Community Support Saves the Community Support Saves the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Sepulveda Basin Wildlife

Reserve!Reserve!

The ThreatThe Threat California Department of California Department of

Transportation (Caltrans) Transportation (Caltrans) proposed a new connector proposed a new connector to the 101 and 405 to the 101 and 405 freewaysfreeways

The project would have The project would have significantly damaged the significantly damaged the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Sepulveda Basin Wildlife ReserveReserve

Harmful effects on Harmful effects on wildlife reserve would wildlife reserve would have included:have included: Increased air, land, and Increased air, land, and

sound pollution in a natural sound pollution in a natural areaarea

Loss of sense of immersion Loss of sense of immersion in nature for Reserve in nature for Reserve visitorsvisitors

A view across the lake near where the new connector would have gone

What Is the Sepulveda What Is the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve? Basin Wildlife Reserve?

A public nature A public nature reserve reserve

Home to thousands of Home to thousands of animal species, both animal species, both permanent residents permanent residents and migratory and migratory residents residents

Used by people all Used by people all over the city over the city

Located in South San Located in South San Fernando Valley Fernando Valley

A family enjoys a walk in the Reserve

History of the Reserve History of the Reserve

During 1960s and During 1960s and 1970s, Sepulveda Basin 1970s, Sepulveda Basin was open space and was open space and farm landfarm land

Nearly 30 years of hard Nearly 30 years of hard work were spent in work were spent in turning the Sepulveda turning the Sepulveda Basin into a habitat for Basin into a habitat for plants and animalsplants and animals

In 1980s, Sepulveda In 1980s, Sepulveda Basin was opened as a Basin was opened as a public park and wildlife public park and wildlife reserve reserve

Also used as a flood Also used as a flood control basin for the control basin for the San Fernando ValleySan Fernando Valley

Extensive Habitat Extensive Habitat RestorationRestoration

Since the 1980s, habitat Since the 1980s, habitat restoration has restoration has continued with plantings continued with plantings of many additional native of many additional native plants and trees plants and trees

New pathways, viewing New pathways, viewing stations, and educational stations, and educational areas were addedareas were added

Significant public Significant public resources and countless resources and countless volunteer hours have volunteer hours have been devoted to been devoted to restoration and restoration and maintenancemaintenance

Years have been spent restoring the Reserve’s habitat, shown here

Importance of the Importance of the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Sepulveda Basin Wildlife

ReserveReserve One of the finest wildlife One of the finest wildlife

refuges in Los Angelesrefuges in Los Angeles Home to hundreds of Home to hundreds of

animal and plant speciesanimal and plant species A community sanctuary A community sanctuary

for families, birders, for families, birders, nature-lovers, and people nature-lovers, and people just wishing to spend just wishing to spend time in a beautiful placetime in a beautiful place

A place to escape L.A.’s A place to escape L.A.’s busy urban areas and busy urban areas and find nature’s beauty and find nature’s beauty and tranquilitytranquility

An elegant Great Blue Heron standing next to a turtle at the Reserve’s lake

Community and Volunteer Community and Volunteer Events and Activities Held Events and Activities Held

at the Reserveat the Reserve San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley

Audubon Society Audubon Society (SFVAS) bird walks(SFVAS) bird walks

Group nature walks and Group nature walks and hikeshikes

Watershed trash clean-Watershed trash clean-upsups

Educational field trips Educational field trips for local schoolsfor local schools

Tracking migratory bird Tracking migratory bird speciesspecies

Promoting Reserve-Promoting Reserve-based conservation based conservation programsprograms

An educational field trip at the Reserve led by a volunteer

Caltrans’ ProposalsCaltrans’ Proposals Caltrans proposed a new Caltrans proposed a new

connector for westbound connector for westbound 101 and southbound 405 101 and southbound 405 freeways to make traffic freeways to make traffic smoother smoother

Several Several options/alternatives were options/alternatives were offered, two of which offered, two of which would have involved would have involved construction on the construction on the ReserveReserve

Under two of the Under two of the alternatives, parts of the alternatives, parts of the new connector would new connector would have gone through the have gone through the ReserveReserve

The general area that would have been affected by the freeway connector. The upper right area of the green space shown in the above picture is the Reserve.

