Donna and Bob Wells Doriann Jaffee Dr. Richard Payne and Catherine McCarthy-Payne Dr. and Mrs. Gerald A. Liebermann Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Beers Dr. Neil and Rowena Haas Dr. Ruth W. and Stuart Morpeth Dr. Steve Gould and Mary Marshall E.J. and Stacie Brandreth Ed and Beth English Ed and Dawn Marges Eddie and Karen Grangetto Edward Backhoff Edward Bennett Eileen Mandell Eleanor Schubert Elisabeth C. Creutz Ellen Hamilton Eric Mustonen and Amee Wood Florian G. Boyd Frank and Deanne Pedroni Frank Sweeney Fred and Jeanenne Tietge Frederick and Linda Meyer Fredrick McDavitt Gabriel and Diana Wisdom Gail Ellestad Gary and Marty Jacobson Gene and Lynn Monroe George L. Hahn
www.theabf.org Desert Update Spring 2015 13
Donors, December 2014 – February 2015 continued from previous page Gerald Johnson Gerald Vernon Gerould H. Smith Gillian Moreland Greg Scharf Heidi West Helen P Cawyer Helen Plutner Herb and Irene Lagois Herb Stone Hewlett -Packard Homer and Bettina Townsend Howard Aderhold Hugh and Ginger Dietz Iris Horner J. Marie Tuthill James A. Smith James and Ann Wermers James C. Skelton James Egan James F. Barr James Henderson James Heppell James Murray Janet and George Gastil Jay and Carol Meetze Jean and Ed Wedbush Jeanette Dutton Jeanne Johnstone and George Jefferson Jeanne Mielcarek Jerald Heschel and Mary Morgan Jerry and Brenda Watkins Jerry and Paula Brooks Jerry and Phyllis Olefsky Jerry Anderon Jill and Jeff Blaemers Jim and Judy Smith Jim and Kathy Dice Jim and Kathy Dice in memory of George McDaniel Jim and Linda Roller Jim and Phyllis Judge Jim Bennett Jim Kelly Jo and Richard Milligan Joan Kirk and Richard Gray Joann and Eric Olson Joann Enstrom in memory of Oscar Enstrom Joe Ball Joe D. Stewart Joel and Terri Johnson John and Colleen Cosgrove John and Jo Golcher John and Linda Crook John and Nancy Mommsen John and Ruth Porter
John David and Mary Yankee Peters John DeLapp John E. Venton John Hunter John Peterson John Steele Jon Sirkis Jonathan Cole Judith Begole Rahner Judith R. Davis Jules Resnick and Mary Ann Leer Karen and Anthony DeLorenzo Karen Fasimpaur Karen Kight and Sue Patterson Katherine and Jim Kubala Kathleen Brigham Kathy King Ken and Charlotte Lawson Kenneth and Susan Maehler in memory of Eugene Mielcarek Kevin and Kathy Knowles Kimberly Engeln Kitty and Mike Dukakis Kris Alexander and Armalyn Delad Larry and Peggy Puzzo Larry and Sandy Talbert Laura and Rick Alexander Lee Martin Lee Miller Lee Shiloh Lee Van de Wetering Lei Ellen Duff Leland and Janey Bigger Leslie and Dick Emery Leslie and John McQuown Linda Tandle Lois Day Lois P. and Joseph Erbs Lydia Louise and Fred Jee Lynn Basquez in memory of Mark Basquez M. Katzin Manola and Keith Jarett Marcella and Richard Yates Marcia Knutt and Marc Grisaru Margaret G. McIntyre Margaret Mitchell Mark and Cynthia Bender Mark and Kelley Jorgensen Mark and Kerry Armstrong Mark and Mary Jo Strom Mark and Noriko Lawless
Mark Stevens and Rebecca Labog Markell Brooks Martha and Keith Perkins Martha McPhail Mary Austin Klein and Scott Fajack Mary Bacon Mary Harte Mary M. Niez Mary Olson Maryann Martone Meline Pickus Melvin and Ellen Sweet Michael and Diana Frizzell Michael and Donna Wangler Michael, Joyce, Matthew, Kathryn and Erica Rottenberg Michael and Julie Vinzinski Michael and Lida Strong Michael Bostwick Michael White and Jerre Stallcup Mike and Julie Nyssen Mike and Kathy Maggard Mikel Weinberg M.D. Betzi Roe Weinberg Monique Chefdor Nancy and Bill Homeyer Nancy J. Taylor Naomi Siu Network For Good Nicholas and Susan Chamberlain Nora and Alan Jaffe Paige and Chris Rogowski Pamela Diggle Pamela Haehn Pamela McEvoy Pat Carson Patricia and Doug Thompson Patricia Brown Patricia Hoppe Patricia Kelly in memory of Gary Andrews Patti Del Guercio Paul A. Larson and Mary E. Ekelund Paul Kratzer Paula Siegel and Jerry Rodinoff Payne Family Penelope Cooper-Kelley Peter and Winona Rowat Peter Leven Peter Shapiro and Kathleen Sage
