Palm & Pine: July 2016

Michael H. Momeni, PhD

Environmental Scientist

Our initiatives have focused on education about our environment, preservation and improvement of our local water quality, and wildlife protection.   We have expanded our ability to communicate within our organization and with the public by creating our webpage, Facebook and our Blog Sierra Santa Margarita Group: What’s Up 

 http://sierraconservation.blogspot.com/

We are striving to make it easier for interaction and feedback with you.   Please check us up and let us hear from you by commenting on our Blog. 

Please visit us on “Outdoor Families”

http://www.meetup.com/Outdoor-Families/

And our Sierra Santa margarita Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/SierraClubSantaMargaritaGroup

Please visit our webpage:
www.SierraClubSMG.org

Air Quality in Temecula-Murrieta Corridor

Automobiles are a dominant contributor to the quality of air within the Temecula Valley.  Prolong exposure to the exhausts from vehicles has been associated with decrease in mental capacity, intelligence and emotional stability.   The other illnesses include cardiovascular disease, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and lung cancer.

Highway 15 is the principle commuting routes from Temecula-Murrieta cities to San Diego and Los Angles.  Both cities are predominantly bedroom communities.  The highways 15 and 215 are generally congested from early in the morning to late in the evening.  These highways are also the only north-south routes for the interstate traffic through the Temecula Valley. 

Based on my experience, the Highway 15 and 215 are congested roads between the highway 8 in San Diego and the highway 60 by Moreno Valley, and by Ontario.  More than once I have gazed at the traffic congestion on the Highway 15 from the overpasses on the Rancho California and Santiago Roads.  Often mentally I have asked: “Who are these people? Where are they going and coming from? ”The time spent on commuting is not spent with the family.  The money spent on car replacement, insurance and on gasoline, is the money not spent on improving the quality of life.  What can be done to improve the situation?” 

Why People Commute?  In my opinion the followings are some of the reasons for commuting in our region:

·       Riverside County has about 25 percent more working residents than available jobs.

·       Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties are the major destination for work.

·       Occupational and professional job opportunities are limited within the Riverside County.

·       Housing costs have been lower in the Riverside County than in San Diego and Los Angeles counties.

·       Commuters with school-aged children often prefer to live in a detached single family house than in high-density apartments.

·       School options for their children.

To reduce the congestion, we would require time-cost efficient transportation between work and home. An express mass-transit system using buses is expensive and would only slightly reduce reliance on using personal cars. 

The distance between Perris, to Los Angles is about 75 miles. At present a train travel to the two cities would demand nearly 4 hour 36 minutes of commuting time.  This is not an option for a commuter.  The same two destinations the time for commuting using a personal car could be about 90 minutes.

The distance between Temecula and down town San Diego is about 60 miles and could be traveled within 60 minutes using a personal car.  At this time, except for bus, no mass-transit system is available.  An express bus between Temecula and down-town San Diego the travel time would be about 90 minutes.  It is presently the express bus is scheduled for twice daily, and would cost about $17 each way.  This is not a cost-effective option for most commuters.

A green solution would be using low-floor light rail cars.  The low-floor would allow entrance and exit from the train cars without using elevated platform and allow wheel-chair access for handicapped individuals.  Similar trains are already in operation in many cities, for example from Chicago O’Hare Airport to downtown Chicago, and in Dallas DFW Airport.  Portland is expanding their mass transit system working with Siemens using redesigned S70 light rail vehicles.

A similar type of trains could link Temecula-Escondido to San Diego’s Metropolitan Transit System.  The Metropolitan Transit System in San Diego presently uses rapid-light trains; it is efficient and cost effective option for commuting.

We cannot reduce the air pollution within the Valley, unless we provide a viable cost-effective option for commuters.

Celebration of 100th birthday of the National Park Service

We did it; on April 16 we toured Cabrillo National Monument. Our tour guide, Jack Vallerga detailed history about the park and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, and lead us on the 2-mile Bayside Trail.  

We toured the community of Little Italy, in San Diego.  Our guide Anthony M. Davi, walked us through the community and narrated some of the historical events since it was established in 1871.  This activity was organized by Laurie Webster.

 

Murrieta Creek Flood Control Project:   an Interim Progress Report  

Melvin Meneses, the Army Corp, Murrieta Creek Project Manager, presented an overview of the project and the status of each phase of the project.  This presentation was followed by Army Corp Biologist Jessie Rae.  

He presented different options for revegetation of the flood control area.  Some members of the audience asked about selection of soil-cement for stabilization of some of the embankments over the traditional cement.  Melvin Meneses discussed the pros-and-cons for the choices; he indicated that one of the concerns for Temecula-Murrieta community was preservation of the Old Town color motif.  Also, the Army Corp attempts to naturalize the creeks and flood control beds to resemble the naturally created riverbeds.  

