Summer 2007: The Greenbelt - An open space of state-wide significance

The Greenbelt - an open space of state-wide significance

Summer 2007

Inside this issue….

1 Feature Story -

Greenbelt

2 From the

Editor

2 Greetings from

the MRCA

3-4 Greenbelt,

cont. 5 Elsmere

Canyon

6-7 Map of the

Greenbelt

8 Wildlife

Corridors

9 Parks in the

News

10 King Gillette

Ranch update

11 Notes from the

Field

12 Photo Gallery

The Greenbelt is the area that separates

the Santa Clarita Valley from the San

Fernando Valley. For a number of reasons,

it is an open space of state-wide

significance. It contains the wildlife

corridor between the San Gabriel and the

Santa Susana Mountains. It is part of the

upper watershed for both the Los Angeles

River and the Santa Clara River.

According to LA County’s DPW, the Santa

Clara River is “the largest river in

Southern California that remains in a

relative natural state”. It is part of

California history; for example, Beale’s Cut

has been designated a California Point of

Historic Interest. It serves as an

aesthetically-pleasing backdrop to the

scenic viewshed from the I-5 and SR 14,

which creates a sense of place.

There is currently a ballot measure before

the voters in the City of Santa Clarita to

create an Open Space Preservation District,

which would help purchase additional

open space in the Greenbelt. In the

Engineer’s report, the City has identified 5

key areas for potential acquisition that

support the Greenbelt’s key ecological

(continued on page 3)

View of the Santa Susana Mountains

Photo courtesy Christy Henry

From the Editor…..From the Editor…..

Last month, my husband and I were in Philadelphia,

listening to a commencement address by Dr. Michael

Dombeck, former head of the US Forest Service and now a

professor at the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point. In

the audience there was a mixture of Generation Y graduates,

all decked out in their caps and gowns, and their grey-haired

Boomer parents. As he spoke, I recognized a characteristic

Midwestern “twang” and knew he spent time in Minnesota.

As it turns out, we both attended graduate school at the

University of

Minnesota at the

same time. I

immediately liked

the guy.

In his speech, Dr.

Dombeck

encouraged his

audience to

become better

stewards of the land. Then he said something that really

caught my attention. He quoted Aldo Leopold, reminding

us “that the highest task of civilization was to figure out how

‘to live on a piece of land without spoiling it.”

To live on a piece of land without spoiling it requires us to

view it from an historical perspective, a perspective beyond

our limited personal lifespan. We need to adopt the best

practices from the people who lived here before us as well as

consider the needs of the people who will come after us.

Right now, the people in my hometown of Santa Clarita

have a chance to vote on the formation of an open space

district, one that would enable our city government to

purchase open space before it is developed. We could add

to the greenbelt between the Santa Clarita and the San

Fernando Valleys. We could choose to become better

stewards of the land.

It’s an opportunity— for Boomer’s as well as Generation X

and Y’s - to work together, to live on the land as stewards

and leave a legacy for the future. I hope we choose wisely.

And to our daughter Ellie, congratulations.

Your Dad and I are very proud of you.

Wendy Langhans

310-858-7272 x115

[email protected]

Greetings from the MRCA…..Greetings from the MRCA…..

Dear Friends,

This story didn’t make the news: According to MRCA trail

volunteer Steve Ioerger, “In the first quarter of this year we

had 19 trail work days where our 23 volunteers donated 344

ours maintaining the trails in Towsley Canyon.”

Here’s another story didn’t make the news: On June 6, the

MRCA Board accepted a grant from Prop 40 to develop and

improve of land and water resources in Mentryville, Santa

Clarita. This includes plans to develop new trails.

As isolated stories, these don’t tell you much beyond the

facts. But if you look at them together, you begin to see a

pattern. You see good things being accomplished by a

cooperate effort among public agencies and private citizens.

And you also see that where the public is actively engaged

in something worthwhile, the government is supportive.

