Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup protects sacred sites and local wildlife in Oceanside
Volunteers around San Diego participated in the Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup Day over the weekend. One of the cleanup sites was the Quarry Creek Preserve in Oceanside.
The creek is one of several of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indian's sacred sites.
"Our tribe, the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians, does not have a reservation, but we do protect our cultural sites here in the Oceanside area," said Mel Vernon, tribal captain of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians.
While the Quarry Creek Preserve was saved from development, trespassing and litter are an ongoing threat to the ecosystem.
"This area is particularly really important to us because it's a combination of Native American cultural site plus, the value of having a natural habitat area with a creek through it like this," said Diane Nygaard, president of Preserve Calavera. "Unfortunately, it's really being highly impacted by lots of trespass activity and a lot of traffic. So cleanups like this are really critical."
The creek is one of several of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indian's sacred sites.
"Our tribe, the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians, does not have a reservation, but we do protect our cultural sites here in the Oceanside area," said Mel Vernon, tribal captain of the San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians.
While the Quarry Creek Preserve was saved from development, trespassing and litter are an ongoing threat to the ecosystem.
"This area is particularly really important to us because it's a combination of Native American cultural site plus, the value of having a natural habitat area with a creek through it like this," said Diane Nygaard, president of Preserve Calavera. "Unfortunately, it's really being highly impacted by lots of trespass activity and a lot of traffic. So cleanups like this are really critical."