Peter Thomas Peter Zschiesche Phil and Judy Zellers Philip R. Behrends Porter Sesnon Foundation R Michael West Ralph Singer and Lou Bahar Ray Agnew Ray and Lucy Larson Ricardo Lira Richard and Jane Gerber Richard and Sharon Parry Richard Cloward and Roz Gibson Richard Fowler and Terry Begole Fowler Richard Gorham Richard Schilk and Mary Olander Rick and Konki Jarvis Road Runner Club Robert and Regina Morin Robert Gerhard Robert L. Ammons Robert W. Muldrew Robin Lillyreed and Joseph Lilly Rodger and Donna Pegues Ron and Sheila Walecki Roy and Carol Roberts Roy and Joan Adams Russell and Lorraine Johnson Sally Harris Sam and Astrid Webb Sandra Huff and Robert Raney Sandy Jorgensen-Funk Sarah Elliott and Gerald McCarthy Sarah Mackle Satoshi G. Ichimura Selden McKee and John Bodger Sharon Barta Stefen Boehme Stephanie Alexander Stephen Ledbetter Stephen Russell Stephen W. Graham Steve and Annie Hogler Steve and Hilary Dorsey Sue Heim Susan Davidson and Dennis Neufeld in memory of Frances Medema Susan Gilliland Susan Jorgensen Susan K. Moss Susan Leahy Susan McLaughlin
Susan Nishio The Springs at Borrego Thomas and Leslie Leech Thomas and Marge Hobbs Thomas and Peggy Hall Thomas Buehler and Rosemarie Schiller Thomas Schmitt Tim Cliffe Timothy Cohelan Timothy Mielcarek and Brian Marquez Tom and Mary Ellen Ybarrola Tom and Mary Waldron Vanessa Pizzuto Victor and Judy Botello Victoria and David James Virginia Hammerness Walter and Nancy Tyler Walter and Victoria Tschinkel Walter K. Harrison Wayne and Rose Tyson Wendy Roeters William J. Bryan William McDonald William Parks William Staggs Zoila and Dick Schoenbrun Land Aquisition Bill Bookheim Gail W Hanna Katherine Curtis Mike Wells and Marie Simovich Paleontology Gabriel Vogeli Jan Naragon and Tom Spinks Jim and Judy Smith Jon and Linda Gilbert Katie Young in memory of George McDaniel Lisa Welch Lyn Loerke in memory of George McDaniel Paul A. Larson and Mary E. Ekelund Superintendent’s Fund Celeste Doughty Paul Jorgensen Fund Jeff and Jean Young Jim and Kathy Dice PORTS Desert Protective Council Howie Wier Fund David Weston in memory of Howie Wier Jim and Kathy Dice Wendy Youngren
Photo: David Scarbrough 14
Spring 2015 Desert Update www.theabf.org
Anza-Borrego Foundation’s 2015 Sponsors Support the businesses that support the Park.
Kathy King
BORREGO PILOT HOUSE
Borrego Valley Airport - Diana & Gabriel Wisdom
Special thanks to Ballast Point and Stone Brewery for their contributions to our Hikes and Hops and Bikes and Brews events.
New Members, December 2014 – February 2015 continued on next page Adelle Owen Adrienne Ballwey Alan and Elaine Tulving Alan and Jay Creutz Alison Stewart Alison Venuti Allen and Shirley Dumas Alma and Bill Coles Amy Brewster and F. A. Williams Anaika Dayton Weaper Andrew and Sally Buffington Andrew McCombs and Megan Desmidt Anju Chandna Anna Reposa Anne Fege Annette M SkowronskiLangworthy Augusto Marco Barbara Walker Beth and Ron Shugan Betsey Lee Meadenhall Betty Thompson Beverly Bindsell Bill and Kerry Hubbert Bill Coleman Bill Hood Bill Overman Bob Adams Bob Boschee Brian Tleroc
Bruce Britter Bruce Crabtree Buz Tarlow C Bibeau Cameron Holly Carol Giesing Carol Jones Caroline Zocher Cathy Salazar Cecily Traynor Chad and Nicole Van Doren Charlene Caulfield Charles Meacham Charlotte Kreitzer Christine Eaton Christopher Earl Cindi and Lance Edwards Claudio Maier Colin and Maureen Daly Craig Behrens Cynthia Collins Cynthia Parnell Cynthia Terrill Dale and Marcie Sloan Dan and Tamar Goldmann Dan Mayka Dan Reyman Daniela Detchmendy Dave Elkins David Clapp and Gayle Barsamian
David F Lesley David Jackson David MacDonald David Nilson David Rayner Dawe Weishahn Dawn Vincent Dean and Kathy Jiffry Deanna Reiber Denise Douglas Dennis and Debra Stanger Dennis and Kay Mackelburg Dick Helvig and Sherry Harasat Donald Gregory Donna Fristoe Donna Rose Doug Walker Douglas Potts and Sara Vanammelrooy Dovie Christensen Dr Richard Payne and Catherine McCarthy-Payne Drew Gilinsky Duane Trombly Ed and Dawn Marges Edgar and Jean Mangiafico Edgar Stanley Elaine Noel and Ann Floerke Eric Petersen Eric Wergeland Erik Delie