As this issue of Symbiosis goes to press, the citizens of Santa

Clarita are voting on an assessment to create an Open Space

Preservation District, to create a green belt of open space

around the city and the valley.

Now here’s something that did make the news: last week

the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy passed a

resolution supporting this measure. As quoted in The Signal,

Executive Director Joe Edmiston stated that “park officials

rarely turn down requests for matching funds when voters

in a local area approve something like an assessment, which

generates revenue. ‘That is the single most persuasive

argument you can make when you go to Sacramento,’”

It gives a whole new meaning to “send

them a message”, doesn’t it?

Now go outside and play!

Michael D. “Mike” Berger, Chair

Mountains Recreation and

Conservation Authority

Haverford College

Greenbelt (continued from page 1)….Greenbelt (continued from page 1)….

functions. That is one of the reasons why the Santa Monica

Mountains Conservancy supports the measure.

In this issue of Symbiosis we will focus on some of the

proposed developments and illustrate what is at stake

ecologically. We will also provide an insert with maps

identifying each proposed development site, as well as the

location of land that is now being preserved as open space.

Las Lomas

What’s at stake: wildlife corridor and viewshed.

The 555 -acre Las

Lomas development

is proposed for the

eastern side of the I-5,

between Calgrove and

Hwy 14. This $2

billion project would

consist of about 5,800

residences and over

2.5 million feet of

commercial, retail and

civic space.

This area contains 30%

of the available habitat

area within the

Newhall Wedge, that

area between the I-5

and SR 14 , and is

critical to the ecological viability of the wildlife corridor

between the San Gabriel' and the Santa Susana mountains.

We need to provide a critical mass of permanently protected

habitat for the mule deer, bobcat, grey fox, American badger

and long-tailed weasel. In addition, we need to preserve the

Gavin-The Old Road underpass and Weldon Canyon

overpass to maintain wildlife access.

For more information about wildlife corridors, please refer

to the article on page 8.

Gates-King Industrial Project

What’s at stake: wildlife corridor.

This 508-acre industrial project, located between Pine Street

and the Sierra Highway, has been approved. Like Las

Lomas, Gates-King is also within the Newhall Wedge, so

wildlife corridor concerns remain at risk. To maintain

viability of the inter-mountain wildlife linkage, a minimum

2,500-foot-wide unbroken swath of habitat must pass

through both Gate-King and Las Lomas in order to connect

the open space to the east and the Weldon Canyon overpass

to the west.

Here’s an example of how piecemeal development can have

regional repercussions. A “break” in any section of the

wildlife corridor can destroy the viability of the whole.

Lyon’s Canyon

What’s at stake: wildlife corridor and significant ecological areas

(SEA).

The 232-acre Lyon’s Canyon development is proposed for

the area west of

the I-5 between

Sunset Pointe

on the north

and Towsley

Canyon on the

south.

Besides serving

as part of the

wildlife

corridor, Lyons

Canyon also contains two significant ecological areas, SEA

20 and 63, which would be negatively impacted by the

proposed development. Lyons Canyon has five "special

status" plants (with seven others likely) and two "special

status" animals (with eleven others likely); “special status”

being defined as rare, endangered, or threatened. It contains

eight habitats that are rare or limited in numbers.

In a recent letter to the Los Angeles County Department of

Regional Planning, the SMMC wrote that the Lyon’s

Canyon development would "essentially gut the central and

lower portions of a significant Santa Susana Mountains

watershed of all remaining core habitat values."

Furthermore, the project as designed has only one exit that

could be blocked in the event of a wildfire. This makes a

second connection to Pico Canyon Road more likely, which

would open more back-country area to development.

(continued on page 4)

I-5 Wildlife Undercrossing

Plummer’s mariposa lily, one of the

“special status” plants in Lyon’s Canyon

Greenbelt (cont. from page 3)Greenbelt (cont. from page 3)

Elsmere Canyon

What’s at stake: wildlife corridor and watershed.

