FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  September 08, 2016

Media Contact

Kara Murphy

Marketing Coordinator

619-258-4911 ext. 114

sunbeltbook@sunbeltpub.com

CELEBRATE THE OUTDOOR BEAUTY OF SAN DIEGO COUNTY WITH ADVENTURE 16

Public release of Coast to Cactus trail and field guide spans two nights and two locations at Adventure 16

SAN DIEGO, CA—In a stunning display of community partnership, Adventure 16 Outfitters will host the celebration and public presentation of a new hiking and field guide published by Sunbelt Publications, authored by volunteers for the San Diego Natural History Museum, and developed through weekly “Roam-O-Rama” columns in the San Diego Reader. 

Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Trail Guide to San Diego Outdoors is the latest release from El Cajon-based publisher Sunbelt Publications and is written by a group of Natural History Museum volunteers—highly trained citizen science trail guides—known as the Canyoneers.

The public presentations at Adventure 16—recently rated one of the 25 best outdoor stores in America—will include an overview of the book’s features and highlights with Managing Editor and Sunbelt Publications President, Diana Lindsay, Q&A’s with Canyoneers, and raffles sponsored by the publisher and the San Diego Natural History Museum.  Both events kick off with a meet-and-greet reception at 6:30 pm.

The programs at Adventure 16 come right on the heels of the opening weekend of the Canyoneer hiking season, which kicks off with a guided hike at Marian R. Bear Memorial Park on Saturday, September 17 at 8:30 am and another at Cleveland National Forest (Woodland Hill Extended) on Sunday, September 18 at 9:00 am.   On these public walks, Canyoneers encourage participants to look at the surroundings to see what makes it special—to stop, look, listen, touch, smell, and examine—to understand the interactions in nature.  This is the same message readers will find in Coast to Cactus.  The book was written to serve as a “virtual Canyoneer,” inviting readers to enjoy an experience akin to a Canyoneer-led foray into nature.

Event details are available at www.adventure16.com and www.sunbeltpublications.com. For more information on public walks with the Canyoneers, visit http://sdnhm.org/.

Sunbelt Publications publishes and distributes books that fulfill its mission to celebrate the land and its people through natural science, outdoor guides, cultural histories, and regional references that encourage readers to conserve the wonders of our southwest deserts, California, and Baja California.

Source: San Diego Union Tribune, August 22, 2016

by Fred Dickey

Phil Pryde knows more about where you live than you do. No, not your street name or how far to the Vons store. However, the ground under your house, the water running through your faucets and the air above you are all things that he thinks about and knows about.

Pryde, 78, lives in San Carlos and is the author of “San Diego: An Introduction to the Region.” The book’s five updated editions have for years been easy reading for learning about this area.

He is currently on the board of the San Diego River Park Foundation and the Anza-Borrego Foundation. In past years, he served on the county planning commission and the county water authority.

Pryde is self-described as an ardent bird lover. Which means if you ever have to pick a bird lover out of a lineup, choose the one who is gentle of manner, deep of intellect and passionate of beliefs. Him.

For all that, my purpose is not to quiz Pryde about where to view the California gnatcatcher, one of his favorites. I’m after bigger game, so to speak.

Pryde is a professor emeritus of geography at San Diego State University, the author of many academic papers that neither of us has any intention of reading. But when he speaks of the big-picture environment, it is wise to listen. In this case, I ask him about climate change.

(A travel advisory: If you’re a climate change denier, I ask you to lean back and relax on your trip through this story. Pryde is not from the United Nations or the New World Order. He’s a mellow guy who has learned some things he wants to share. You can take comfort that he doesn’t claim all the answers. As a low-grade (of the C+ variety) science dullard, even I shall swim upstream and try to learn something.) On climate change, Pryde draws a distinction among what is known, not known and maybe known. The inclusion of “maybe” should allow some doubting readers to exhale.

But to Pryde, the big ponderable on climate change is not maybe, but how fast. “Nobody really knows for sure, because we don’t know what the rate of acceleration is going to be,” he says.

What would not surprise you, Phil? “I don’t know, because we don’t have enough facts. Right now, it’s educated guesswork. That, of course, invites other people to say we don’t know, or we’re exaggerating, or even that it will never happen.

“There’s even disagreement over whether it’s human caused. But I don’t see how anybody can objectively look at the facts and say it’s not caused by humans, particularly theburning of fossil fuels. “People would like scientists to say that 25 years, six months and four days from now the ocean is going to collapse. Big headline. Obviously, they can’t say that. All they can say is they don’t know exactly, but they know where it’s headed.”

