6.9.11  SDCL has hired Will Anderson, a San Diego State University Geography graduate, as Programs Manager.  Will brings a diverse background in law, education, Geography, and watershed conservation to SDCL’s many programs.  Will, a native of Oregon, moved to San Diego in 2007 to earn his Master's in Geography at SDSU.  He worked as a Graduate Assistant for over two years, primarily on watershed conservation projects in Tijuana and Ecuador.  He became involved with SDCL as a volunteer Open Space Mapping intern after graduating in late 2009. He was tasked with drafting and generating the hundreds of maps necessary for reviewing City lands for possible inclusion in a proposal for park land dedication.  After completing his internship, Will spent much of 2010 working in Ecuador as a Policy Analyst and GIS Mapping Specialist on two watershed conservation projects.  He reconnected with SDCL upon returning to San Diego in September 2010, continuing volunteer work on the Dedication project, and providing mapping support for canyon enhancement planning.  He started his own Geographic Information Systems (GIS) consulting business (Anderson Geographics) and was quickly employed by SDCL to run an internship program that trains and enrolls Geography students in mapping the existing conditions in the canyons.  This internship program is funded by Price Charities to map and enhance the canyons in City Heights.  He was hired on May 25 to work full time growing the GIS internship program and managing the other SDCL programs.  Will indeed hits the ground running for SDCL and brings abundant enthusiasm and an array of cutting-edge techical skills.

6.13.11   The San Diego Union-Tribune reports (Tuesday 6/14/11) on SDCL's campaign to dedicate ~10,000 acres of City-owned open space to be preserved for future generations.  Click here to see the article by UT Reporter Mike Lee.

6.9.11  San Diego Canyonlands is pleased to announce an award of $42,000 from The San Diego Foundation to continue efforts to dedicate approximately 10,000 acres of City-owned open space as parkland and to establish a San Diego Regional Canyonlands Park. The Canyonlands Park concept was envisioned by former Union Tribune columnist and author Richard Louv as a way of uniting the city's canyons and celebrating their unique geographic contribution collectively. Over the decades, city planners have purposely preserved the canyons and steep slopes that define our city. The land dedication campaign is the continuation of efforts that began in 2006, after a non-profit called "Civic Solutions" submitted a Canyonlands White Paper to the Natural Resources and Culture Committee (NR&C) calling for dedication of the land to lock in our canyon-lands legacy. The NR&C Committee, then chaired by Councilmember Donna Frye, had requested a report from the city's Park and Recreation Department which indicated that over 17,000 acres of City-owned open spaces were ripe for dedication as parkland. 

Click here to read more about this effort.

A Sneak Peek 3-D Tour of City Lands proposed for dedication is ready to watch. WATCH IT NOW!!