Floyd Anscombe Frank Harris Garett Wood Gary Bartlett Gehl Davis Gene Wild George Kuhrts George M Weaver Gordan Montgomery Graham and Peggy Lock Gretchen Overton Gwendolyn Toney H. Richardson Helene Keter Henry and Darcy Jaime Henry and Kathy Beeson Herb Wollerman Hope Scott Jack Miller Jacqueline Winter James Alan Watson James Dax Jan Kessler Jean Wedbush Jeff Meagher Jeffery Burkhart Jennifer Hyde Jeremy and Lydia McKay Jim and Cheryl Toth Jim Dockweiler and April Obern
Jim and Judy Haw Jim Lindstrom Jim Martin Jim Pose Jim Purdon Joan and Phil Goodman John and Dinah Rogers John and Nan Talley John Demorest John Hunter John L Kitzmillen John Pierce John Randall Jonathan Williams Joshua Samek Judith Wolfsberger Judy Fort Brenneman Judy Jacobus K Blassey Kaori Hashimoto Karen and Tom Higgins Karen Giebelman Karen Jenison Karin Wilson Karl Gerth Karl Kirkman Katherine Gordon Kathie Horman Kathy Maggard Kathy Ward Katie Mooney
www.theabf.org Desert Update Spring 2015 15
ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Anza-Borrego Foundation P.O. Box 2001 Borrego Springs, CA 92004
Non Profit Organization U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 17 San Diego, CA
Sign up for AmazonSmile and select Anza-Borrego Foundation as your charity: 0.5% of your eligible purchases are donated directly to ABF. Give while you shop for the things you need, it’s that easy! Go to smile
.
Tax Deduction Fast, Free Towing Easy Process
New Members, December 2014 – February 2015 continued from previous page Kelly Roach Claar and James Claar Kelly Srack Ken and Bev Carrier Ken and Sharon Grant Ken Forster Kent H and Barbara Hallawell Kieth Nissen Kim Klein Kim, Susan Wallace and family Kyle B Smith L. Vandenbosch and P. Verdicchio Laura Pappas Lauren Crux Leah Dennis Leah Lorch Lee Estep Leslie and Gary Rose Lin Lacy Linda Ferry Linda M Stafford Linda Pollard Lionel and Rebecca Bouchard Lisa Deberg Lisa Frack Lisa M. Rigdon and Michael Trego Lisa Woodward Lloyd Rushton Lou and Pamela Jackson Loyde Yates
Luis Alvarez and Maricyn Espitia Lynn Howe Lynn Perkins Maggie Parkowska Malou Mendoza Marcele See Margaret and Ted Godshalk Margaret F MacNeil Margo Palmer and Tony Phillips Marie Rendon Marilyn Hoyt Marilyn Montero Mark and Mary Beth Vogt Martha E Wilder Martha Scoville Mary Moran Mary Savoy Maryann and Bill Wickett Maureen Ford Michael and Diana Rathbun Michael and Lin Lacy Michael J White Michael Malone Michael Mantell Michael Rhodes Michael Strandberg Mike and Daniel Holland Mike and Lori Casey Mike E Greene Mike Maughan Mike O'Leary Mike Peterson Mike Wheeler and
Jan McMalno Nan Lee Nancy and Alan Smith Nancy Gilmore Nancy Herron Nancy Keeley Nathan Hughes Neel Siebold Neil and Donna Proctor Norma and Robert Smith Parisianne Modert Pat Quinlan Patrica Olson Patricia Fishstein Paul Aisen Pearl Reyman Penelope M. McCann Penny Palmer Peter Croucher and Silvia Mascheretti Peter Taberski Phil Goodman Philip Constant Philip Van Soelen R Huffnagle Ralph Vasquez Randy Peterson Ren Stelloh Rex Burrows and Gretchen Grawunder Richard and Nancy Martin Richard Chadwick Richard Redfern Robert A Wright Robert and Susan Graham
Robert and Susan Worcester Robert Barger Robert E. Thomhson Robert Lannom Robert Taylor Robert Vukovic Rod and Claudia Randle Rodney Durrett Roger Pitkin Ron Trepanier Rosebud and Scott Ireland Russ Hunsaker Rusty Reniers Ruth Mikkelsen Sandra H Moore Sandra Huff and Robert Raney Sandra J. Mikovich Scott McIntosh Sharon Dunnel Spencer Berman Steve Junak and Keri Kirkland Steve Mellor Steve Widders Steven and Linda Kramer Susan Harris Susan Healy King
Susie and Neil Wittering Sylvia Hohri Theadore Norton Tim Dong Tim Moore Timothy Mielcarek and Brian Marquez Todd Birzer Tom and Genean Dunn Tom O'Brien Tom Stuver Tory and Jo Bechtold Trevor Ford Troy Murphree Ursula Niederer Valerie Zwicker Vern and Lisa DuMolt Vincent Montez Vivian Nagy Walter Cravday Wes and Kathy Kliewer Will Ericlom William and Lisa Snider William Dahnke William Ferrara William Foster William Jarosin William Remsen Zoe Bridges
facebook.com/AnzaBorregoFoundation