Envison Confluence Park
Come learn and help design the new Confluence Park in Elysian Valley. Join us on July 10, 2019 at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens 6-8 pm.
Come learn and help design the new Confluence Park in Elysian Valley. Join us on July 10, 2019 at the Los Angeles River Center and Gardens 6-8 pm.
The Upper Los Angeles River & Tributaries Revitalization Plan will kick off informational community meetings and provide an opportunity to provide feedback toward reimagining your river, creeks, and streams. We will begin a series of four meetings throughout the upper LA River watershed starting:
March 13, 2019, 6-8 PM
Location: Discovery Cube
11800 Foothill Blvd
Sylmar, CA 91342
Established by State legislation in 2017, the Upper Los Angeles River and Tributaries Revitalization Plan was developed to ensure that communities most impacted by the River are engaged and help inform the Revitalization Plan. The goals for this process include: prioritizing engagement of disadvantaged communities while addressing the unique and diverse needs of the Upper Los Angeles River, the tributaries and creating opportunities that help communities realize the value of the River and its connected tributaries.
Attend one of four meetings to be part of an exciting and engaging opportunity to plan for the future of your community! Family friendly activities and venues, entry is free and all are welcome to attend. Light snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Additional meetings will be held:
March 20, 2019, 6:30-8:30 PM
Location: Los Angeles Zoo
Witherbee Auditorium
5333 Zoo Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90027
April 4, 2019, 6-8 PM
Location: Kidspace Children’s
Museum, 480 N Arroyo Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91103
April 9, 2019, 6-8 PM
Location: Rose Goldwater
Community Center
21710 Vanowen Street
Canoga Park, CA 91303
RSVP: https://www.upperlariver.org/
We look forward to seeing you then. Should you have any questions, please contact river@smmc.ca.gov.
CALABASAS, CA (January 30, 2019) — The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) announced today that it has opened all but one of the parks that had been previously closed by conditions related to the November 2018 Woolsey Fire.
The MRCA has cleared hazardous conditions from the parks and open space. In addition, in order to assure public safety, the MRCA has conducted limited radiological analysis of soils in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve and other MRCA areas which determined that the fire had not increased the low-level concentrations of radionuclides that are generally consistent with normal background levels.
As always, trail users should exercise caution in the open space, and not venture off established trails so that plants and wildlife can recover from the fire aftermath.
The following parks managed by the MRCA that were previously closed are now open to the public:
Previously Closed and Now Open to the Public:
Cameron Nature Preserve at Puerco Canyon
Corral Canyon Park – Sara Wan Trailhead
Liberty Canyon Trailhead
Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch)
Zev Yaroslavsky Las Virgenes Highlands Park
The following park managed by the MRCA remains closed until further notice:
All other parks, open space and trails managed by the MRCA are open to the public.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) is a local government public entity dedicated to the preservation and management of open space and parkland, watershed lands, trails, and wildlife habitat. The MRCA works in cooperation with other government partners to acquire parkland, participate in vital planning processes, provide natural resources and scientific expertise, and complete major park improvement projects. The MRCA manages and provides ranger services and fire protection for almost 75,000 acres of parkland that it owns and that are owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy or other agencies and provides comprehensive education and interpretation and leadership programs for youth. It is one of the lead agencies providing for the revitalization of the Los Angeles River.
The now permanently protected parkland is a major viewshed between the mountains and the Santa Clarita Valley enjoyed by motorists on a two-mile stretch of both the north and southbound sides of the freeway
CASTAIC, CALIFORNIA (January 2, 2019)—The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) announced today that it had taken title to a significant donation of 226 acres of prime open space in north Los Angeles County near Castaic Lake in the scenic canyon that separates the south and north-bound lanes of Interstate 5 (I-5) as the freeway descends into the Santa Clarita Valley. The property is part of a habitat linkage that allows wildlife to move under I-5 between the Los Padres and Angeles National Forests. The donation is one of the largest in the history of the MRCA.
“Interstate 5 creates an over 30-mile-long wildlife movement barrier across the mountains between the Santa Clarita Valley and the beginning of the Grapevine,” said Paul Edelman, MRCA Chief of Natural Resources and Planning. “The donation land is vital for animals to safely cross that I-5 barrier because it leads into existing wildlife under-crossings. This will also set the stage for conservation of additional land to the north.”
The donor, Neil Nadler, had owned the property for over twenty years and had developed plans for a business park and motocross tracks on most of the land. However, biologists told him he needed to leave ample space for the wildlife corridor to the north. Officially, the property is part of the Sierra Madre-Castaic Connection identified in the 2005 South Coast Missing Linkages Project. Known as Marple Canyon, the property supports a mix of riparian vegetation types along a windy creek bed. The slopes support grassland and coastal sage scrub. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife designates the property as part of an area with High Conservation Value.