Elsmere Canyon is located south of SR 14 and west of

Whitney Canyon. In March, the MRCA accepted a donation

of 400 acres of land in Elsmere Canyon from Allied Waste,

parent company of Browning-Ferris Industries. But that’s

only about 1/3 of the 1,125 acres in Elsmere Canyon that are

privately held. Currently, there are plans to build “luxury

estates” throughout the remaining open space.

Elsmere canyon contains riparian habitat, which is defined

as the area adjacent to streams or riverbanks. It is some of

our most productive habitat; 25% of California’s land

mammals depend upon riparian habitat. Unfortunately,

only 3-5% of the original riparian habitat remains

undeveloped in Southern California.

Newhall Refining/ Hondo Oil

What’s at stake: wildlife corridor.

This area consists of the open space between the SR 14 and

the Sierra Highway. It contains the Los Pinetos

undercrossing, the ONLY passage between the San Gabriel

mountains and the Newhall wedge. If this section is

developed, it will sever the wildlife corridor.

Smiser Mule Ranch

What’s at stake: viewshed.

Located east of the I-5 between Calgrove and Lyons, the 37-

acre parcel would be developed into a 600,000 sq-ft mixed-

use commercial and residential complex, with 1,000

condominiums and a 10-story hotel. Most building will be 4

-5 stories tall but a few may reach 8-10 stories.

Viewsheds provide us with a sense of place: you expect to

see the ocean in Ventura and you expect to see the

mountains in the Santa Clarita valley. As defined in the City

of Santa Clarita’s General Plan, “Viewsheds constitute the

range of vision in which scenic resources may be observed.

They are defined by physical features that frame the

boundaries or context to one or more scenic resources. A

region’s topography can lend aesthetic value through the

creation of public view corridors of ridgelines and

mountains and through the visual backdrop created by

mountains and hillsides.”

Although not strictly speaking an ecological issue, it is an

economic one. To illustrate my point, consider why people

traditionally move to the suburbs. Are attractive scenic

views part of their criteria for choosing a place to live? Do

attractive scenic views positively affect property values?

Conclusion.

We have a wildlife corridor that works….for right now. In a

recent appearance before Congress, SMMC’s Exec. Director

Joseph Edmiston testified that, “ land use decisions pending

within the next few years can change all of that forever.

Actions will be taken in that time frame by major

landowners whether or not to engage in park

partnerships—and many times sale for park and recreation

purposes is a preferred choice for local property owners—or

whether to commit the land to residential and commercial

development.”

Moonrise near Towsley Canyon, part of

the viewscape along the I-5 .

This waterfall at

Elsmere Canyon is

an example of a

riparian habitat, a

key component of a

viable wildlife

corridor. It is also

part of the Santa

Clara River

watershed.

Photo courtesy

Stan Walker.

Elsmere Canyon was the Route Between the Valleys….Elsmere Canyon was the Route Between the Valleys….

Elsmere Canyon is a park with many faces. To the hiker it

is a rugged and challenging playground with beautiful

vistas and rewarding trails. To the naturalist it is home to a

thriving stream ecosystem teaming with fascinating plant

and animal life. To the photographer the contrasts created

by the stunning explosion of colors hidden just below the

dry and worn hillsides are magical. To the MRCA it is the

newest addition to the critical expanse of open space

between the San Fernando and Santa Clarita Valleys. Given

it’s rich history, it is only fitting that this canyon fill many

different needs for many different people.

Elsmere Canyon’s importance in human history was

determined by it’s natural history. Elsmere Canyon lay

between two large and agriculturally productive river

valleys. For centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, the

Gabrielino/Tongva, centered in the San Fernando Valley,

and the Tatavium, centered in the Santa Clarita Valley,

utilized Elsmere Canyon as a suitable avenue for their

extensive trade.

