The Solana Beach Eco Rotary Club turned an ordinary Saturday into something extraordinary during our Epic Day of Service at San Dieguito County Park — a place that’s quickly becoming a living classroom for environmental stewardship.
Our beloved SMRT (Stormwater Makes Retained Treasure) Garden greeted us with a surprise: in just two months, the young native plants had exploded with life. Mild spring weather and nutrient rich soil worked their magic, transforming the space into a buzzing, blooming ecosystem. Bees hovered from flower to flower, butterflies drifted lazily through the air, lizards darted between the plants, and tucked deep inside a leafy shrub, we discovered a perfect little nest holding three bright blue eggs — a reminder of just how quickly nature responds when given the chance.
Volunteers rolled up their sleeves to tackle the fast growing weeds that were threatening to crowd out the new plantings. This garden, built last fall with carefully designed bioswales, is already doing exactly what it was meant to do: capturing polluted stormwater from the street and parking lot, filtering it naturally, and returning clean water to the groundwater. Soon, the young trees will stretch their branches wide enough to shade the pavement and cool the surrounding area — a small but powerful climate win.
A huge thank you goes to our dedicated park rangers and the incredible volunteers — Amelie, Jenny, Dick, Lynn, Steve, Mark, Niels, Chuck, Cheryl, and Jay — who spent hours nurturing this space with heart and determination.
We were also energized by the presence of several teen volunteers who arrived with curiosity, enthusiasm, and a genuine interest in how SMRT Gardens work. Their excitement couldn’t have come at a better time: SBECO recently received a new grant from Project Clean Water to build additional SMRT Gardens in the coming year. Seeing young people eager to be part of that future was one of the day’s most inspiring moments.
By the time we packed up, the garden looked refreshed, the volunteers were smiling, and the park felt just a little more alive. It was a day filled with purpose, beauty, and the unmistakable joy of working together to heal the environment — one garden at a time.