” I am pleased and honored to be able to conserve this important portion of the Sierra Madre-Castaic wildlife linkage,” said Nadler. “Being an environmental advocate who understands how costly wildlife corridors can be, I’m especially grateful that I am in the position in my life to give back to our fragile ecosystem. I also want to thank Kristeen Penrod of South Coast Wildlands, and the other scientists who helped me over the last 23 years understand the Marple Canyon’s highest and best use is for everyone to appreciate the beauty and function as a critical element in wildlife movement.”
Two years ago, Nadler helped the MRCA purchase an adjacent seven-acre parcel that contains a tunnel heavily used by wildlife beneath the south-bound lanes of I-5 and that allow animals to reach the new parkland.
The MRCA will name the new parkland for Nadler.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) is a local government public entity dedicated to the preservation and management of open space and parkland, watershed lands, trails, and wildlife habitat. The MRCA works in cooperation with other government partners to acquire parkland, participate in vital planning processes, provide natural resources and scientific expertise, and complete major park improvement projects. The MRCA manages and provides ranger services and fire protection for almost 75,000 acres of parkland that it owns and that are owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy or other agencies and provides comprehensive education and interpretation and leadership programs for youth. It is one of the lead agencies providing for the revitalization of the Los Angeles River.
Map of Nadler 226 Acre Donation
Contact:
Dash Stolarz
dash.stolarz@mrca.ca.gov
323-221-9944 X198
Kayaking, fishing, and walking in the two sections of the river managed by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority in Elysian Valley and at the Sepulveda Basin in Encino are not permitted until the next Recreation Zone Season commencing on Memorial Day, 2019
LOS ANGELES (September 30, 2018) — The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) announced today that the Los Angeles River Recreation Zones in Elysian Valley and the Sepulveda Basin have closed for the season.
For the sixth year in a row, the L.A. River Recreation Zones have provided summer access to recreate and explore the Los Angeles River in two different parts of the river that are still in a natural state. Activities include steerable boating such as kayaking and canoeing, fishing and bird watching. The River Recreation Zones are managed by the MRCA in coordination with the City of Los Angeles and Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, the Army Corps of Engineers, and the County of Los Angeles.
“We look forward to opening again next Memorial Day,” said MRCA Chief Ranger, Fernando Gomez. “We urge everyone to check out the website www.lariverrecreation.org to find out information about the program.”
The Sepulveda Basin Recreation Zone is a gentle, two-mile up river and back trip with braided channels, wildlife, and tranquil pools. Of the two Recreation Zones, the Sepulveda Basin offers easy paddling, and less natural obstacles.
The Elysian Valley kayak experience is a five mile one-way trip with braided channels and abundant wildlife in the middle of the city. The kayak experience includes strong currents and a few rapids..
In addition to managing the Recreation Zones, this summer the MRCA continued its tradition of working with local nonprofits such as Community Nature Connection, Mujeres de la Tierra, and Los Angeles Conservation Corps to provide free trips to underserved youth and adults.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority is a local public park agency dedicated to the preservation and management of open space, urban parkland, watershed lands, trails, and wildlife habitat. The MRCA manages more than 75,000 acres of public parkland and provides natural resources and scientific expertise, critical regional planning services, operations, fire prevention and ranger services, as well as education and leadership programs for thousands of youth each year. It is one of the lead agencies revitalizing the Los Angeles River.
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CALABASAS, CA (December 10, 2018) — The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) announced today that the following parks managed by the MRCA remain closed to the public due to circumstances related to the recent Woosley fire incident:
Closed for Hazardous Conditions
Cameron Nature Preserve at Puerco Canyon
Corral Canyon Park – Sara Wan Trailhead
Liberty Canyon Trailhead
Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve (formerly Ahmanson Ranch)
Zev Yaroslavsky Las Virgenes Highlands Park
Media Advisory for Thursday, November 1, 2018 6-8 pm
Día de Los Muertos Procession and Altar Honor Park Rangers Killed in the Line of Duty around the World
Uniformed Park Rangers with their faces painted in the traditional style and spectacular lighted Demonio de la Basura to lead hundreds in a dazzling procession through the streets of Cypress Park to the Los Angeles River Center
What:
More than 300 community advocates, park rangers, environmentalists, international, federal, state and local leaders and school children will unite on November 1 to honor—through a Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) street procession and altar—The lives of those who have died in the line of duty while protecting and defending the environment and natural world.
One of the most spectacular and meaningful annual Dia de los Muertos celebrations in Los Angeles, the procession and ribbon cutting will include stunning art figurines, feathered Aztec dancers, traditional music, marigolds, entertainment, and wild beauty.