By the mid-1850’s the

demographics

changed but the need

remained for a

convenient route

between the two

valleys. General Beale

and the troops from

Fort Tejon cut a 90 foot

slash through Elsmere

Canyon. Later known

as Beale’s Cut, this

gash in the mountains

allowed for quicker

and easier passage.

By the early 1900’s, Los

Angeles undertook the

largest water project in

the world. In order to supply the growing metropolis with

fresh water, the Owens Valley in the Eastern Sierras was

drained and piped to the faucets and orchards of the valleys

of Los Angeles. A large section of pipe was laid underneath

Elsmere Canyon.

Today when you

look at the canyon,

you can see a

challenge through

the eyes of the hiker,

a thriving ecosystem

through the eyes of a

naturalist, a magical

contrast through the

eyes of a

photographer, or an

amazing history

through the eyes of

time. It seems fitting

that a park that has

so much to offer

yesterday and today

has become a crucial part of a larger effort by the MRCA and

others to create a vital and lasting expanse of open space

between the San Fernando Valley and Santa Clarita Valley.

Submitted by MRCA Interpreter Keith Jobson

Waterfall at Elsmere Canyon

Photo courtesy Stan Walker

Elsmere

Native American Villages in the Vicinity of Santa Clarita

Courtesy Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society

Beale’s Cut

Photo Courtesy Santa Clarita

Valley Historical Society

The Newhall Wedge, the key

to the ecological health of the

Greenbelt.

The Newhall Wedge is an ecologically strategic

section of land between the I-5 and Highway 14. It is

part of the Greenbelt, the open space between the

Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys.

It serves as the wildlife corridor between the San

Gabriel Mountains and the Santa Susana

Mountains.

It is part of the watershed for both the

Santa Clara River and the Los Angeles

River

Its viability is threatened by a series of

proposed development projects, such as

555-acre Los Lomas, which threatens the

Gavin-Old Road underpass and Gavin

overpass.

508-acre Gates-King, key to a viable

wildlife corridor.

232-acre Lyon’s Canyon, encroaching

upon a significant ecological areas, SEA

63.

1,225 acres in Elsmere Canyon, potential

site of “luxury estates”. The “Los Pinetos

undercrossing” is the ONLY

undercrossing between the San Gabriel

Mountains and the Newhall Wedge.

Hondo Oil/Newhall Refining Company.

The loss of this open space will destroy the

wildlife corridor.

37-acre Smiser Mule Ranch. This is the

northwestern entrance to the Newhall

Wedge, across the I-5 from Lyon’s

Canyon.

Wildlife Corridor

SITE OF

POTENTIAL

LUXURY

ESTATES

Wildlife Corridors keep wildlife healthy and one the go…. Wildlife Corridors keep wildlife healthy and one the go….

What happens when our comings and goings are

hampered by a road closure, a tree falling across our path or

a flooded street? It can be very frustrating. Now imagine

that your life depends on getting across that area – you have

to cross a freeway with cars traveling at sixty miles per hour

to get your dinner or to get to your mate. This is what occurs

when the needs of different keystone species are at odds, like

humans and mountain lions. A keystone species is defined

as a species with a disproportionate effect on its

environment relative to its abundance.

First, take a look at how this conflict begins. For a keystone

species like the mountain lion, Puma concolor, to survive, it

needs to be able to have access to a territory of upwards of

100 square mile, depending on the cat’s gender and the

density of prey. Residential development reduces the

amount of available wildlife habitat (threatening an

estimated 59 per cent of California’s wildlife).

Also, humans tend to cluster the answers to their basic needs

like shopping malls, hospitals and housing, then connect

those areas with roads and highways for accessibility. These

connectors fragment an animal’s territory and create

“islands” of habitat, which limits an animal’s ability to move

in response to changing conditions and threatens their

survival. Other methods of fragmentation include power

lines, fences, dams, aqueducts, off-road vehicles, and even

light and noise pollution.

