Joel Kramer

Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County

The mission of the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County is to protect, conserve, and restore natural resources through education, information, and technical assistance programs. As stewards of the regional environment, we partner with a diverse group of landowners, public and private institutions, and concerned citizens to address the diverse conservation and environmental concerns that are unique to San Diego County. The RCD's programs and priorities help to restore and protect San Diego County watersheds, prevent wildfire damage through education and fuel reduction, promote nutrition and stewardship through sustainable agriculture and soil health, and revitalize pollinator habitats. Resource Conservation Districts are independent, non-regulatory Special Districts, organized under Division 9 of the CA Public Resources Code. Founded on principles of grass-roots, locally-led governance, RCDs are leaders in on-the-ground conservation efforts, connecting people with programs and resources necessary to conserve and manage natural resources. Through funding primarily from local, state, and federal grants and donations, we create programs and services that address the unique conservation challenges that face San Diego County. The RCD's boundaries encompass a service area of approximately 2,886 square miles or 1,847,300 acres. The District's northern boundary extends into the Bonsal community, the southern boundary extends to the United States-Mexico border, the western boundary extends to the Pacific Ocean and the eastern boundary extends to the Imperial County line. The highly varied topography of this service area consists of more than thirty types of vegetative communities and encompasses mountains, deserts, forest, and coastal resources, including ten varied and distinct watersheds with streams, rivers, sloughs, lakes, beaches, and bays, as well as urban, agricultural, and suburban areas.