Monday, January 13th, 2019, 6:00 PM • Congregation Beth Israel
Mark Berninger, the City of San Diego’s Parks and Recreation Department Natural Resource Manager presents important details about San Diego city preserves, including the rare plant monitoring program, the individual species monitored and why it is vitally important. We will learn about Vernal Pools including how a new Vernal Pool Habitat Conservation plan has been implemented, what species it covers, and the importance of the pools to local ecology
He and his team of biologists manage over 28,000 acres of Open Space, and dedicated nature preserves across the city including Mission Trails, Los Peñasquitos, and Otay Valley among others. Mark and the natural resource management team monitor over 90 separate endangered plant populations, and over 950 federally protected vernal pool wetlands.
Prior to working at the City, Mark worked in the private sector for 16 years as a wetland ecologist/restoration biologist for environmental consulting firms. He also spent his early biological career as a contracted aquatic biologist collecting field samples and data for the USEPA’s Office of Research and Development. His work in the private sector brought him to over 27 different states, four foreign countries, and over 2,000 streams and rivers across the United States.
When Mark isn’t working you can most likely find him outside. He and his wife are avid travelers and outdoor adventurers who love to hike, paddle, fish and swim with their two crazy dogs at the beach. The rest of the time he volunteers as the safety director for Heroes on The Water, a recreational therapy program that utilizes kayak fishing to help wounded veterans and first responders.