These “islands” deprive the animals and plants

of genetic diversity that is crucial to a healthy

population and lead to smaller, more isolated

animal populations. To put this in human

terms, consider a tour I took recently in the

mountains of Southern Appalachia. As I stood

between two mountains in Cataloochie Valley,

the guide explained, “When a young man

came of age and lived on that mountain”, he

said, pointing to his left, “he’d put on his

traveling shoes and walk over to that

mountain”, he pointed to the area on his right,

“to find a woman. That way there was no

mixing of kin.” The same is true for species

such as the mountain lion. The males do not

recognize individuals as family and may mate

with their daughters, resulting in sterility in the

young (Mountain Lion Foundation).

One solution to meeting the needs of both humans and

wildlife is to create wildlife corridors, land managed for its

function as a route for wildlife movement and dispersal.

“Corridors mitigate the effects of this fragmentation by

(1) allowing animals to move between remaining habitats,

thereby permitting depleted populations to be replenished

and promoting genetic exchange; (2) providing escape

routes from fire, predators, and human disturbances, thus

reducing the risk of catastrophic events (such as fire or

disease) causing population or local species extinction; and

(3) serving as travel routes for individual animals as they

move within their home ranges in search of food, water,

mates, and other needs.”(1) That’s one reason why the Santa

Clarita Woodlands was purchased in the 1980’s. So the next time you experience a blockage in your travels

whether it be traffic, a detour, an accident, or a downed

power line, remember our wild friends and how they need

safe passages too. Agencies like the Santa Monica

Mountains Conservancy and its partners work diligently to

provide crucial passages for keystone specie like the Puma

Concolor to survive by buying up key properties that link

core habitats, thus providing what is necessary for a healthy

ecosystem.

Submitted by Angi Orton, MRCA Director of Volunteer Services ___________________

(1) Santa Clarita Valley General Plan, pg 54.

Dr. Ray Sauvajot and his team have spent years tracking mountain

lions in the mountains of Southern California. They have seen

first-hand how mountain lions use wildlife corridors.

July’s Chautauqua Program Presents:

Parks in the News…..Parks in the News…..

The Franklin Canyon Store

is Now Open!

The Franklin Canyon

Store is now open inside

the Sooky Goldman

Nature Center.

It’s a great place to

purchase cold water

and snacks!!!

Open everyday from 10am to 4pm.

MRCA Facilities and Maintenance:

Preparing for the fire before we see the smoke

You don’t need a crystal ball to know this fire season could

get real ugly. We know it too and our brushing crews are

preparing for it. Brushing is mix of mechanical, hand labor,

resource modification and other techniques to remove

hazardous fuel loads.

During the peak season, MRCA employee Alfredo Leon

coordinates the efforts of 100 workers per day. He

determines the location of the property lines and the size of

the clearance zone. He works with the fire departments,

agricultural inspectors and home owner associations.

All this brushing

is not cheap:

brushing costs an

average of $1250

per acre, with an

annual hit to our

budget of $1.5

million. But

compare that to

the cost of not

brushing.

How many homes, how many lives are saved because

people like Alfredo are “just doing their jobs”?

Alfredo Leon with his “Bobcat”.

July Chautauqua Program: Mountain Lions in Los Angeles

Tues., July 17, 7:30-9:00 PM, Woodland Hall at Temescal Canyon Gateway Park, program free, parking $5.00

Dr. Ray Sauvajot, National Park Service wildlife ecologist, will discuss his work monitoring the mountain lions that live in

the wild areas surrounding Los Angeles. The mountain lion populations of Los Angeles face many difficult challenges as a

result of their proximity to urban areas. Using radio collars, remote cameras and satellite tracking, Dr. Sauvajot and his team

of researcher have made great strides in understanding how these animals, including the last known family of mountain

lions in the Santa Monica Mountains, survive in an increasingly urbanized landscape. Dr. Sauvajot is Chief of Planning,

Science and Resource Management at the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and is a Senior Science

Advisor for the NPS.

