Meet Kevin Wong | Executive Director, Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kevin Wong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kevin, how does your business help the community?
As the Executive Director of the Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, a small non-profit organization that co-manages a wildlife preserve of over 31,000 acres, I do not spend most of my time in an office, but rather on the trails that meander through the preserve. One of my observations, while on the trails, are the courteous “Hellos” accompanied with a smile. Everyone appears to be happy in the preserve and they are eager to share their happiness. We know that being happy is not about measuring our income, status, passion, possessions, name, fame or health. It is a state of mind. Scientific studies show that: Being in nature decreases stress Nature makes you happier and less brooding Nature relieves attention fatigue and increases creativity Nature may help you to be kind and generous Nature makes you “feel more alive.” Nestled in the Little San Bernardino Mountains, the desert oasis at Big Morongo Canyon is one of the 10 largest cottonwood and willow riparian (stream) habitats in California. Water draining from the surrounding mountains flows into a river through the canyon, and ground water rises up along the Morongo fault to form the marsh habitat, which is a great attractor for wildlife. We regularly see a resident herd of mule deer, over 240 species of birds have been identified in the preserve, and visitors come to relish the animal life and the deep shade of the tree canopies that is found in the Mojave desert!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My life has been a fullfilment of the dreams of a young man. As a “boomer” I was influenced by Jacques Cousteau, the tv shows “Sea Hunt”, “Flipper”, and “Danger is My Business, with Col John D. Craig”. I wanted to be a scuba diver and took a high school class. In college, I joined a dive club, worked in a dive shop, became a dive instructor, and ulitmately, purchased the dive shop. I was able to lead dive trips to Hawaii, Baja California, Cozumel, Grand Cayman Islands, and the Dutch Antilles. During this time, I wanted to pursue the dreams of a young man and to search for Spanish galleons and the treasure that they carried. This dream took me to the Bahamas with a treasure map, where, on the first dive of the first day, we found a silver bar. “Damn this life is easy”, I shouted to my crew members. After that experience, I took the other treasure map that I had purchased and traveled to South America where I purchased an older steel hulled salvage vessel. My friends and crewmates rehabilitated the old boat and we lived on it for over 11 years searching for an elusive Spanish galleon. We never did find the treasure, probably because the map was a “fraud”, but what an adventure living in a foriegn country, learning the culture and language, and living the live of a dream. How many people can make that claim?

Now as the Executive Director of a small non-profit, I get to manage a great team of over 65 dedicated volunteers working in nature with fresh air, blue skies, joyful visitors and guests. On August 20, Tropical Storm Hilary hit the preserve with a flood of water, mud, and debris flows. Our volunteer teams logged over 400 hours to clean the infrastructure (buildings, roads, and boardwalks) and removed over 17 trees that fell on the boardwalk. This is a great team and I truly love working with them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve to enjoy deep shade, which is a rarity in the Mojave Desert. Getting coffee and ice cream at Coyote Cone. Hamburgers at Dillon’s Beer and Burgers, breakfast at Morongo Valley Cafe.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Education Ranger, Kaeliegh Watson

Website: bigmorongo.org

Instagram: bigmorongo_canyonpreseerve

Facebook: BigMorongoCanyonPreserve

Image Credits
Ranger Kaeliegh Watson