Newsletter: Planet Pala Spring 2024
Pala, CA – The Pala Environmental Department and Planet Pala announce the Planet Pala Spring 2024 Newsletter.
Letter from the Director
Welcome to News from Planet Pala.
Spring is in the air – and so is the rain! Winter’s wet weather as us anticipating a beautiful season of wildflowers, new plants, and delicious seasonal fruits and veggies as the weather warms up. Come visit the PED community demonstration garden to watch spring bloom. We welcome volunteers to join us every Friday from 10 a.m. to noon when the weather is clear. Need help planning your own spring garden? Talk to us, and we’ll help you get started.
We’re excited to welcome two new members to our team. Read on to meet Keith and Trace, and to learn about the other great things PED has been doing so far in 2024.
The San Diego Biodiversity Conservation Summit
On February 22nd, PED’s Environmental Planner, Kurt Broz, attended the San Diego Biodiversity Conservation Summit. The Summit brought together land managers, researchers, government agencies, non-profits, and those interested in preserving nature and managing wildlife in the county. There was even cross-border participation with Baja representatives. There was some Tribal representation at the Summit, but there could always be more. It would be great to see more Tribes and Tribal partners at these events to voice the concerns and needs of the original stewards of the land.
The Summit was held at the San Diego Natural History Museum with a focus on preserving and maintaining nature in San Diego, the most biodiverse county in the contiguous United States. California is one of the world’s biggest biodiversity hotspots, and any of us that enjoy watching birds certainly know of the hundreds of species we can find here. Between the high number of birds, plants, mammals, reptiles, and other species, San Diego is a crown jewel for natural resources.
Information from the Summit will be compiled as a report shared with the public and unveiled at the State of Biodiversity Summit in April.
Intertribal Earth Day 2024
The 16th annual Intertribal Earth Day will be held at the La Jolla Indian Campground on Saturday, April 6, from 11:00am – 3:00pm. There are eight host tribes and Pala is one of them! This year the theme is “Being a Good Ancestor” and each participating organization will be providing activities and information related to this theme. What does this theme mean? It refers to actions we can take today to leave a better environment for our future generations. You can find more details in the flyers below. Intertribal Earth Day is open to all Tribal community members. There will be free food, giveaways, cultural activities, great environmental information, and lots of fun!
We hope you’ll enjoy this year’s Kids Recycled Instrument Parade during the event. Tribal kids are invited to participate in the parade and several of the participating host Tribes are helping kids make musical instruments out of recycled materials to bring to the parade. Kids are also welcome to make them ahead of time on their own. Here are a couple links to some examples: 5 Instruments Kids Can Make and 12 Easy Homemade Musical Instruments for Kids to Make. Kids can also create an instrument at a booth that will be up during the event. This booth will be in between the Pala Environmental Department (we’ll be giving out oak tree saplings) and the Climate Science Alliance. We hope to see you there!
Introducing PREP: Pala Reservation Emergency Preparedness Project
The Pala Environmental Department has secured a grant from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for a comprehensive two-year project dedicated to enhancing disaster preparedness across every neighborhood within the Pala Reservation.
Recognizing the urgent need to address the impacts of climate change and natural hazards, the Tribe has prioritized public awareness and education as fundamental strategies. Anchored in cultural values of sovereignty, self-sufficiency, resilience, cooperation, and community cohesion, the Tribe has crafted a holistic community partnership program. This initiative aims to bolster our capabilities and capacity to prepare for disasters and mitigate risks. Importantly, the project seeks to actively engage the entire Pala community, including Tribal members, residents, and Pala employees.
Leading the charge is the PREP team, spearheaded by Shasta Gaughen, Director of the Environmental Department, along with invaluable support from Tina Fernandez, Environmental Educator, Stephanie Staley, Administrative Assistant, Matthew Deveney, GIS Specialist, David Bernie, Pala’s media manager, and a dedicated consulting team.
The PREP Team will embark on a series of visits to each neighborhood on the reservation, collaborating with residents to identify hazardous areas, evacuation routes, and vulnerable residents. The primary focus is to pinpoint specific challenges within each neighborhood and develop tailored strategies to prepare and protect residents, homes, and communities. These neighborhood visits are scheduled to commence in October 2024. Meanwhile, the PREP Team is diligently developing materials and plans to educate and assist residents in each locality.
In addition to these vital on-the-ground efforts, the PREP leadership team is also transforming the Tribe’s extensive 600+ page Hazard Mitigation Plan into an accessible and informative website. This digital platform will feature three main sections:
- Reservation Profile: A comprehensive overview, complete with a clickable map highlighting specific hazards and evacuation routes in each neighborhood.
- Hazard Information and Risk Analysis: Detailed insights into all potential hazards and the associated risks they pose.
