Alter Terra’s projects focus on the preservation and protection of the Tijuana River Estuary by preventing the flows of sediment and solid wastes that originate in the higher-elevated regions of Tijuana, Mexico. Their projects are concentrated in a particular canyon community called Los Laureles. The hydrology and topography of this canyon cause trash and sediment to drain directly into nationally protected wetlands during coastal storm events. Because its location calls on two different nations for its care and preservation of its diverse wildlife and plants, the Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve was named “a wetland of international importance” by the United Nations Ramsar Convention in 2005. The wetland and saltwater marshes are in dire need of protection for birds that come to rest during migratory seasons and animals that use the marshes as habitats and nests. Protection of this particular estuary is critical as it represents one of the last remaining estuaries in California; all but five percent of California estuaries have been lost to development. Alter Terra projects consist of many small concentrated efforts that contribute to their overall goal of watershed preservation. These smaller tasks include tracking flows of trash from the canyon, tracking sediment flows from the canyon, and working with the canyon residents to create a sustainable community.

In the trash tracking sector, illegal dumpsites are identified and classified and used as launch sites for tracking devices that will serve to provide evidence of trans-border waste flows into protected United States estuaries. For sediment flow tracking, probes encased in compact casings are buried under the sediment and monitored using antennae at weather stations to see how much sediment is lost during coastal storms. Sustainable development in Los Laureles Canyon is taught to the community through the use of recyclable materials and native plants. Waste tires and pervious pavers are used to create retaining walls for water storage and native vegetation to flourish. Another task is the restoration of canyon slopes: by teaching the community about native plants and how to plant them, Alter Terra is promoting soil regeneration and revegetation in the canyon.

Goals

• To create a community science center and field station in the Los Laureles Canyon in an effort to educate local residents on environmental science issues and sustainable development practices empowering them to build and maintain their own sustainable neighborhoods
• To create a more sustainable and green infrastructure using recycled materials and sustainable urban planning practices
• To establish and maintain international partnerships that promote sustainable development and environmental protection
• To reduce trash and sediment flows to promote watershed health and estuary preservation

Actions

• Teaching local residents how to collect weather data and sediment samples, educating them about solid waste flows and storm dangers, and empowering canyon residents by providing sustainable development tools that inspire community involvement
• Tracking trans-border waste flows from geographically higher elevations of the Tijuana River Valley into the lower elevations of the estuary in San Diego County.
• Tracking sediment loss and developing erosion control systems that promote native plant growth
• Building sediment basins in Tijuana canyons to prevent further sediment and waste flows from encroaching upon U.S. salt marshes in an effort to prevent desalination and maintain freshwater basins
• Recycling trash as building materials (i.e. waste tire retaining walls; glass and plastic bottles for wall construction)

Solutions

No Solutions have been added to this Challenge.

Opportunities

No Opportunities have been added to this Challenge.

Through research and preservation of the canyon, Los Laureles will become an important and replicable model for making recommendations for the modification of city ordinances that will promote the development and maintenance of sustainable communities. Improvements made in the watershed’s border region will also serve to clean the canyon, thereby providing safer drinking water to both sides of the border. Ultimately, a sustainable science center needs to be built in the canyon in order to educate local residents on the dangers of storms and pollution, to serve as a monitoring and communication center to promote open international partnerships to protect the estuary, and to set an example of sustainable building practices for the community to maintain and improve upon and be duplicated throughout the Tijuana River Watershed.