ENCINITAS — Olivenhain Municipal Water District and the Escondido Creek Conservancy invite amateur photographers of all ages to the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve for its ninth annual amateur photography contest.
Entries must feature the reserve as their subject or be taken within the reserve from any trail. Photos must be submitted by Sept. 19, 2014. The awards presentation will take place at OMWD’s Nov. 5 board of directors meeting. Interested participants may visit olivenhain.com/photo for official contest rules and to upload contest entries.
Winning photos will be selected from five categories — scenic view, water scenery, plants and animals, black & white and youth. This year’s contest will also feature the return of the People’s Choice award, for which the winner will be selected in an online vote. Winners will be displayed at the reserve’s Elfin Forest Interpretive Center Honoring Susan J. Varty beginning in January 2015. In addition, winners are eligible for prizes donated by local businesses and a $100 cash prize donated by the Escondido Creek Conservancy.
One of San Diego County’s natural resources, the 784-acre reserve offers 11 miles of hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian trails as well as picnic areas and mountain viewpoints. The natural beauty of the reserve includes a portion of Escondido Creek, a variety of native plant communities and views of the Pacific Ocean, Channel and Coronado Islands, and Laguna and San Bernardino mountain ranges.