Alternative 1: Would Alternative 1: Would NotNot Harm ReserveHarm Reserve

Would provide a new Would provide a new connector, but the on- connector, but the on- and off-ramps would and off-ramps would not enter the Reservenot enter the Reserve

Has smallest impact Has smallest impact footprint on Basinfootprint on Basin

The Reserve would The Reserve would remain as is and remain as is and would not be would not be endangered by the endangered by the freeway or any freeway or any constructionconstruction

Alternative 2: Would Harm Alternative 2: Would Harm ReserveReserve

A new connector would A new connector would be built for the be built for the westbound 101 and westbound 101 and southbound 405southbound 405

A new on- and off-ramp A new on- and off-ramp would be built, as well as would be built, as well as a new Burbank Boulevard a new Burbank Boulevard bridgebridge

On- and off-ramps would On- and off-ramps would enter the Reserve, enter the Reserve, causing a decrease in causing a decrease in plant growth and animal plant growth and animal residents due to residents due to worsened noise and air worsened noise and air pollutionpollution

Alternative 3: Most Alternative 3: Most Significant Impacts on Significant Impacts on

ReserveReserve This alternative is This alternative is

similar to alternative similar to alternative 2, but the curves of 2, but the curves of the on- and off-ramps the on- and off-ramps would be much larger, would be much larger, leaving a much bigger leaving a much bigger footprint in the footprint in the ReserveReserve

Would cause Would cause worsened pollution worsened pollution and other and other environmental environmental problemsproblems

““No Build” AlternativeNo Build” Alternative This alternative would This alternative would

be chosen if Caltrans be chosen if Caltrans decides not to build a decides not to build a new connector for the new connector for the 101 and 405 freeways101 and 405 freeways

Would also be chosen Would also be chosen by Caltrans if by Caltrans if Alternative 1 would Alternative 1 would significantly increase significantly increase street trafficstreet traffic

Specific Environmental Specific Environmental ImpactsImpacts

Freeway would have Freeway would have caused increase in caused increase in pollution of:pollution of: AirAir WaterWater LandLand SoundSound

Because the wildlife Because the wildlife area is still maturing, it area is still maturing, it is important to consider is important to consider the impact on potential the impact on potential plant and animal plant and animal species that may be species that may be found here in the futurefound here in the future

View of Haskell Creek

Widening of Haskell Widening of Haskell CreekCreek

New ramp would have taken New ramp would have taken up space and caused decrease up space and caused decrease in Basin’s flood control in Basin’s flood control capacity, possibly making capacity, possibly making necessary a widening of necessary a widening of Haskell Creek for flood control Haskell Creek for flood control purposespurposes

If Haskell Creek were If Haskell Creek were widened, negative impacts widened, negative impacts may have included:may have included: Destruction of nesting Destruction of nesting

habitat of Least Bell’s Vireohabitat of Least Bell’s Vireo Destruction of the Destruction of the

Sepulveda Basin’s Sepulveda Basin’s pedestrian bridges pedestrian bridges connecting sections of parkconnecting sections of park

Loss of hundreds of Loss of hundreds of riparian trees planted riparian trees planted along banks of Reserve by along banks of Reserve by volunteers and public volunteers and public agenciesagencies

Bridges that connect areas of the reserve would have been destroyed by Haskell Creek widening

VoicesVoices

““We’ve trained the geese to We’ve trained the geese to come here for 20 years and come here for 20 years and forage in grasses we planted. forage in grasses we planted. Are they going to come one Are they going to come one year and it will be a dirt year and it will be a dirt construction site?” construction site?”

-Steve Hartman, volunteer -Steve Hartman, volunteer for California Native Plant for California Native Plant SocietySociety

Voices Voices ““Not only will you be Not only will you be

interfering with nature, interfering with nature, but you will also be but you will also be interfering with the interfering with the educational opportunity educational opportunity that thousands of that thousands of children have benefited children have benefited from over the years and from over the years and that many more can that many more can benefit from in years to benefit from in years to come.”come.”

-Jose Salgado, 5-Jose Salgado, 5thth grade grade teacher, Gratts teacher, Gratts Elementary School, Los Elementary School, Los Angeles, CAAngeles, CA

Kids observing the amazing WhitePelicans as they migrate to California during the winter months

Voices Voices ““Every year tens of Every year tens of

thousands of children, thousands of children, families and other families and other nature lovers find peace, nature lovers find peace, tranquility, and the tranquility, and the opportunity to enjoy a opportunity to enjoy a truly natural setting, truly natural setting, near their homes, and do near their homes, and do so without extensive so without extensive travel, carbon emissions, travel, carbon emissions, and gasoline expenses.” and gasoline expenses.”