Ocean-side San Diegans have a vital interest in knowing the effects of climate change because of where we live, which we tell everyone— no doubt irritatingly—is the most gloriousspot on the planet.The change, as it happens,will be uncomfortable.

Literally.

“Even if global temperature increases by five degrees, we’re going to sweat a lot more, we’re going to wear shorts a lot more, but we’ll survive that. We can always make more air-conditioners. Even most wildlife will adjust, but certainly not all.”

The seabird brown booby used to be found south of Ensenada, but increasingly is seen along the San Diego coast. The reason is that the water is now warmer here. Other birds are behaving similarly.

The big problem will be beyond the shore, Pryde tells us. Climate change is affecting oceans in several ways. One is the melting of the ice caps. As ice, they reflect the sunlight back. They’re white. But when the ice caps melt, they’re replaced by the dark ocean, and dark absorbs more heat, which then melts ice faster, which makes it warmer, and so it goes.

Pryde says, “Here’s another thing about warmer water: It expands a little as it warms. The oceans are actually getting bigger just by getting warmer. Only scientists think about that.”

He says ocean levels have risen thus far only slightly, a few inches, but the trend is definitely upward. And someday if it increases much more, the change will hit us where we live. Or, to be alarmist about it, where we used to live.

“As it gets higher, that’s going to send saltwater much farther inland. What’s that going to do? Well, lots of things. It’s going to salinize your wells. It’s going to salinize your groundwater. San Diego River will become more saline. It’s going to affect birds. It’s going to affect everything.”

As carbon dioxide levels in the air increase, it will mix with ocean water and increase the acidity of the sea, he says.

“Scientists are really worried about some things becoming extinct because of acidity, particularly small organisms at the bottom of the food chain.”

Ocean dwellers are similar to rich people: Diminished resources make them unhappy.

Pryde says the rise of ocean temperatures is going to affect things far more than rising air temperatures, particularly in the oceanic food chain. We have plenty of evidence already that wildlife is struggling to adjust to changes in the ocean. Seals, for onething, will be forced elsewhere in search of the colder water their prey requires.

A key to the survival of ocean wildlife is the fate of the tiny (not lowly) krill, a crustacean that’s sort of the popcorn of the oceans, enjoyed by almost all. Krill flourishes worldwide, especially in cold waters, and no one knows what even a slight temperature rise will do to the species. To take chances with krill would be like us taking chances with corn.

“If the krill go, the oceans go,” Pryde warns.

He says there’s a form of ice other than bergs that could have a nasty surprise for us.

“We do know that the polar ice cap is melting, but something is happening that is a far worse threat— methane.

“Methane is much more potent of a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide,” he says.

Pryde knows methane because of extensive on-site studies that resulted in three books he wrote on the environmentof the Soviet Union before the fallof that government.

He says methane is trapped beneath the permafrost, especially in eastern Siberia. In the past, the top layer would melt in summer about 2 or 3 feet at the most. Thus, the methane to that depth has already been released. However, below that, it remains trapped by the frozen permafrost.

“Long story short,” Pryde says, “with global climate change and as Siberia gets warmer, the permafrost isgoing to melt deeper. That’s where a huge amount of methane is (trapped). The amount of methane that could come out of there would make us forget about carbon dioxide. Methane is basically poisonous. You make methanol out of it.”

Pryde says methane will go into the atmosphere and be distributed around the earth by air circulation. It’s a greenhouse gas, which means it doesn’t go into outer space. Methane will form a blanket and block the escape of heat far more than CO2.

■

Phil Pryde is a concerned preservationist, but not an alarmist. He sees the problems of our environment but is pretty upbeat about the future, so long as that future is hospitable to his beloved California gnatcatcher.

How did climate change become so damned political? Agree or disagree, it’s science that should be dispassionately sorted out.

Since we first wondered how a bug could fly or a bird could sing, scientific inquiry has required that we explore without fear, then question our findings and argue about them. But when we start to make a political or religious fight over those findings, someone ends up being exiled to Siberia.

At least that destination might be warmer now.

Video Report By Ashley Jacobs, Reporter

http://www.cbs8.com/Clip/12650613/6am-fitness-friday-the-canyoneer-trail-guide-to-san-diego#.V6tZiDwk6BM.facebook

Have you heard of the Canyoneers? They’re naturalists trained by the San Diego Natural History Museum.

TheNAT Offers New San Diego Hiking Guide

Aired 8/2/16 on KPBS Midday Edition.

TheNAT Offers New San Diego Hiking Guide

GUEST:

Diana Lindsay, publisher/editor, “Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Trail Guide to San Diego Outdoors”

Transcript

The San Diego Natural History Museum last year opened the permanent exhibit “Coast to Cactus in Southern California,” which celebrates the region’s incredible range of habitat, climate and biodiversity.

Now, theNAT has gone one step farther — literally.

In September, the museum will release a new hiking guide to areas represented in the exhibit.

“Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Trail Guide to San Diego Outdoors” offers more than 250 trails, maps, photographs and descriptions of habitats and species San Diegans may encounter on hikes. Proceeds will benefit the museum.

“This book has been more than a decade in the making — you could say it took the scenic route — and is now finally coming to fruition,” museum board member Diana Lindsay said in a statement.

“It has been a labor of love for many of the volunteers who contributed content and helped to fund the publication of the book. It allows each reader the opportunity to go on a hike with a virtual Canyoneer that will give them a 360 degree view of the flora, fauna, geology and cultural and historical aspects found along their path,” she said.

Lindsay, who edited and published the book, told KPBS Midday Edition on Thursday that the guide includes popular and lesser-known areas, like the Manchester Preserve in Encinitas. She also offered some tips for hikers.

SUNBELT PUBLICATIONS

The book jacket cover of “Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Trail Guide to San Diego Outdoors.”

“Of course, you want to be very sensitive to cultural areas so where there maybe cultural pictographs or rock art, you want to make sure that you actually don’t touch those,” Lindsay said. “Your oils in your hand can actually ruin pictographs. If you find, for instance, a shard that belonged to the Indians that lived here in the past, you may want to look at it but put it back in the same location. It’s extremely important to scientists and archaeologist who come later to study these areas.”

Lindsay added, “You want to have a deep respect for the nature that you’re actually seeing. Same with the animals, you don’t want to capture them or harm them in anyway. You want to learn about them, learn about the connection that you have with nature.”

June 15, 2016 – San Diego, CA – This month PubWest, an esteemed trade association of small- and medium-sized businesses in the field of book design, announced their annual PubWest Book Design Award winners, including a gold medal for Sunbelt Publications’ Old Magic: Lives of the Desert Shamans, authored by Nicholas Clapp and designed by Lydia D’moch with production management by Deborah Young, in the category of Historical or Biographical Book.

Announced June 8, 2016 the PubWest Design Awards winners were judged on typography, jacket and cover design, interior design, format, selection of materials used, and printing and binding production quality. Medals were awarded in twenty-two categories.

Old Magic draws on the lore of a dozen western Native American tribes to conjure the year-to-year lives of the desert shamans—the men who sought order in the stars and in the grand, if unforgiving landscape.  The men who doctored the stricken and conjured rains, sometimes taking leave of reality, riding whirlwinds and soaring in magical flight.

The book is rich in voice, story, and appreciation for native tradition. Every image is captivating; the design choices by Lydia D’moch and production expertise of Deborah Young make flipping through the pages a rewarding visual and tactile experience.  As PubWest president, Zoe Katherine Burke put it in a June 8 press release, “Through appropriate binding and paper choices, graceful layout, and elegant, appropriate typography, words and images impact the reader in subtle but significant ways. Reading becomes pleasurable to the eye as well as the mind; photographs and artworks become places for sustained reflection.”

Needless to say, this special announcement stirred up excitement for all those involved in the book’s production.  “All of us who worked on Old Magic are honored by the award — with a special thanks to Lydia D’Moch for bringing alive the look and world of the shamans of our far western deserts,” said author Nicholas Clapp.

Publications manager, Deborah Young added, “I am very honored to have worked on this project with such a talented author and book designer. It was a pleasure selecting the best materials for this project, and acting as Nick’s “traffic cop” throughout the production process.”

Check out this wonderful article from Sierra Sun about author Nicholas Clapp’s upcoming tour in the Reno/Tahoe area: Sierra Sun.

Thanks to Desert Protective Council for adding information on Mark Jorgensen’s award-winning Desert Bighorn Sheep.  This article by Janene Colby captivates from beginning to end and gives a first-person glimpse into the life of a fish and wildlife biologist including the joys of observation and the concerns about anthropogenic threats.

It begins, “On a brilliantly clear February morning, I sit quietly on the saddle of a ridgeline looking through my spotting scope at a group of bighorn sheep bedded on the opposite slope. So far I’ve counted 6 ewes (females) and a couple of lambs napping near their moms. Fortunately, I’m far enough away that my presence has not caused them to get up and move away. This group does not know it has a “Judas ewe” among them, allowing me to find them in this remote corner of the desert. Ewe 292 sports a collar that emits a radio signal I have tracked to this location using a hand-held receiver and directional antenna…”

Read the full article here: DPCInc.org.

April 13, 2016 – San Diego, CA – Continuing its tradition of producing quality works on the natural and cultural histories of the southwest deserts, Sunbelt Publications is pleased to share several new accolades with author and retired Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Superintendent Mark C. Jorgensen, photographer Jeff Young, and designer Kathleen Wise. Two of the most reputable agency awards in the independent publishing community, Independent Book Publishers Association’s Benjamin Franklin Awards, and Jenkins Group’s Independent Publisher (IPPY) Book Awards have recognized the immensely popular Desert Bighorn Sheep: Wilderness Icon with gold medal awards for cover design. Additionally, the book was awarded a Benjamin Franklin silver medal in the category of nature and environment and an IPPY silver for best regional nonfiction.

Diana Lindsay, president of Sunbelt Publications, was thrilled to hear about the multiple awards and said, “It is an achievement on several levels that recognizes the outstanding photography of Jeff Young, the design skills of Kathleen Wise, and the dedication and expertise of Mark Jorgensen who is a resounding spokesman for the desert bighorn sheep.”

Mark Jorgensen has spent a lifetime studying and tracking desert bighorns throughout their range. Following his 36-year career in California State Parks, he continues to be a leading authority on bighorn sheep and is currently on the technical staff of the Desert Bighorn Council and is an advisor to the Bighorn Institute. In his efforts to protect this iconic species, Jorgensen frequently advocates on their behalf through public presentations and media outlets, the book serving as an invaluable tool in this endeavor, as Desert Bighorn Sheep: Wilderness Icon is the most comprehensive photographic work ever published on this iconic symbol of the deserts of the southwest US and northern Mexico.

Jorgensen says of the awards, “What an honor simply to be considered in such esteemed award programs and what a thrill to win gold medals for cover design in both the Independent Publishers and the Benjamin Franklin Awards.  [Jeff Young and I] are also very honored with the silver medals. We have gratitude to the organizations, the judges, Sunbelt Publications and its staff, as well as our fellow authors and photographers who were among the superb field of competition.”

To request an interview or speaking engagement with the author, or to propose a book review, please contact Sunbelt Publications marketing coordinator, Kara Murphy.

May 4, 2016 – San Diego – Travel through time and the Devil’s Gate with the new book from acclaimed author and filmmaker Nicholas Clapp. Virginia City: To Dance with the Devil was published by Sunbelt Publications in January of this year and continues to gain recognition as the ever-popular speaker, Nicholas Clapp, visits audiences across the state, inviting readers to share the origins of infamy in the beloved weekend destination of Virginia City.

Virginia City: To Dance with the Devil is an amazing account of the history of Virginia City, told through colorful stories, amusing anecdotes, and over 300 images. It recollects a penniless Irish miner, who in a few short years amassed a fortune greater than any of America’s robber barons, simply by dint of hard work and intuition. It depicts to-be-famous writer Mark Twain discovering and honing his comic voice, and notorious “badman” Sam Brown lined with lead, with a coroner’s jury concluding, “It served him right.” It remembers the Virginia City mines, where men plunged into the scalding, hazardous heart of the earth, tantamount to partnering with hell’s dread demon, so that they could enjoy five Shakespeare companies performing at once, food rivaling Delmonico’s in New York, and frocks ordered directly from Paris to be worn in the barren, windswept, middle of nowhere. The twenty turbulent Bonanza years of Virginia City are celebrated in this book by a man renowned for his keen ability to conjure a vivid story from abstract history.

Documentary filmmaker and award-winning author Nicholas Clapp has explored, filmed, and written about deserts throughout the world. In Arabia, he led an expedition that discovered and unearthed the lost city of Ubar, celebrated in both The Bible and Arabian Nights. Closer to home, he has written about and roamed the deserts of the American West, with particular interest in the history of mining camps. His grandfather Daniel was a miner and when Clapp was 12, he tagged along on a shift working at the 800-foot level in the same mine where his grandfather later died in an underground accident. His great uncle George was the proprietor of a minstrel show touring mining camps, and Hannah Clapp was an 1850s Nevada schoolmarm. It was only natural then, that Clapp, along with his wife Bonnie, was drawn to Virginia City and a quest to recount and graphically illustrate the day-in, day-out story—and excitement—of a ramshackle desert settlement destined in its boom years to become the richest place on earth.

The month of May will see Clapp presenting in various Nevada locations, including:

For further event details, visit www.SunbeltPublications.com/events.  To arrange for a book review, event announcement, or author interview, please contact Sunbelt Publication’s Kara Murphy.