Girl Scouts San Diego Pioneers Processes for Wildfire Fuel Reduction in Julian, CA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2024
Girl Scouts San Diego Pioneers Processes for Wildfire Fuel Reduction in Julian, CA
The youth-serving nonprofit earns multi-year $759,000+ grant from San Diego River Conservancy to support forest resilience and management efforts
San Diego, CA – Girl Scouts San Diego (GSSD)—a regional nonprofit serving more than 24,000 girl and adult members in San Diego and Imperial counties—is proud to unveil its vegetation treatment plan, supported by funding from the San Diego River Conservancy. Leveraging new technologies, Girl Scouts San Diego is leading efforts to safely mitigate wildfire risks with air curtain burners and building climate change resiliency while preserving natural landscapes in Julian, California—home of its two mountain properties, Camp Whispering Oaks and Camp Winacka.
Through a generous grant of $759,000+ from the San Diego River Conservancy, Girl Scouts San Diego will accelerate the removal of wildly overgrown vegetation on its 672-acre camp properties (more than six times the size of the San Diego Zoo) within the San Diego River watershed in Southern California.
“Girl Scouts San Diego is the first non-government organization in San Diego County to use permitted air curtain burners, and we’ve created a roadmap to assist others in successfully managing their forest areas,” said Carol Dedrich, CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego. “Each year, we welcome nearly 10,000 Girl Scouts, volunteers, and staff to our Julian, CA properties. Thanks to support from the San Diego River Conservancy, our vegetation treatment plan will reduce the potential impact of wildfires, ensuring guest safety and preserving memorable camp moments for years to come.”
This partnership will encompass three key areas of focus:
1. Fuel Reduction Project: Girl Scouts San Diego will reduce its wildfire fuel across 144 of its 672 total acres by removing dead and dying trees impacted by the Goldspotted Oak Borer. Using innovative air curtain burner technology, GSSD aims to create resilient landscapes and ecosystems (i.e. plant and animal life) that can better withstand the threat of wildfires.
2. Tree Nursery Project: Recognizing the vital role of native vegetation in ecosystem resilience, GSSD is constructing a native plant nursery for propagating Coulter Pine, Sugar Pine, and Incense Cedar trees using seeds found on the property. This is the only nursery in the San Diego River watershed growing native trees using native soil. Girl Scouts San Diego will also provide educational opportunities for girl and adult members to collect and plant seedlings while learning about the importance of forest resilience.
3. Water Treatment Plant Emergency Generator Project: Girl Scouts San Diego will install an emergency generator for the Camp Winacka water treatment plant. This infrastructure enhancement will position the camp as an emergency response hub for the Julian, CA region and enable uninterrupted access to potable water for CalFire in the event of local power loss.
"The partnership with Girl Scouts San Diego is testament to our shared commitment of being environmental stewards who make the world a better place,” said Julia Richards, Executive Officer of the San Diego River Conservancy. “Together, with support from our partners and volunteers, we will continue to help conserve land while also providing recreational and educational opportunities for Girl Scouts, adult volunteers, and the entire San Diego region.”
To learn more about Girl Scouts San Diego and its Julian, CA camp properties, visit sdgirlscouts.org/locations. More information about the San Diego River Conservancy is available at sdrc.ca.gov.
About Girl Scouts San Diego
Girl Scouts of the USA is the nation’s preeminent leadership development organization for girls, with a mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. As one of 111 councils, Girl Scouts San Diego provides year-round activities and volunteer training for more than 24,000 girls and adults in San Diego and Imperial counties. To deliver on its life-changing mission, the nonprofit organization operates six locations across its service area, including two mountain properties in Julian, CA—Camp Whispering Oaks and Camp Winacka—comprising 672 acres. Learn more at sdgirlscouts.org.
About San Diego River Conservancy
The San Diego River Conservancy is an independent and non-regulatory state agency that was established in 2002. The Conservancy's Governing Board comprises state and local representatives, forming a diverse partnership that is committed to conserving this highly valued resource of statewide significance. The San Diego River Conservancy strives to accomplish its mission by conserving land, protecting resources, wildlife corridors, sensitive species and native habitats while incorporating recreational and educational opportunities.
Since 2021, the San Diego River Conservancy has awarded more than $30 million in grants for wildfire and forest resilience projects throughout San Diego County.
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Learn more about this partnership and GSSD’s forestry and wildfire management efforts by watching the video below.
