Earth Discovery Institute

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El Cajon, CA
Earth Discovery Institute

Environmental Education, Habitat Restoration, Science Service-Learning, Community Outreach for Conservation

EDI conducts education, restoration and community outreach activities at Crestridge Ecological Reserve, the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge, Sweetwater Marsh, Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve, and Otay Valley Regional Park.

09/02/2026

Participate in San Diego Climate Week and join us for our Native Oak Workshop at Crestridge Ecological Reserve! 🫶 Learn about California's amazing native Oak trees, how they contribute to the health of our climate, and take home an Oak seedling to plant in your own yard! 🌱

📅 Saturday, October 3rd
🕘 9 AM - 11 AM
📍 Crestridge Ecological Reserve

To learn more & RSVP, visit: https://www.earthdiscovery.org/event-details/native-oak-workshop-2

09/01/2026

We are hiring! 🥳 EDI is seeking a Spanish-speaking field instructor to add to our Education Dream Team. 💚 This person would be a crucial part of the team, creating an even more welcoming environment for our Spanish-speaking students and community members - helping them feel more connected to EDI and to nature! The deadline to apply is September 15, 2026.

To learn more about this position & how to apply, visit: https://www.earthdiscovery.org/employment

08/31/2026

We are so excited to be participating in the Living Coast Discovery Center's Animals on the Bay Day 2026! 🐙💙 For just $5 per ticket, bring the family and interact with animal ambassadors, explore the San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge, participate in educational activities, enjoy food from various food trucks, and more!

To learn more & purchase tickets (starting September 5th), visit: https://www.thelivingcoast.org/

08/28/2026

EDI Species of the Week: Pink Sand Verbena (Abronia umbellata) 🌸

The Pink Sand Verbena is a striking coastal plant, its ball-like clusters of bright pink flowers sprawling across sandy beaches on succulent-leaved stems from Baja California north through California and Oregon into southern Canada. Its place in botanical history is noteworthy, it holds the distinction of being the first California native plant to be formally described by European settlers, documented scientifically in 1786. Despite this legacy, the Pink Sand Verbena is in serious decline. The coastal habitat it depends on has been heavily impacted by climate change and the invasion of introduced beach grasses, pushing populations back dramatically across its northern range. Once abundant from Baja California to British Columbia, it has since been extirpated from Washington and British Columbia and reduced to very few wild populations in California. One of its most important tools for survival lies in its seeds. Uniquely shaped to act as wings, the seeds are carried across open sandy ecosystems by the wind giving this resilient plant its best chance at finding new ground!

08/26/2026

What's better than going on a hike along one of the countless beautiful trails in San Diego? Making an impact in the process! We are partnering with the City of San Diego by hosting a community trail hike to gather community input for the San Diego Citywide Trails Master Plan! Join us to learn more, share feedback, and find out how you can be part of shaping the future of San Diego's trails.

📅 Saturday, September 26th
🕘 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
📍 Finney Trail Overlook

To learn more & RSVP, visit: https://www.earthdiscovery.org/event-details/community-trail-walk

08/25/2026

As we collected data for 2025 to create our most recent Annual Report, we had the opportunity to reflect on what an amazing year it was:
In 2025, a breeding pair of Coastal Cactus Wren successfully nested and raised chicks at our cactus scrub restoration site (El Monte Ecological Preserve) for the ✨ very first time! ✨ We also installed over 3,400 native plants across our various programs, provided environmental education to over 2,200 students, and our incredible volunteer heroes contributed almost 1,000 hours to our restoration and biodiversity conservation program.

Reliving the highlights of the year reminds us why we love what we do! Thank you for supporting us throughout 2025, and into 2026 and beyond - we are so happy you're here. 💚

To read our full 2025 Annual Report, visit: https://www.earthdiscovery.org/financials

08/24/2026

There's still time to join us for our Twilight BioBlitz Hike to celebrate California Biodiversity Day! 🌄 As the sun begins to set, many of California's most fascinating species start to emerge. Join us to connect with nature in a whole new light while contributing to biodiversity science!

📅 Friday, September 11, 2026
🕘 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
📍 Sweetwater River (SDNWR)

To learn more & RSVP, visit: https://www.earthdiscovery.org/event-details/twilight-bioblitz-hike-2

08/21/2026

EDI Species of the Week: Western Sycamore (Platanus racemosa) 🍁🌳

The Western Sycamore is one of California's most distinctive native trees, recognized by its striking whitish-gray peeling bark and dramatically twisted, sprawling form. It is also a signature species of the sycamore-alluvial woodland, a habitat considered endangered worldwide. This large tree is a cornerstone of its ecosystem, supporting an impressive range of wildlife. Its spiky, ball-shaped fruits provide food for small birds, while mammals browse on its twigs and bark. The flowers are an important resource for pollinators, particularly the Western Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. Perhaps one of the more fascinating relationships the Western Sycamore holds is with the Clearwing Sycamore Borer Moth, which lays its eggs in the cracks and crevices of the bark. The hatching larvae bore into the tree, creating a network of serpentine tunnels beneath the surface that shelters the larvae through one of the most vulnerable stages of their development.

08/19/2026

We had an amazing time last Friday at The Native School's San Diego Nature School Festival! 🐞 We say this a lot but one of our favorite things about working in this field is getting out into nature to collaborate with like-minded organizations and meet new people, expanding our community. 🫶 Thank you to The Native School & Nurture Their Nature for an incredible event!

08/17/2026

It goes without saying that one of the many perks of working outside in nature is spotting the amazing wildlife along the way! We’ve already had many critter encounters this month at El Monte that stopped us in our tracks - and we are so glad we captured these moments!

Along with the Arizona Black Hole Spider (Kukulcania arizonica), Blainville’s Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma blainvillii), and the Bryant’s Woodrat (Neotoma bryanti), we also saw a bat who’s unlucky fate landed him on the spine of a cactus, a California Kingsnake, and much more.

If spotting creatures like these makes you as excited as it makes us, sign up to volunteer with EDI and keep an eye out for future opportunities on the horizon!

To learn more & sign up, visit: https://www.earthdiscovery.org/volunteer

Address

El Cajon, CA
92021

Telephone

+16196543793

Website

http://www.earthdiscovery.org/

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