Lakeside's River Park Conservancy in Lakeside is a 501(c)(3) established in 2001 to restore 100 acres of depleted sand mine along the San Diego River into functioning riparian habitat, with offices on Industry Road and a primary trailhead at 10354 Channel Road. The conservancy's two-mile trail segment connects Lakeside to the City of Santee at the Walker Preserve, forming a piece of the planned 52-mile San Diego River Trail system, and community programming coordinates with the Lakeside Community Center on Vine Street for educational outreach and volunteer recruitment. Two standing ponds, mature sycamore and oak canopy, and native sage plantings now support red-tailed hawks, osprey, great blue herons, and jackrabbits across terrain that was barren industrial fill two decades ago. The restored floodplain also reduces downstream flood risk and improves water quality for the San Diego River, and trail-adjacent native landscaping techniques align with the drought-tolerant design work performed by firms such as Ultra Landscaping on Lakeshore Drive. The conservancy has raised over $22.5 million for acquisition, permitting, and restoration projects, with future trail segments planned to extend from Santee through the El Monte Valley to El Capitan Dam.