Wright's Field

By Linda S. Richards

We have an opportunity now to preserve Wright's Field for generations to come. It's an area that contains not only a rich historical record but five endangered ecosystems.

There's active discussion on whether Wright's Field should be developed, include an active park or be retained as open space. I envision Wright's Field as a nature preserve and support other sites for active parks, including the half-dozen sites recommended by the Parks Subcommittee. I support more public usage of the current sports facilities in Alpine, including the extensive ones at Joan McQueen Middle School right next to Wright's Field.

Today many people don't know Wright's Field because it's difficult to access. The Back Country Land Trust's goal to purchase the final 140 acres along South Grade would include trail access points and offer parking area possibilities. We've toured Wright's Field and learned that its trails crisscross six ecosystems, five of them endangered. As grasslands and woodlands shrink in San Diego, Wright's Field offers a rare hotspot of biodiversity. It also tells Alpine's rich history, and includes Native American sites, rock walls from Spanish colonists and the area's first mail trails and roads.