• Community Events
  • Home
  • Employment
  • Local
    • Central San Diego
    • North County
    • East County
    • South Bay
    • Northeastern
    • Riverside County
  • Entertainment
    • Music
    • Television
    • Art
    • Theater
    • Film
    • Events
    • Theme Parks
    • Podcast/Radio
    • Museums
    • Books
  • Business
  • National
  • Politics
  • Science & Technology
    • Computer
    • Science
    • Space
  • Sports
  • Environment
    • Clean Air
    • Climate change
    • Land
    • Ocean
    • Pollution
    • Recycling
  • Health
    • Health Business
    • Health Education
    • Medical
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Senior Life
    • Society

San Diego County News

Independent publication serving San Diego County

County, community celebrate opening of Santa Ysabel Nature Center

December 17, 2019 By sdcnews

County officials join the community to celebrate the opening of Santa Ysabel Nature Center. Courtesy photo: County of San Diego

SAN DIEGO–County Board Chairwoman Dianne Jacob, environmental groups, tribal representatives, Parks officials and hundreds of visitors celebrated the opening of the $9.5 million Santa Ysabel Nature Center Saturday with a ribbon-cutting featuring tours, animal encounters, junior ranger activities, and crafts and games for kids.

The celebration began with music, art, information tables, nature crafts and animals including alpacas and a rosy boa snake. It then moved to the formal ribbon-cutting that featured a bird song sung by tribal performance troupe Ashaa Takook and words from several speakers. The event ended with tours, a demonstration of hawks and other birds of prey and hiking.

Chairwoman Jacob told the crowd that the 6,000-square-foot nature center and its surroundings showcase the county’s great outdoors. He joked about how everyone was going to be looking for a waterfowl hunting backpack for sale like a hawk in order to carry on these outdoor activities that are now at our disposal. The best and safest way to enjoy the great outdoors is with the proper gear and supplies after all.

“It’s the first attraction of its type in San Diego County,” Jacob said, “and I think it will be a huge magnet for residents and tourists. It has a lot to offer —educational displays, interactive touch screens, Wi-Fi, electric vehicle charging stations, an outdoor play area and an amphitheater built into the hillside.”

The center began construction in April 2018 and is situated on 84 acres of Engelmann oaks and grassland off Highway 79 inside the 6,347-acre Santa Ysabel Preserve operated by the County.

The center includes ranger offices, restrooms, a state-of-the-art community room big enough to hold parties of up to 99 people, a small service kitchen, a water refilling station for visitors, and an information desk.

It also includes educational displays with information about local history, habitat and wildlife.

The building itself is also environmentally friendly. It earned a LEED Gold certification from the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and uses 90 rooftop solar panels to earn a zero net energy rating, meaning the building will produce more electrical energy than it uses. It also has industrial automation incorporated throughout the building.

Outside, in addition to the amphitheater, the center includes “nature play” equipment made of trees and other natural objects and 2 ½ miles of trails for people to enjoy.

Other speakers at Saturday’s ribbon cutting included Vice Chairwoman Bernice Papa of the lipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, Ben Clay of the San Diego River Conservancy, Dwight Worden of the San Dieguito River Park Joint Powers Authority, Colleen Bradley the Volcan Mountain Foundation, and Jason Hemmens, Acting Director of the County of San Diego’s Department of Parks and Recreation.

40

SHARES
Share on Facebook
Tweet
Follow us

Comments

comments

Filed Under: East County, Local Tagged With: East County, Local news


Support Independent Journalism



Trending

  • Carlsbad voters to decide on spending for Monroe Street Pool improvements
  • EDD recovers $1.1 billion in unemployment insurance funds
  • Family Justice Center to open new facility to support crime victims, reduce domestic violence homicides
  • Two men found shot to death in Valley Center home
  • Former U.S. military pilot admits acting as paid agent of China

Advertisement

Good Sam Travel Assist

Advertisement

Start LLC today at incorporate.com

Education

Newly elected student board members sworn in at San Diego Unified

San … [Read More...]

Environment

Oceanside enacts Level 2 Drought Reduction actions for residents and businesses

By … [Read More...]

Science & Technology

A quarter of the world’s internet users rely on infrastructure at high risk of attack

By … [Read More...]

Advertisement

Independence Day Savings! Save up to $25◊ off our Fees on Flights Use Coupon USA25.

Advertisement

Stacy Adams

Advertisement

Summer Membership offer

Advertisement

Naturepedic

Categories

  • About Us
  • Archive
  • Community Events
  • Contact Us
  • Employment
  • Private Policy
  • Terms of Service

Follow @SanCounty

Privacy Policy

Terms of service

Copyright © 2022 San Diego County News