A New Challenge For Native Del Mar & A New Plan For Fall

This year, Native Del Mar faced an unexpected challenge when the City turned off the water supply we had been using to care for the native plants at our restoration site. We were not notified beforehand, and without a reliable water source, we had to put additional planting on hold.

Rather than give up on the project, we brought our concerns directly to the City. I attended two Del Mar City Council meetings to explain how the loss of water was affecting the restoration area and to advocate for a solution.

Although the City has decided not to restore the water connection, we are excited to continue our work in a different way. Once the weather cools this fall, we plan to add more California native plants to the site and water them ourselves while they become established.

Even during this setback, I have continued raising money for Native Del Mar by selling my hand-designed notecards. They are still available locally at Roxo Salon and the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, and the proceeds help support our restoration work.

Native Del Mar has always been about more than planting. It is about taking responsibility for the open spaces in our community, learning how to advocate for them, and finding a way forward when challenges come up.

We’re looking forward to getting our hands back in the dirt this fall and continuing to bring native plants and wildlife back to the Del Mar bluffs.

Kyla Chinowsky
Native Del Mar