Groundwork San Diego-Chollas Creek

The Chollas Creek Climate Resilient Mini-Park Project

Groundwork San Diego is using funding from the Climate Preparedness and Land Restoration Grant to transform a parking lot adjacent to the Chollas Creek into a public green space with bioswales and native landscaping in one of San Diego’s most park-poor neighborhoods. This new public space will be created with infrastructure to provide shade in an urban heat island and reduce flooding in a flood-prone area of the Creek. Stormwater capture features will also improve water quality by filtering water through vegetation and soil before it reaches the adjacent Chollas Creek. The park will additionally provide a trailhead for a future trail that will connect the Eastern Area and City Heights Neighborhoods with the San Diego Bay.

Teaching Science and Technology at the EarthLab UCSD Community Station

In partnership with the local school district, Groundwork San Diego-Chollas Creek turned a four-acre open space parcel into a dynamic outdoor learning lab for Chollas Creek students. At the EarthLab, students engage in state-of-the-art science and technology education while making valuable contributions to the improvement of their watershed. The EarthLab serves as a hub for information sharing with nearby schools, neighborhoods and civic groups through student community service, touching the lives of over 3,000 community members annually.

The EarthLab also operates as a University of California Community Station, a place-based effort that links community organizations and university groups to meet commonly defined goals.

Working with communities to restore Chollas Creek

Located in the Pueblo Watershed, Chollas Creek was a significant settlement for Native Americans, and has a rich geological history and diverse wildlife. It is home to diverse and important species of plants and animals. Chollas Creek communities are working together with Groundwork San Diego-Chollas Creek and the City of San Diego to restore Chollas Creek to its natural state, bringing untold recreational, educational, and economic benefits.