A New Perspective on the Lagoon
April 2008 | by Liz Dernetz

Lagoon Day is April 27

If asked to describe the San Dieguito Lagoon, some people would say it's at the mouth of the San Dieguito River, whose headwaters flow from the Pacific Crest at over 5,000 feet above sea level all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Some see it as the river bordering Dog Beach, while others see it as a major project to restore a tidal basin and wetland habitat. Another perspective of the lagoon will be presented at this year's Lagoon Day 2008 celebration. The event features Dr. Exequiel Ezcurra, provost of the San Diego Natural History Museum and director of the museum's scientific research division, who will speak on the topic, From the Tide Pools to the Stars: How the San Dieguito Lagoon Fits into the Larger Ecosystem.

Dr. Ezcurra, whose division is known as the Biodiversity Research Center of the Californias, is currently spearheading an initiative uniquely focused on understanding and managing the Sea of Cortés as one whole ecosystem, including the people who live there. Inspired in part by John Steinbeck's famous “Log from the Sea of Cortez” - in which Steinbeck wondered at the delicate balance between the sea and the many creatures living there - Dr. Ezcurra will address how the restoration of our lagoon will re-establish its role in the larger coastal and ocean ecosystem. This role becomes even more important at a time when so many natural beauties of the California coast are being degraded or lost.

The San Dieguito Lagoon Day event will be held on Sunday, April 27 in the Powerhouse Community Center beginning at 6:30pm, with exhibits, Q & A with environmentalists and other experts, and a display of art created by local third grade students after being inspired by lagoon field trips. The lecture will begin at 7pm. The public is welcome and there is no charge for the event. Light refreshments will be available.