Threats to Rancho Guejito dominated San Diego conservation news, and EHL was frequently quoted in the press. Progress in the Colton dunes was also reported.



The January 13, 2007 edition of the San Diego Union Tribune (“Escondido caught off guard by request to annex Rancho Guejito”) covered the proposal by Rancho Guejito’s new owners to annex to facilitate development. EHL Executive Director Dan Silver was quoted, saying, “Rancho Guejito must be preserved. It's shocking. This proposal is an outrage from a planning standpoint, a cultural standpoint, a biological standpoint and from an historical standpoint.”

On the same day, the North County Times covered the story (“Rancho Guejito owners exploring Escondido annexation”). According to Silver, "It's preposterous. It's off the scale. It's utterly wrong,"

On January 21, 2007, the North County Times published on op-ed by Silver titled, “Rancho Guejito: For region's future, preserve its past.” Using eloquent quotes from the widow of the immediate past owner calling for preservation (“How would a young person know what California once looked like, if all you see is houses and more houses?”), the essay ended with the sentiment that “sometimes we must measure our wealth by what we can afford to leave untouched.”  Click here to read more.

A letter to the editor from EHL (San Diego Union Tribune, March 2, 2007) praised as “on target” an op-ed written by County Supervisor Bill Horn about Rancho Guejito. The op-ed chronicled how many prominent San Diego families have left a legacy through land sales for conservation.

On April 14, 2007 ("Groups plea to preserve ranch land"), the San Diego Union Tribune covered the release by 26 organizations of a letter to San Diego elected officials calling for the preservation of Rancho Guejito. Silver was quoted explaining the purpose of the letter: "This is really an outreach to elected officials to say we need you as a partner to create this legacy.”

The North County Times reported on the letter, as well ("Groups plea for ranch's preservation," April 17, 2007): "I can't think of a time when such a coalition stepped in so early and so strongly," Silver said. He gave credit to the Rodney Co. and the Coates family for recognizing the historic and natural value of the property."They've been good stewards . . . But the development they've proposed is incompatible with that stewardship."

In other news, on January 21, 2007, the Associate Press reported on promising efforts, in which EHL has been a participant, to create a biologically sound reserve for the endangered Delhi Sands Flower-loving fly in Colton, in San Bernardino County. According to EHL’s Silver, “ . . . there is hope we'll finally find a good solution to a problem that has been intractable for many years.”