At our May 25 town hall meeting we introduced our neighbors to San Diego Canyonlands and to the work they do in restoring and preserving the canyons that are the topology of San Diego.

Our landscape is dominated by large canyons such as Navajo Canyon, the southern hillside of Mission Valley and other canyon remnants, and the innumerable finger canyons that intersect and entwine our neighborhoods. Many have been disturbed by housing and retail development with significant modification of soils and ecological conditions. Even those left alone have been infiltrated by foreign plant life, exotics that steal essential water and nutrients. These conditions threaten the vital role our canyons play in the health and prosperity of our native flora and fauna and in the wellbeing of our communities.

A quick visit to the San Diego Canyonlands website (sdcanyonlands.org) will give you a better idea of the mission, goals and objectives of this important organization, and will give some ideas of what we can do in our own canyon.

This town hall meeting was designed to be the next step in the progress of The Friends of Navajo Canyon, the organization by which we can bring this important work to our own back yard. That work will include education by way of interpretive hikes through the canyon, expeditions to remove exotics, restoration of native plants, and clearing the canyon of trash. San Diego Canyonlands and The Friends will schedule these activities and will keep you informed by way of this article and emails to our contact lists. Check our website for up to date information at aggccouncil.org/friendsofnavajocanyon.

That is the long slow curve, and now the fast break. We need you. It cannot be done without you. Begin this journey with us by signing on to our mailing list as indicated below. We are pretty sure that once you make that first trip into the canyon with us you will be back for the next one.

Our July 27 town hall meeting will focus on the 500 Trees in Allied Gardens East Project. These trees, part of the SDG&E tree planting program, will bring great value to our community, shading our streets, cooling the air, providing oxygen, and enhancing the character of Allied Gardens.

In mid or late summer, representatives from Davey Resource Group will go door to door, obtaining permission from property owners, and signing people up with planting to begin in the fall. We will have more on this important project in the July 2021 Mission Times Courier.

Our Sept. 28 town hall meeting will be directed to the new compostable materials recycling program that will be initiated in the near future. We are working on the presentation at this time and will have more information for you soon.

Use the “Contact Us” page at aggccouncil.org to get on our email contact list, to receive notices of the activities of our community council and the Navajo Community Planning Group, Inc., and to let us know how we can help you support our neighborhood. Our next board meeting will be on Monday, July 5 at 6:30 p.m. by Zoom. The public is encouraged to attend.

— Shain Haug, Allied Gardens-Grantville Community Council president