A community celebration will follow the ceremony.
The events are being organized by Mujeres de la Tierra, a non-profit environmental group based in L.A.
When:
Thursday, November 1, 2018
6:00 PM Procession begins – Cypress Park Library
7:15 PM Ribbon Cutting Ceremony – Los Angeles River Center & Gardens
Where:
6:00 p.m. Procession begins: Cypress Park Library, 1150 Cypress Avenue, LA
7:15 p.m. Procession ends and Ribbon Cutting: Los Angeles River Center & Gardens 570 West Avenue 26, Los Angeles
Who:
Esperanza, the iconic 12-foot Calavera
Visuals:
PROCESSION: The half-mile street procession includes the fabulous Demonia de la Basura—a 10-foot high, lighted skeletal figure made from recycled water bottles—Aztec dancers, burning sage, and marchers with wooden skulls. Park Rangers will march in uniform and have their faces vividly painted in accordance with the Dia de los Muertos tradition.
ALTAR: Enormous traditional Day of the Dead altar, dedicated to the more than 850 Park Rangers who have died in the line of duty since 2009.
The procession and ceremony are being organized by Mujeres de la Tierra (Women of the Earth), a non-profit environmental organization based in Los Angeles.
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Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy grants Proposition 68 funds to engineer the state-of-the-art bridge which will protect the genetic diversity of the ecosystem
LOS ANGELES (October 24, 2018) – The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) announced today that the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy had awarded the agency up to $3 million in matching funds from the California Drought, Water, Parks, Climate, Coastal Protection, and Outdoor Access for All Act of 2018 (Proposition 68) for the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing over the US-101 Freeway in Agoura Hills. The MRCA will use the funds to contribute to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) initial Plans, Specifications, and Engineering (PS&E) design phase of the project—the final phase before construction of the long-anticipated habitat linkage bridge.
The California Wildlife Conservation Board and the National Wildlife Federation will also contribute matching funds for a total of $8 million for this phase of the project.
“The Conservancy’s Proposition 68 grant will turn the concept of a Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing into a reality,” said Joseph T. Edmiston, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. “This structure–which will be the largest and best designed of its kind in the world–will ensure that wildlife movement back and forth between the Santa Monica Mountains, Simi Hills, and Santa Susanas, and the two National Forests to the north, can continue unimpeded for the future. The long-term health of the ecosystem and persistence of wildlife populations depend on it.”
The Conservancy funded Caltrans’ initial study which established the feasibility of the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing as a safe and effective wildlife passage across the eight-lane freeway. Since that time, the National Wildlife Federation has raised millions of dollars to propel the project forward. Caltrans completed its required environmental review of the project earlier this year. With funding secured, it can now proceed with the actual engineering and design of the bridge. A start time is planned for early 2019; design and engineering are estimated to take approximately one year.
US-101 is a formidable barrier for many wildlife species including mountain lions, bobcats, gray foxes, and mule deer that have historically traveled between these mountain ranges. In particular, populations of mammals with large home ranges such as mountain lions and bobcats need expansive areas in which to hunt, breed, and survive. The original construction of the freeway divided this previously continuous habitat range into isolated fragments. For mountain lions, this restriction has resulted in significant inbreeding, territorial fighting, and low genetic diversity within the Santa Monica Mountains.
National Park Service (NPS) researchers have documented serious threats to the long-term viability of the mountain lions if a structure is not constructed. Scientists have long identified Liberty Canyon as the optimum location to construct a wildlife crossing because of the large swaths of protected public land extending into the mountain ranges on either side of the freeway. The two outposts of the crossing will be on protected open space owned by the MRCA.
The National Wildlife Federation and the Santa Monica Mountains Fund have established a fundraising initiative at www.savelacougars.org to raise funds for the engineering design and construction expenses.
In addition to the MRCA, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Caltrans, partners include California State Senator Henry Stern, former California State Senator Fran Pavley, California State Assemblymember Richard Bloom, U.S. Congressman Ted Lieu, Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks, the National Park Service Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, the National Wildlife Federation, The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains, and the City of Agoura Hills.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority is a local public park agency dedicated to the preservation and management of open space, urban parkland, watershed lands, trails, and wildlife habitat. The MRCA manages more than 75,000 acres of public parkland and provides natural resources and scientific expertise, critical regional planning services, operations, fire prevention and ranger services, as well as education and leadership programs for thousands of youth each year. It is one of the lead agencies revitalizing the Los Angeles River and its tributaries.
