A Message from the President
Dear BVAS Members and Friends,
North County San Diego is filled with natural beauty: the ocean, lagoons, foothills, and mountains. Yet it is easy to forget how many nearby communities are “park-poor.”
The Buena Vista Audubon Society (BVAS) fills this gap at its nature center and on its trail. During our school programs, Nature Guide volunteers hear comments such as “We’re in nature!” “I wish I could comeback here!” “This is the best thing I have ever done!” These comments remind us of how important our nature center and trail are for these kids and our community.
Working with a design consultant from the San Diego Natural History Museum, we’ve built a model to help visitors connect to the Buena Vista Creek watershed. Understanding what a watershed is and how our activities upstream impact the lagoon (and ultimately the ocean) is crucial for helping the next generation be good stewards of the land. This interactive model offers a fun and educational way to explore the local environment during our children’s programs, teaching why we need open spaces and that what we do upstream matters.
In addition, our trail often floods when the lagoon backs up due to sand buildup on the beach. Visitors and children leave frustrated that they couldn’t walk around the trail and enjoy the duck pond. We now have completed plans for building a boardwalk to make the trail accessible year-round. This project will be expensive but we are determined to make it happen!
Finally, our wonderful nature center has delighted visitors for many years but it is time for an upgrade. We want to take our next steps with a long-range vision. How can we tell a compelling story of Buena Vista Audubon, the lagoon, and the larger watershed? What design will best inspire and educate visitors? A Master Plan can guide us in these efforts and we will begin work on that soon.
BVAS members and friends such as you have been instrumental in supporting our programs and projects over the years. We have received 2-for-1 grant commitments for both the boardwalk and the Master Plan projects. We are working to raise the $40,000, which is our share of these grants. Your donation can make a world of difference.
As always, we deeply appreciate your support.
Sincerely, Thank you for your help!
Curt Busk, President
Contributions can be made at the nature center, by mail, or online at