As a relatively recent transplant, I am delighted to live in a city that is as beautiful as San Diego and one that hosts first-rate amenities. When we list the world-class music venues, performing arts, food and other great benefits of living in our corner of paradise, we also need to recognize that we also live with world-class nature.
San Diego County has the highest biological diversity of any county in the contiguous U.S. It sits squarely in one of the world’s 36 global biodiversity hotspots, along with the Amazonian and Indonesian rainforests, Indonesia, West Africa, the Himalayas and others. Hotspots are recognized because of the diversity of species they harbor — many of which live nowhere else — and because they are at risk, having lost much of nature’s original living space.
The development that made San Diego the major city that it is today also cleared much of our unique nature from the built environment. Add threats from pollution, invasive species that outcompete native species and climate change, and our remaining natural areas are in great peril.
There are many reasons to want nature in and around our neighborhoods and throughout our region. It provides ecological services and an economic benefit. Time in nature contributes to our personal health and well-being. And let’s not forget nature thrived long before San Diego’s major waves of development.
Take our beloved canyons, for example. They have long provided sustenance, cultural and recreational importance. Special imaging shows canyons that are surrounded by development and housing, but still highly vegetated. These important spaces provide cooling zones that help combat the urban heat island effect. Vegetation also helps moderate air pollution by filtering particulates in the air. Plant roots help control water runoff, and cut down on silt that threatens our coasts.
Nature is also good for our mental and physical health. Time in nature reduces anxiety and enhances cognitive function. Studies are showing that people who live in greener urban areas have lower chances of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, among other physical and psychological issues. For children and youth, spending time outdoors and participating in environmental education programs have been shown to build critical thinking and leadership skills, and to improve student-peer connections and school attendance rates.
On the occasion of the San Diego Natural History Museum’s 150th anniversary, we recognize both the value of our remaining wild spaces and the crisis facing nature on both sides of the border. We rededicate our museum, our scientific expertise and our educational programs to help nature thrive.
The ecological record of our region that we preserve through our nearly 9 million specimens will help us understand the past and plan for the future. This irreplaceable treasure trove continues to be a source of scientific discovery, and it will be helpful in climate change mitigation and remediation. We are retooling our educational programming to provide more exposure to the wonders of nature. We plan to amplify the guided nature experiences our volunteers and teachers currently provide. We are engaging local residents in studying — and conserving — our urban canyons.
We also recognize that the problems facing our region are far greater than one organization can affect. We’ll be working in partnership with other organizations, lending our scientific expertise, our extensive community science network, and our voice. Our binational work will continue to provide support for scientists, environmentalists, and policy makers along and across the border.
There are many ways to support nature in our neighborhoods and across our region. Removing lawns and choosing native plants helps conserve water and support native pollinators and other wildlife. Joining the growing number of community scientists who snap photos of plants and animals helps augment the scientific record and monitor for invasive species. Supporting organizations like ours that are dedicated to nature ensures that important work can continue. Speaking out and voting for nature ensures that nature has a voice.
We value our scenery, our weather and the outdoor lifestyles they support. Let’s continue to welcome nature into our city and preserve the open spaces and pocket gardens that benefit the planet in addition to benefiting San Diegans.
Gradwohl is the Christy Walton president and CEO at San Diego Natural History Museum and lives in Mission Hills.