Watershed Explorer Program is an outdoor education program that provides youth an opportunity to travel and experience the length of the San Dieguito Watershed. The explorers journey includes the headwaters of the San Dieguito River on Volcan Mountain, Lake Hodges, the San Diego Archaeological Center, Sikes Adobe Historic Farmstead, and the award-winning Birdwing Open Air Classroom at the San Dieguito Lagoon.
Each visit focuses on a different theme providing a unique opportunity for participants to experience and learn about the many facets of the watershed from the natural world to its history and cultural significance. As they experience the outdoors, explorers develop a “sense of place” and appreciation for the environment – recognizing they play a role in preserving and protecting the natural and cultural resources of the watershed.
Officially launched in 2015, the Watershed Explorer Program was developed in partnership with the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy, San Dieguito River Park, San Diego Archaeological Center and Volcan Mountain Foundation as a way for each organization to expand our individual nature education programs.
Field Trips
Activities at Volcan Mountain
Led by the Volcan Mountain Foundation, activities at the Volcan Mountain Nature Center include an interactive, hands-on, 3D-map where students create a “rainstorm” to reveal how water flows into rivers and how pollutants effect all life along the watershed. Students then test the water quality outdoors at our year-round steam to determine its ability to support life. The day culminates with a hike to the top of our Sky Island Trail where they explore the Oak-Pine Woodland and can view the watershed from a mile high.
Activities at Lake Hodges
Activities at Lake Hodges are led by the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy. Students will learn about the importance of this area to overall watershed vitality and health. They will be introduced to monitoring and management efforts being conducted within the San Dieguito watershed and become citizen scientists for the day collecting valuable data for the SDRP. Specifically, they will get hands on experience with water quality testing and bird surveys.
Activities at San Diego Archaeological Center
At the San Diego Archaeological Center, students are introduced to the cultural history of the region, including the use of natural resources in the valley. An important scientific tool (observation and inference) will be taught and practiced. The importance of preserving and protecting archaeological sites will be emphasized.
Activities at Sikes Adobe Historical Center
Guided by the San Dieguito River Park students will learn what it was like to be a pioneering family, how the community functioned through crop production, trading and animals that provided food and milk, and the importance of the natural environment in daily living.
Activities at San Dieguito Lagoon
Led by the San Dieguito River Park participants will go on an interactive, ranger-led hike along the San Dieguito Lagoon Trail learning about the importance and diversity of the lagoon. There will be several stops along the hike, including bird watching and conducting water quality testing at the storm water treatment ponds.