Friends Of Famosa Slough

THE FRIENDS OF FAMOSA SLOUGH (FFS) WAS ESTABLISHED TO PROTECT AND RESTORE FAMOSA SLOUGH, A 37-ACRE TIDAL WETLAND, AS A NATURAL WETLANDS PRESERVE AND TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF WETLANDS. FFS LEADS RESTORATION EFFORTS TO INCREASE WILDLIFE AND OPEN SPACE VALUES AND SUPPORTS THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO'S PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT WHICH MANAGES THE FAMOSA SLOUGH. THE FRIENDS HAVE ACQUIRED VACANT LAND AROUND THE SLOUGH AND HAVE ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS.

WE ENGAGED OVER 100 COMMUNITY MEMBERS AT WORK PARTY EVENTS, BIRD AND NATURE WALKS, AND SCHOOL EVENTS. WE HAD SMALL GROUPS OF VOLUNTEERS FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 WORK SESSIONS TO MAINTAIN THE PROPERTY OWNED BY THE ORGANIZATION THAT WAS PURCHASED FOR THE PURPOSE OF SERVING AS A BUFFER ADJACENT TO THE WETLANDS. WE REMOVED OVER 6,000 POUNDS OF NON-NATIVE VEGETATION, PLANTED OVER 120 NATIVE PLANS, MAINTAINED TRAILS BY CUTTING BACK VEGETATION AND PICKING UP AN ESTIMATED 500 POUNDS OF TRASH.WE INCURRED $3,664 IN PROPERTY TAXES FOR THE ADJACENT LAND PURCHASED BY THE ORGANIZATION IN 2012 AND 2014 WHICH WILL BE TURNED OVER TO THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO WHEN THE NATIVE PANTS HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED.

EDUCATION WHICH INCLUDED AN ANNUAL MEETING FEATURING THE KING TIDE PROJECT IN SAN DIEGO. MONTHLY BIRD/NATURE WALKS, AND PUBLICATIONS INCLUDING NEWSLETTERS, BROCHURES AND BIRD LISTS THAT WERE DISTRIBUTED LOCALLY AND TO OUR MEMBERS AND MULTIPLE ON-LINE ANNOUNCEMENTS, PHOTOS AND EVENT NOTICES.PROVIDED INFORMATION ABOUT THE SLOUGH AND WETLANDS WHEN WE HOSTED EVENTS WITH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND CORPORATE VOLUNTEERS WHILE REMOVING NON-NATIVE PLANTS, MAINTAINING TRAILS, AND TAKING CARE OF CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS.