Environmentalists to be honored

CARLSBAD — The late Inez Yoder, a Carlsbad environmental visionary for more than 35 years, will be honored at 2 p.m. April 4 with the installation of a memorial bench overlooking Batiquitos Lagoon in La Costa. The bench is being funded by the Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation, the Carlsbad Watershed Network and a large community of friends.
As an early director on the BLF board, Yoder made it easier for many community activities attempting to save open space in Carlsbad. She served as a valuable resource in North County, reading proposals, writing California Environmental Quality Act comments and testifying at city and state hearings in support of the natural environment. Her work made an impact reducing density in many cases and in expanding preserved areas.
Besides BLF work, Yoder was inf luential in the Carlsbad Watershed Net work, a cooperative association of area environmentalists. Yoder founded the effort to downsize development in Green Valley and was a co-founder of the Box Canyon Network which also lessened the impact of development.
The Yoder bench will be situated in the newly acquired Mitsuuchi property near El Camino Real with panoramic views of the ocean and lagoon and intact native species. To reach the dedication site take Aviara Parkway to Mimosa. Go south on Mimosa and turn left on Sanderline. The entrance to the lagoon is on Sanderline near the corner of Hummingbird. A trail is visible under the high wires. Walk one-half block to the site.