Volcan Mountain Annual Dinner Celebrates Accomplishments, Launches Challenges
By Bobbi Zane

Volcan Mountain offers a scenic view for hikers. Photos courtesy of volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation

Always the hottest ticket in town, this year's Volcan Mountain Preserve Foundation Dinner Dance celebrated the organization's nearly completed work of protecting more than 17,000 mountain acres from development.

During the May 6 event at Camp Stevens, the group also launched a challenge to the community to commit up to $1 million to support maintenance of the property now in public ownership.

What started as an effort by a group of concerned Julian residents, led by Peter and Vicki Bergstrom along with John Horton and James and Anne Hubbell to save the mountain's ridgeline and best views from development in 1988, has grown into protection for nearly the entire mountain.

"It's been quite an achievement," explained Rich Caputo, the recently appointed president of the foundation's working board of directors. "This local group, for the last 13 years headed up by Gregg Schuett, facilitated the transfer of 17,000 acres on Volcan Mountain from private development to public use. They did it by fundraising activities, grant writing and forging strategic partnerships."

Above, an aerial view of Volcan Mountain.

The annual dinner dance, typically bringing together about 200 Julian area residents and others who support local efforts to save Volcan Mountain, is the most visible local fundraising activity. It generates support through sponsorships, a silent auction and ticket sales.

Acquiring the last large parcel on the mountain is still in process. It involves a strategic partnership with the Nature Conservancy to purchase 1,649 acres from owner Phillip Rutherford.

According to Caputo, "this is the northwestern section where some subdivision of 55 separate parcels was started years ago. It holds some great views."

Completion of this final purchase will mark "the end of an era," Caputo says. Now the board, with new members Sharyl Massy, Jeff Holt, John Horton and Dr. Chris Elisara, is "getting serious" about how to manage the mountain "that dominates our lives in Julian."

Hikers enjoy the scenery on the mountain.

Land on Volcan saved from development has gone to four large land owners: San Diego County, which has opened a portion to the public; State of California; the Bureau of Land Management; and the Santa Ysabel tribe.

"The Volcan Foundation is interested in participating in a partnership to develop a protection plan," according to executive director Martha Baker. "We want to show people why we've spent 18 years trying to protect this mountain."

This is where the financial challenge comes in. The foundation continues to seek financial support from the community in two ways.

"We have received $570,000 in public grant funds that need to be matched," Baker explains. "We've been working with the San Diego Foundation, but we are asking others to help us leverage these funds."

The second challenge addressed at the dance was to start an endowment for long-term preservation, protection and restoration of the mountain. To this end, guests made $48,000 in initial pledges that night.

For information about how you can contribute to the preservation and protection of Volcan Mountain, call 760-765-2300. n