Fallbrook Land Conservancy
The mission of the Fallbrook Land Conservancy is to protect preserve open space and restore native habitat. The Fallbrook Land Conservancy (FLC) is a private, nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to preserving and enhancing the rural lifestyle and natural beauty of our community through land protection, tree planting, habitat restoration, and trail restoration. The FLC protects “2700 acres of open space including the 1200 acre Margarita Peak, 10 other preserves, and over 600 acres of conservation easements” (FLC). Additionally, the Conservancy has organized a Native Plant Restoration Team, a group of volunteers dedicated to restoring native wildlife and biomes across the preserves and the Save Our Forest group, a committee that maintains trails on the preserves. Together, the Save Our Forest group and Native Plant Restoration Teams have planted over 4,000 trees, completed restoration projects, and helped conserve ecosystems and animals all over Fallbrook. The FLC is an important conservancy and an exceptional example of how a small group of people can make a large impact on the environment.
Our Team
Throughout the "Changemakers" project, Bonnie May and I partnered with the FLC to redesign and implement kiosks along the hiking trails of the Los Jilgueros Preserve. They designed six posters for the trail, each explaining a different aspect of the conservancy. One was a large informational welcome sign with facts about the conservancy, hiking trails, and events. A few described the native plants and wildlife around the area. One was dedicated to explaining permaculture and how it is used on the preserve. Once all the posters were finished, they were professionally printed in large format onto foam core and installed into the kiosks with the help of the Native Plant Restoration Team.
Reflection
Changemakers was an amazing project that taught us the importance of community service, environmental conservation, and teamwork. We had the opportunity to meet many different people from all walks of life that came together with one common interest: care and concern for our earth. We learned about the history of the Fallbrook Land Conservancy, the importance of restoration, and the beauty of nature. Together, we were able to create six beautiful posters that represented the preserve and conservancy well. Through this process, we learned about the native plants and wildlife around Southern California as well as different farming techniques. In working with the Native Plant Restoration Team, we were able to build relationships and connections with people that we never would have met outside of the conservancy. Overall, we learned a great deal about environmental conservation and the value of working together, and we hope to maintain connections with the conservancy for years to come.