El Salto Falls photographed in 2006 by Rick Jones (Google maps)

El Salto Falls is within the 95.9 acres that make up Quarry Creek Preserve. The aerial view shows the preserve boundaries in green; with a noticeable patchwork of open space within the developed areas.

Quarry Creek Preserve contains imperiled plant communities such as coastal sage scrub, native grasslands, southern riparian woodland, southern willow scrub and mule fat scrub. And it is home to a number of sensitive native wildlife and plant species.

Including two small but very important bird species:

Photo credit: Omar Moquit

The Least Bell’s Vireo (Vireo bellii pusillus) is a songbird that was listed as endangered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1986 due to an ongoing loss of habitat in the region. 

The least Bell’s vireo once was widespread and abundant throughout riparian woodlands of California and northern Baja California, Mexico. But the species population has only recently been revived after a forty-year decline that nearly resulted in its extinction. 

Their nests are typically found within two feet of the ground, which makes unhatched eggs and chicks particularly vulnerable to predation from cats, raccoons, rats, and coyotes, all of which are found near housing and business developments. Read more.

Photo Credit: David Jeffrey Ringer

The threatened coastal CA gnatcatcher ((Polioptila californica californica) is considered an umbrella species— which protects coastal sage scrub from further development. Umbrella species are species that are selected for conservation related decisions because their protection indirectly protects many other plant and animal species within their ecosystem. 

Just in case you haven't noticed, the coastal CA gnatcatcher was chosen to represent Preserve Calavera when our logo was designed almost 25 years ago.

Gnatcatchers are non-migratory and territorial but fledglings will disperse across patches of coastal sage scrub to new areas. They are using line of site to get to from one patch to the next. This is critical for their ability to disperse and maintain healthy populations. Read more and more.

Development frequently encroaches upon our preserved lands. Which further brings trash, pollution and invasive species. Looking at the aerial view of Quarry Creek Preserve allows one to see its vulnerability. This also explains the need to clean up and protect this area from further harm.

New fencing erected in July, 2023 to discourage homeless encampments seems to be working. There was far less trash this year and encampments were, for the most part, gone. This is especially important considering the riparian habitat of Buena Vista Creek where polluted creek water is carried along and out to Buena Vista Lagoon.

As you look at the photos and video below, there was a lot of trash to clean up. But the upside is, we did see far less trash along the creek bed than we have in years past.

Above, Vince Rivas (Conservation Habitat Manager for SDHC) who was Co-Captain of the clean up site along with Diane Nygaard (Preserve Calavera).

Some of our awesome volunteers who were willing to spend Saturday morning collecting trash.

And there was LOTS of trash along the fence.

It's not an easy task collecting trash in this area, especially with the fence and the slopes. Lots of young people volunteered for the event!

It was tricky getting some of those heavy items over the fence!

Along with trash, volunteers were removing invasive plants.

American Heritage Girls, Troop CA 0786, collecting trash and recording their data for the Ocean Conservancy as part of a Citizen Scientist effort to monitor pollution worldwide.

The trash collected along the creek had to be lifted over the fence or brought to a gate that was opened for the event.

City of Oceanside provided a recycling dumpster and a larger trash dumpster.

1900 pounds of trash collected!

400 pounds of recyclables!

One of the more unusual items that was discovered was the very old and very heavy Royal Typewriter.

Sending shout out to all 57 volunteers who worked so hard cleaning up this important site.

Cleaning up trash on the hillsides, while skirting around heavy brush, and contending with passing collected trash over a fence can be challenging. But once again, our volunteers showed true grit!

And special thanks to several local groups that came out:

• American Heritage Girls, Troop CA 0786
• El Camino High School: Environmental Club Students (advisor Michele King)
• Rancho Buena Vista High School: Generation Green Outreach Students (advisor Leanne Sloman)

What can you do to help keep our open spaces healthy for wildlife?

• Clean up after your dog and encourage others to do so. Carry extra poop bags for other dog walkers you may encounter.
• Participate in a local clean up event. Many are far less rigorous than El Salto Falls.
• Keep a bag handy when you are out and about and encounter trash.
• Refrain from using pesticides and other chemicals that have the potential to harm wildlife around your home. Chemicals can also runoff during a rain and end up downstream.
• Tell your local city council and SD County Supervisor that you support Smart Growth and not more development in our fast dwindling open space. Once it's gone, we can't get it back!
• Plant native species around your home. Many invasive species in our preserves started out from landscaping at someone's home.
• Support Housing First for our unhoused population. And support elected officials who understand that we actually must build lots more affordable housing for those in needs.