August Chautauqua Program: Sustainable Urban Living

Tues., August 21, 7:30-9:00 PM, Woodland Hall at Temescal Canyon Gateway Park, program free, parking $5.00

Julia Russell is president of the Eco-Home Network, whose mission is to create a sustainable future for our cities through

demonstration, education, and building a constituency for ecological urban living. Their 'Eco-Home' is an environmentally-

sound, energy-efficient, economical house which can serve as a model for others to follow.

Please join us at 8 pm on July

31 at King Gillette Ranch for

the Simultaneous World

Premiere of:

This documentary is a story of the human spirit fighting to save what is

precious and rare. It is a story inspired by hundreds of Park Rangers working

the frontline of conservation around the world. Profits generated from the

documentary will go towards supporting the families of rangers killed in the

line of duty by poachers, guerillas, and militias.

For details and to RSVP contact Ranger Jewel Johnson: (818) 871-9645 ext 24 or

[email protected].

King Gillette Ranch Opening to the Public June 30th….King Gillette Ranch Opening to the Public June 30th….

What do disposable razors, glamorous Hollywood parties,

campfires, and mountain lion survival all have in common?

The answer is King Gillette Ranch, the newest addition to

public open space. The MRCA is opening King Gillette

Ranch to the public on June 30th. KGR is located 3 miles

south of Hwy. 101

at the intersection

of Mulholland

Hwy. and Las

Virgenes Road.

The history behind

this property is vast

and varied –

starting out as

Talapop, a large

and socially

important

Chumash village,

moving on to

become part of the

Rancho era, and then purchased by razor baron King

Gillette, who wanted to take his disposable razor-generated

millions and create the rustic retirement. He commissioned

noted California architect Wallace Neff to build a Spanish

revival styled mansion. However, the stock market crash

reversed Gillette’s fortunes and he died several years later.

His widow sold the property to MGM director Clarence

Brown. The property became a Catholic seminary and later

home to the controversial cult of Elizabeth Clair Prophet

before Soka University bought it in 1986. Park agencies had

hoped to acquire the 588-acre property since the late 1970’s,

but that did not occur until 2005, when it was purchased

from Soka by the SMMC and MRCA (along with the

National Park Service, California State Parks, other state and

local agencies, and some private contributions).

The turnover wasn’t scheduled until early next year, but in a

surprising turn of events, the doors are opening 6 months

early. So while we work with our park partners to garner

public input and develop long-term programming, we felt

the need to offer something NOW.

Campfires are a traditional summer pastime (with stringent

and proper safeguards, of course). We will offer evening

campfires every Tuesday starting in July. On weekends

there will be moonlight hikes, and day hikes showcasing the

natural world as well as the site's history and architecture.

We see this as a chance to introduce KGR to the public with

a series of programs similar to those we offer at our other

sites. For information about our public programs, please

visit our website at www.LAMountains.com. If you wish to

be added to our e-mail list for hikes and activities, contact

Robin Smith at [email protected].

King Gillette Ranch may also serve as a location for a school-

based field science program. Currently, the MRCA brings

LAUSD sixth graders to Temescal Canyon Gateway Park

for a week of outdoor education, rope course challenges,

campfires, and hiking. With it’s open spaces, sweeping

views, and dormitory buildings already in place KGR

would enable us to reach even more students, helping to

create the next generation of naturalists.

Besides being an ideal location for public programs and

outdoor education, KGR serves an important ecological role

in the heart of the Santa Monica Mountains. KGR, along

with other areas such as Malibu Creek State Park, Upper Las

Virgenes Canyon, and Cheeseboro Canyon, occupies a

strategically position in the wildlife corridor connecting the

Santa Monica Mountains, through the Simi Hills, to the

Santa Susanna Mountains. It increases the size of the core

habitat area for wildlife. And it’s part of the watershed for

Malibu Creek.

So come on down and pay us a visit this summer.

Hollywood stars Clark Gable and Greta Garbo used to fly

here for weekend parties. We invite you and your family to

join us for an evening campfire or a morning hike.