# # #
Contact:
Dash Stolarz
Director of Public Affairs
(323) 221-9944 x198
Now public parkland, 170 acres of the Triangle Ranch Property in unincorporated Los Angeles County adjacent to Agoura Hills was acquired in three phases. A fourth phase acquisition is in the making
AGOURA HILLS, CA (September 28, 2018) — The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) announced today that it had acquired 170 acres of iconic open space in the central Santa Monica Mountains south of the 101 Freeway along Kanan Road. Known for decades as the Triangle Ranch property because of the shape of the land holding, the $16.5 million property was purchased in three phases beginning in March of this year with grants from numerous State and local funding sources including the State Wildlife Conservation Board, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the County of Los Angeles, the City of Agoura Hills, and the nonprofit Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. The Phase 3, 70-acre acquisition was completed this week.
“The Triangle Ranch project demonstrates how strong partnerships support successful conservation projects,” said John Donnelly, Executive Director, of the California Wildlife Conservation Board, which granted $3,400,000 from the Habitat Conservation Fund for the Phase 3 acquisition. “With our partners, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, we are proud to protect wildlife travel corridors in an increasingly urban environment and provide increased public access opportunities in Los Angeles County.”
Thousands of motorists pass by the now permanently protected parkland each day, which has long been identified as a crucial linkage for habitat preservation, watershed protection, and wildlife movement in the area. The parkland ties the approximately 1,000-acre Ladyface Mountain core habitat area with the Liberty Canyon inter-mountain range wildlife corridor and Malibu Creek State Park. Existing informal trails will be developed to increase public access from Kanan Road.
“This acquisition preserves this irreplaceable landscape and secures wildlife corridors and pathways which animals depend upon for survival,” said Craig Sap, Chairperson of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and California State Parks Angeles District Superintendent. “For now, and forever this land will greet residents and visitors alike with its natural beauty.” The Conservancy contributed a total of more than $9.8 million to all three phases of the acquisition with a combination of grants from Propositions 40, 50, 84, 1 and 68. The new parkland adds to more than 500 contiguous acres of protected open space owned by the Conservancy and the MRCA in this area.
The new parkland contains a section of Medea Creek, a tributary of Malibu Creek, which supports a population of western pond turtles, a sensitive species. It also features the largest known population of the federally-listed annual wildflower Lyon’s pentachaeta. The property includes broad swaths of coast live oak woodland, chaparral, purple sage scrub, native and annual grassland, and valley oak savannah. Many rock outcroppings contain unique microsites for plants and animals. The new parkland supports mountain lion, mule deer, American badger, bobcat, gray fox, ring-tailed cat, long-tailed weasel, California quail, and dozens of reptile species.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl was an early and key supporter of the project, granting $2.5 million in Los Angeles County Proposition A funds towards the acquisition of Phase I. “I am very happy to support this significant expansion of open space at Triangle Ranch because it ensures that this wild and beautiful habitat will be available for the people and animals of LA County to enjoy for generations to come,” said LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.
The City of Agoura Hills, which abuts the new parkland, contributed $800,000 in city funds towards the acquisition of Phase 2 of the project. “The residents of the City of Agoura Hills and unincorporated Los Angeles are thrilled that Phases 1, 2 and 3 of the Triangle Ranch purchase have now closed and the property will forever be in the hands of the MRCA,” said Agoura Hills Councilmember Illece Buckley Weber, who represents the city on the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Advisory Committee. “A big thank you to all of the stewards of the environment who made it possible for the City of Agoura Hills to remain the Gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains in perpetuity.”
Negotiations are pending for the final, fourth phase of the project, which includes 150 additional acres. This is anticipated to be completed sometime in 2019.
The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) is a local government public entity dedicated to the preservation and management of open space and parkland, watershed lands, trails, and wildlife habitat. The MRCA works in cooperation with other government partners to acquire parkland, participate in vital planning processes, provide natural resources and scientific expertise, and complete major park improvement projects. The MRCA manages and provides ranger services and fire protection for almost 75,000 acres of parkland that it owns and that are owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy or other agencies and provides comprehensive education and interpretation and leadership programs for youth. It is one of the lead agencies providing for the revitalization of the Los Angeles River.
Triangle Ranch Phases 1-4 Map 9.2018
Contact:
Dash Stolarz, (310) 985-5147
dash.stolarz@mrca.ca.gov
MRCA Announces Public Hearing for Mission Canyon Park Mitigated Negative Declaration
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
7:00pm – 8:30pm
Skirball Cultural Center
Hass Conference Center Room 173
2701 N. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90049
A short presentation on the Mitigated Negative Declaration (MND) will be provided.
Public Comments will be accepted.
This project is a partnership between the County of Los Angeles’ Office of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, County Sanitation Districts, and MRCA.
The Public Comment Period is August 16, 2018 to October 31, 2018.
For more information and the link to the MND, please visit www.missioncanyonpark.com