And just in case you need a reminder, this video, Take a Hike: Guajome Regional Park, was created by SD County. It showcases just how awesome Guajome Regional Park is.

The Oceanside team has met in person throughout the summer to research and draft an Oceanside-specific Electrification Resolution for our school district, reviewing a decade of district sustainability records and prior solar and EV procurement agreements to build our case. We're now mapping outreach strategies for the coming school year to grow our base of student and community support.

I've also been working with Un Mar De Colores on their Oceanside Youth Ocean program, mentoring a group of local middle schoolers on ocean literacy and sharing what I've learned through climate advocacy and marine conservation work. Katia, Un Mar's Program Manager, asked me to take on the role of Ocean Mentor for the program, connecting local underserved youth with hands-on ocean science and advocacy experience.

~Carlos Lopez

Down memory lane: In September 2025- El Salto Falls (aka Quarry Creek) was one of around 100 sites around San Diego County that was part of the I Love a Clean San Diego's Coastal Cleanup Day. Preserve Calavera sponsored the site along with the San Diego Habitat Conservancy.

Below are volunteers signing up before the event begins.(photo by E. Bartlett)

The County recently released its annual report for the County's Climate Action Plan (CAP) which highlights the progress made during 2025.

The County's CAP is a comprehensive plan that outlines 21 measures that contain 70 actions to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from activities in the unincorporated area and County-owned facilities throughout the region.

The County's video (at right) gives a simple overview of the County’s Climate Action Plan, greenhouse gases, and climate change.

The County Website states:

The CAP’s primary goal is to reduce GHGs, including reaching net zero emissions (i.e., we are reducing as many emissions as we are producing) by 2045. The CAP also promotes public health, streamlines housing development, protects the region’s natural resources, and provides investments to help our communities thrive through programs and resources. Monitoring of CAP implementation started in 2025, and the first annual reports became available in 2026.

You can go to the CAP Dashboard to learn more. Below is a Dashboard Summary of GHG Emission Reductions by Sector. They use the common climate metric MTCO₂e.

MT= metric tons

CO₂e = carbon dioxide equivalent.

Carbon dioxide equivalent represents the combination of GHGs that contribute to climate change. Although CO₂ represents about 80% of GHG, methane, sulfur dioxide and other gases contribute as well.

The Dashboard graphic below shows the County reduced 259,481metric tons of GHG emissions (MTCO2e) through the implementation of 35 actions with quantified GHG emission reductions. These GHG Climate Action reductions were equivalent to reducing the emissions from removing 60,525 gas-powered vehicles from the road for one year.

But there is still a very long road to travel toward reducing 741,171 MTCO₂e by 2030!

Two parties that were battling for six years finally found themselves in the Orange County Superior Court on July 20^th. At the heart of the battle was the diminutive Pacific pocket mouse that looks like it came straight from the pages of a Beatrix Potter story.

On one side of the courtroom was the Center for Natural Lands Management fighting to save a small population of the endangered Pacific Pocket Mouse. On the other side was the city of Dana Point wanting more public access available at a popular hiking trail.

(photo credit USGS)

We are happy to report that the Court issued its decision in favor of CNLM and supporting protection of the Pacific pocket mouse (Perognathus longimembris pacificus). The greatest threats to the Pacific pocket mouse are loss of habitat and fragmentation.

CNLM was entrusted with managing 29.4 acres within the City of Dana Point in 2005. And that is exactly what they were doing. From their website :

Our primary goals are focused on protecting habitat for the Pacific pocket mouse, coastal California gnatcatcher, rare plant species, and other sensitive species that utilize coastal sage scrub and coastal bluff scrub. Due to the small size of the Dana Point Preserve, and its degree of isolation from similar habitats, maintaining conditions to allow the persistence of these endangered and rare species requires focused monitoring and adaptive management. 

Read more about the results of the court case.

And this is an article that gives more background on the story- it was published prior to the court ruling: California town deeply divided over tiny mouse

And a big thanks to the Center for Natural Lands Management for all of their hard work!