Tijuana River Network- meeting notes- February 18, 2010
WiLDCOAST office, Imperial Beach
Attendees: Laura Silvan from Fundacion La Puerta, Margarita Diaz from Proyecto Fronterizo, Roderick Michener from Surfrider, Dan Kesler, Danielle Litke from TJ Estuary, Rachael Dorfman from SF, Angela Howe from SF National, Jeff Knox from TRCC, Carmen Romo from Calidad de Vida, Gabriel Sanchez from Calidad de Vida, Claudette, Morgan Justice-Black from ILACSD, Jay Novak from TRCC, Dan Watman from Border Encuentro, Ben McCue from WiLDCOAST and Dan Murphy from Surfrider
Agenda:
1) Welcome and Introductions/Check In
2) Reviewed purpose of the network: “To renew the Tijuana River by working together (suggested adding Internationally) for a solution giving a voice to the community by engaging in cleanups, outreach, education and advocacy to address the root cause of the Tijuana River pollution.”
3) Groups discussed purpose for being at meeting:
Border Encuentro: identified with the “borderless” focus of the network; discussed how B.E. has taken a more environmental focus in their activities.
Fundacion la Puerta: sharing information with other groups working on TJ River Watershed issues; Learning from the experiences of others; and identifying opportunities for engagement/collaboration. Laura mentioned that the network should not strain groups by taking on additional projects but rather should work together in ways that increase the effectiveness of member groups’ current projects.
I Love a Clean San Diego: Partnering with other groups on cleanup events and sharing opportunities for collaboration.
Proyecto Fronterizo: (similar purpose as Fundacion la Puerta)
Surfrider: Working with other groups to improve the border region’s beach water quality; and improve the ability of the water testing program to improve water quality policy.
Tijuana Calidad de Vida: Sees network as bringing out partnerships with others to increase the quality of life of residents in Tijuana.
Tijuana Estuary Volunteer Program: Working through the network to increase the effectiveness and scope of the Estuary’s volunteer program with the overall goal of improving the watershed.
Tijuana River Citizens’ Council: Working with other groups to carry-out clean water advocacy in the watershed to decision makers.
WiLDCOAST: networking with other groups to share information, learn, collaborate, and explore new partnerships to improve the health of the watershed and the nearshore coastal environment.
a) Roderick mentioned a idea for the name of the network – Border Area Clean Action Network
b) The group agreed we need to emphasize the International aspect of the Network. Do we want to use Border in the name? Our main purpose together as a group is (Environmental) Stewardship. Somehow we need to incorporate this into the purpose statement and the name.
4) Organization leads
a) ACTION ITEM: Add each lead to the Listserve and Margarita will maintain
5) Discussion
a) TJ Estuary Visitors Center has many volunteer activities in the Border Field Area. March 13th – adding natives
b) Every Second Saturday of the month there are volunteer opportunities at the Estuary
c) Laura from Fundacion La Puerta mentioned bringing her volunteers across the border to a second Saturday event.
d) Group agreed that Border Field Area should be a good place to bring volunteers for awareness and education of the sediment basins, border wall…etc
e) Need to set up some trainings with the different Group Volunteers for outreach and awareness to Public Officials.
f) Carmen mentioned there are many programs focused in the Los Laureles Sub-Watersheds. They meet every 3 months – Consejo de Admin Programa Parcial de Mejoramiento de la sub cuenca de los laureles.
g) Need to hold meeting in Tijuana (scheduled for March) and Tecate.
h) Organize separate goals and missions and how we align the network goals. We all have something in common. We are all concerned about the TJ River Watershed. We need to empower ourselves.
i) Need to plan for more watershed improvement projects
6) Work Plan Activities
a) ACTION ITEM: Each network monthly meeting should have training component (ex: water policy/enforcement in U.S. and MX; watershed dynamics 101; Media advocacy, etc.). WiLDCOAST will work with Tijuana Calidad de Vida to schedule the training for the March meeting on a U.S./MX comparison of water quality policy/enforcement.
b) ACTION ITEM: The hosting of Network meetings will be shared between groups. Groups that are willing to host a meeting should propose what month they would like to host and send to paloma@wildcoast.net
c) ACTION ITEM: Need to calendar all events in one place. One stop place for all the events. Morgan mentioned the www.SDLN.org has a calendar of events that we could potentially add to. The site is currently maintained by Jeff Smith from the SE lagoon.
d) ACTION ITEM: Need to decide on a all-day cross-border watershed tour from San Diego-Tecate-Tijuana. Paloma will send out potential dates to the group.
7) October “Tijuana River Action Month”
a) Nesting Season runs from February 15th to September 15th and cleanups in the River Valley and at the River Mouth need to take place outside of these dates. WiLDCOAST and TJ Estuary discussed making October “Tijuana River Action Month”. This is also the month that Coastal Cleanup Day, Fiesta Del Rio, and the Dempsey Holder Contest take place. All events will focus on the need to address pollution in the watershed through a shared, borderless approach.
8) Create Calendar of cleanup events
a) Discussed under line item 4 (g). Group to utilize www.SDLN.org until formal website and calendar has been established. Also, each individual group has their own sites, calendars, blogs, Facebook accts…etc
9) Next meeting : Tijuana Calidad de Vida proposed to host our next meeting in Playas de Tijuana.
Using http://www.doodle.com/5ybxfibzrtd2unmg to determine the date.
a) ACTION ITEM: Dan and Carmen to figure out group shuttle logistics.
10) Adjourn