- Personal Preparedness: Practical guidance for residents on preparing their homes, vehicles, and neighborhoods for potential disasters.
Stay tuned for PREP announcements and opportunities for community involvement. Together, we can build a safer, more resilient Pala Reservation.
Garden Volunteers
We would like to give a special shout out to Bonnie Nejo who has been a regular volunteer in the Pala Environmental Department’s demonstration garden. Through this winter season we have had volunteers come out and help maintain the garden area as well as put seeds and plants in the ground. We hope to have more community members and Pala staff come out to join us. If you are interested in volunteering in the garden check out the details below.
Environmental Sensor Technology
Pala will be incorporating new sensor technologies to help aid with environmental efficiencies. This will give us more information about potential issues on the reservation. We’ve already dispatched low cost sensoring for air quality and weather monitoring but we will be adding more to get a better picture.
Soil moisture metering, currently being used for the Pala Vineyard, will be getting a potential upgrade. The goal is to pull us away from subscription services and use open-source or free-version applications to give us more data sovereignty. This will help us make informed decisions on water usage for plants and possibly automate irrigation.
Wildlife Pond and Cameras
We recently added a pond to our garden to provide a consistent water source for our local wildlife. And have they been enjoying it, especially the birds and frogs!
There are many benefits to having a pond or water feature in your yard:
- Attracts wildlife – Open water sources like water features make your outdoor space inviting to critters of all kinds. These provide water to pollinators and pets alike.
- Minimizes noise pollution – A water feature can drown out outdoor noise and create a more peaceful environment.
These ponds can come in many shapes and sizes from a small fountain in a pot to a large dug out pond. A quality small pond can be built with a flower pot (no holes!) and a small solar fountain! There are many guides to building ponds of all sizes available on the internet.
The pond in our garden uses a 50 gallon stock tank and a couple of solar fountains. We also used some rocks to help build in some hides for any critters that made it a home and also to provide an easy escape in case anyone falls in. It is important to have a way for wildlife to exit the pond as sometimes the side can get slippery.
We also got some wildlife cameras to see who is using the pond and they did not disappoint!
So far, we have captured many birds getting a drink and bathing! Here is a list of all the animals we have seen in the garden:
- American Pipits
- Cassin’s King Birds
- American Crows
- Common Ravens
- House Finches
- Mountain Bluebirds
- Scrub Jays
- European Starlings
- Turkey Vultures
- Yellow-Rumped Warblers
- Roadrunners
- Mourning Doves
- Squirrels
- Rabbits
- Coyotes
- Tree Frogs
- Domestic Cat
Stop by the demonstration garden to check out our pond or pop on into the office to ask questions about building your own!
Welcome to the Team
Hello, my name is Keith Bowman.
I started on February 8th as the Pala Environmental Department’s new Environmental Technician. As a new employee, I wanted to take some time to introduce myself. I have been an artist for many years, drawing, painting and working professionally as a tattoo artist. While I have enjoyed the many dynamics of my occupation, I have also taken an enthusiastic interest in gardening. I appreciate all the stages in the life cycle of plants. I get excited when the seeds break soil and stretch for the sun or when the plants bear fruit ripe for picking as any other gardener would be. However, I also enjoy letting some go to seed and collecting for future generations while knowing the potential each holds. Lastly, I see the importance of composting spent plants that have completed their cycle and knowing what gifts they’ve provided are not yet over simply because the plant has withered. The rich compost they will produce will support the seeds collected as the next generation breaks soil for the sun, starting a new cycle that nourishes us and the livestock that, in turn, feeds us as well.
My responsibilities so far include helping the EcoLife team on the build of the hoop house/aquaponics system, weeding pathways in the garden area and around fruit trees, planting new plants and trees, drawing mural designs for the children’s garden, designing stickers for the upcoming Intertribal Earth Day, and creating plant labels and placard designs including English/Cupeño names for native plants. Moving forward, I will be learning to manage the aquaponics system (working with tilapia (fish) and growing greens to be used in the kitchen), developing a calendar around native plants and their uses as material or dyes for basket weaving, painting murals in the garden, and working on a greenhouse build for starting vegetables and native plants from seed.
I am thrilled to be part of the work here at Pala and grateful for the acceptance and guidance of all the staff. I look forward to learning more and having an opportunity to make a difference. You can reach me by email at kbowman@palatribe.com.
Planet Pala
Welcome to Planet Pala. This is the place to learn how you can help the Pala Environmental Department protect Mother Earth. Come to Planet Pala to learn about Pala’s plants and animals, discover how to do your fun activities like building a DIY bee habitat or planting a pollinator garden, and get tips on healthy, green living.
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Pala Environmental Department
For more information, contact the Pala Environment Department:
760-891-3510 | ped@palatribe.com | ped.palatribe.com