Submitted by MRCA Interpreter Anna Fink

Mule deer can often be found browsing on the property.

Tile work depicting a scene from the

Rancho Period embellishes the

entrance to the Gillette Mansion.

Notes from the Field…..Notes from the Field…..

The mystery of the traveling phacelia

Earlier this week I was hiking at Walker Ranch, a place I

seldom visit because it's not MRCA parkland. But I was

scoping out the site for a Fire Ecology Program that we did

in April for the Community Hiking Club in Santa Clarita.

Parts of Walker Ranch in Placerita Canyon burned last year

in a wildfire and we were looking for “fire followers”, plants

that commonly and loosely defined as any flower that is

more abundant after a wildfire.

Dianne and Steve, two of our MRCA volunteers, were

walking with me. We spotted some intensely blue flowers

along the trail, which prompted each of us to take out our

cameras and get down in the dirt. We always carry our

cameras with us and there's plenty of good-natured

bantering about who has the best camera gear.

Later in the day, we traded e-mails about the identity of

those blue flowers. We knew they were phacelia but the

question was "which one". There are many different species.

Finally, after we exchanged a few digital photos, we agreed

it looked like Desert Bluebells, Phacelia campanularia, to be

precise. But Desert Bluebells are normally found east of here

in the Mojave Desert. So we checked with Ian Swift at the

Placerita Nature Center. He agreed with our identification.

What's more, according to his records, this flower had not

been previously documented at Placerita. So what

happened? These flowers were too close to the trailhead to

not have been noticed before this.

I wondered if someone had scattered seeds there after the

fire in a sincere but misguided restoration effort. Then

Dianne told me she had photographed that same flower in

Pico canyon in 2005. Hmmm...the mystery deepens.

Now we are left with a question: how did the seeds

get to Santa Clarita from the Mojave? A Santa Ana

wind? Carried in the fur or feathers of an animal?

Scat? One thing seems certain, the wildlife corridor

from the Mojave to the Santa Susana mountains is

used by plants, not just animals.

Desert bluebells, Phacelia campanularia

Everything INCLUDING the bathroom sink

What happens when tenants move out and

leave a mess. You clean it up, of course. But

suppose the mess was buried in the back

yard and not uncovered until years later.

This was the situation in Whitney Canyon,

part of the greenbelt in Santa Clarita. The heavy winter rains

of 2005/06 uncovered years of buried trash. So in May, the

Community Hiking Club and MRCA volunteers, in

partnership with the City of Santa Clarita, the MRCA and

the Placerita Canyon Nature Center, organized a 2-day clean

up. REI provided snacks, the Castaic Lake Water Agency

provide water, and Burrtec provided a huge dumpster.

Over 70

volunteers

helped remove

long-buried

trash like this

carpet from

Whitney Canyon.

Photos courtesy of

Dianne Erskine.

Santa Clarita Woodlands Park is adjacent to the

Newhall Pass along the I-5. According to

Caltrans, 50 million vehicles travel this corridor

each year. How many of these people, enveloped

inside their air-conditioned cars, ever stop to see

the natural treasures surrounding them?

There’s a whole ’nother world outside your car.

Take the Calgrove exit west off the I-5, turn south

1/4 mile along the Old Road and go for a walk.

The interior of this sacred datura

blossom glows in the natural

light of early morning.

Things you may not see while driving

along the I-5 through the Newhall Pass.

A Behr’s metalmark enjoys a nourishing

visit to a golden yarrow.

A Honeybee

feasts on a

Sunflower.

Big-coned

douglas fir

trees stand in

silhouette

against the

sky.

From a distance,

all you see is a

cluster of white

flowers. But a

closer look

reveals the details

of an elderberry

(top) and toyon

(bottom).

Summer 2007: The Greenbelt - An open space of state-wide significance

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Transcript of Summer 2007: The Greenbelt - An open space of state-wide significance