-Dave Weeshoff, -Dave Weeshoff, resident of La resident of La Crescenta, CACrescenta, CA

The outdoor amphitheaterwhere students on field trips are first introduced to what Sepulveda WildlifeReserve has to offer by Reserve volunteers

Voices Voices

““This is like being in a This is like being in a national park without national park without having to leave the having to leave the Valley.”Valley.”

-Muriel Kotin, -Muriel Kotin, President of San President of San Fernando Valley Fernando Valley Audubon SocietyAudubon Society A Great Egret takes flight

Voices Voices ““This experience built This experience built

my dream of becoming my dream of becoming a zoologist and a zoologist and veterinarian. If you veterinarian. If you destroy this wide destroy this wide space of peace, all my space of peace, all my dreams will be ruined.”dreams will be ruined.”

-Sean Garcia, 5-Sean Garcia, 5thth Grade Student of Grade Student of Toluca Lake Toluca Lake Elementary School, Elementary School, Toluca Lake, CAToluca Lake, CA

A field trip group using microscopes toidentify the lake’s macroinvertebrates

Voices Voices ““These wetlands provide These wetlands provide

a habitat for plants, a habitat for plants, birds, and many other birds, and many other animals. Just imagine animals. Just imagine harming poor, little, harming poor, little, innocent animals and innocent animals and plants. How could you? plants. How could you? Protecting nature is our Protecting nature is our responsibility. If you responsibility. If you harm it, you harm us.”harm it, you harm us.”

-Ryan Logo, 5-Ryan Logo, 5thth grade grade student of Toluca Lake student of Toluca Lake Elementary School, Elementary School, Toluca Lake, CAToluca Lake, CA

Students view wildlife in the distance

Victory!Victory! Caltrans announced Caltrans announced

July 22 that it has July 22 that it has selected Alternative selected Alternative 1 as the preferred 1 as the preferred project alternative!project alternative!

Its decision will Its decision will avoid major impacts avoid major impacts to the Sepulveda to the Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Basin Wildlife ReserveReserve

Many thanks to all Many thanks to all who wrote letters who wrote letters and contacted and contacted elected officials to elected officials to save the Reservesave the Reserve

For More InformationFor More Information

Visit:Visit: Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve’s Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve’s

Website Website www.SepulvedaBasinWildlife.orgwww.SepulvedaBasinWildlife.org San Fernando Valley Audubon SocietySan Fernando Valley Audubon Society

www.sfvaudubon.orgwww.sfvaudubon.org Los Angeles Audubon SocietyLos Angeles Audubon Society

www.laaudubon.orgwww.laaudubon.org

Get involved with one of these organizations Get involved with one of these organizations and continue to help protecting our and continue to help protecting our environment for future generations!environment for future generations!

Photo CreditsPhoto Credits Photo on opening slide taken from Photo on opening slide taken from Sepulveda Basin Sepulveda Basin

Wildlife Refuge is an oasis for birds and birdersWildlife Refuge is an oasis for birds and birders, article by , article by Pete Thomas, Los Angeles Times, photo by Genaro MolinaPete Thomas, Los Angeles Times, photo by Genaro Molina

Photos on slides 7, 8, 17, and 19, courtesy of Muriel Kotin, Photos on slides 7, 8, 17, and 19, courtesy of Muriel Kotin, San Fernando Valley Audubon SocietySan Fernando Valley Audubon Society

Photos on slides 11, 12, and 13 from Draft Environmental Photos on slides 11, 12, and 13 from Draft Environmental Assessment Study (EA/IS) and Section 4 EvaluationAssessment Study (EA/IS) and Section 4 Evaluation

Photos on slides 4, 19 and 20, courtesy of Madison Middle Photos on slides 4, 19 and 20, courtesy of Madison Middle School, North Hollywood, CASchool, North Hollywood, CA

Photos on slides 8 and 12, from Google EarthPhotos on slides 8 and 12, from Google Earth

All other photos by Daniel BernsteinAll other photos by Daniel Bernstein