The Corp had worked with naturalists to preserve the habitat and protect any native species by relocation to other areas.  The audience participation and followed up questions indicated the public interest and historical knowledge about the project.

 Army Corp Biologist Jessie Rae discussed the biological aspects of the project.

This was a beautiful day.  We are grateful to the Corp of the Engineers for their presentations.  

 Terri Biancardi organized this activity.

             

 Leadership Retreat

The San Gorgonio Chapter recently met at the Whitewater Preserve, organized by Chapter Chair, MaryAnn Ruiz, for a “Leadership Retreat” to share ideas, strategic planning, and get to know each other.  Chapter Excom leaders discussed among others, politics, energy, transportation, air quality and wildlife.  The exchange of ideas has already resulted in an effort to clarify our own group strategic objectives. The Santa Margarita Group was represented by Palm Nelson (Our grpoup Chari lay) and Margret Meyncke (Facebook coordinator).  Pam Nelson gave a synopsis of our current areas of interest and our progress in achieving some of our goals.

 Margaret Meyncke discussed  the need to embrace social and political diversity in  our daily casual conversations and discussions.  

Trail Hike

Our two seasoned hike leaders are Robert Audibert and Gary Marsalone.   The two hikes scheduled for May and June 2016 are on May 7 "Black Rock Canyon Trail" and June 11 “Devil’s Slide Trail” followed to “Deer Springs Trail”.

·       The Joshua Tree National Park's Black Rock Canyon Trail is 6 miles, moderately difficult with about 1000 feet gain in elevation.  

·       The Hike from Humber Park in Idyllwild to the Deer Springs Trail Head is 11 miles.  The hike is strenuous with a gain of about 2400 feet in elevation.

Walk in the 4th of July Parade with the Sierra Club

The activity has been organized by Margaret Meyncke.  We intend to celebrate the 4^th of July by walking in the parade with the city of Temecula; all wearing the Sierra color green tee shirts, showing our patriotic spirit and love of nature.   It is going to be a great fun day.

Speakers and Topics at our Monthly Meetings

·       May 1, 2016 Aquanga is a three surprise areas with just a 20-minute drive from Temecula.  We visited a hidden waterfall (small) with pools for wading, toured the Temecula Olive Oil Ranch, then visited the celebrated workshop of  Ricardo Breceda creating metal masterpiece sculptures. 

·       May 12, 2016: Speaker Kurt Campbell, a local resident with a life-long passion for bird biology, told us all about the birds we see, those that hang around and those that migrate extensively. Kurt illustrated many of the ways birds make use of land and water areas, from local to worldwide.  The territories include home ranges, seasonal migration, and other types of local movements. Kurt told us about the significance of birds to the health of our environment. 

·       April 14, 2016: Speaker Gary Oddi, a Great Oaks High School teacher, told us about the bike trails in the Temecula area.  He was joined by representatives from Murrieta, Wildomar and Lake Elsinore.  Each overviewed the many bike trails around their cities. 

·       March 10, 2016:  Speaker Stacy Parker, a longtime worker with the Fund for Animal Wildlife Center in Ramona, presented her work at the Rescues and Releases Center caring for sick and injured wildlife and exotic animals. The center oversees the volunteer program and works with student interns.

·       June 9th:  Speaker Matt Rahn, Temecula City Councilman and biologist, will present Temecula's future development and its impact on the region.  We are concerned about wildlife crossings and expect construction of wildlife corridors across Highway 15. Would a future development of the city adjacent to De Luz immolate the wildlife crossing options?

A synopsis of our activities:

·       June 4^th: National Trails Day and our anniversary of the Murrieta Creek Regional Trail ribbon cutting.

·       The Flood Control Project, The Army Corp of Engineers: In Temecula, we will have a walking tour starting at 9 AM, June 4th at the Creek adjacent to the Old Town Temecula Community Center.

-        In Wildomar: Health Fair at Marna O'Brien Park;

-        In Lake Elsinore:  Celebration at Serenity Park.

-        May 14, 2016, Earth Day events:  We promoted our organization during the Santa Rosa Plateau's Garden Tour.

-        Our group endorsed Debbie Walsh for District 1 Riverside County Supervisor.  

·       April 21st and 28^th, The Quino Checkerspot habitat and trail restoration project:   Group members, Pam and Greg Nelson and John Dechert assisted RCA biologists, Anza residents, and California Native Plant members in removing invasive plants from a study area in the Beauty Mountain Wilderness on.  

·       June 14th will be the last of our Teachers' Environmental Education 4-part series.  Teachers will demonstrate successful lesson plans that they used during the school year.  

·  Meadowview: The walking workshop was guided by members Teri Biancardi, Kurt Campbell and David Marrett showing the ongoing restoration and studies.