Centuries-old majestic oaks, providing cool shade on a hot
summer’s day.
Federally-endangered Nevin’s barberry, looking like
a small grey holly with showy red berries, in rare profusion,
seeming to defy the reality of its near-extinction in the
wild.
Playful bobcat kittens tumbling together on a foggy morning.
The spirits of Tongva (Gabrielino) Native Americans, hand-drilling
seashells while looking across the San Gabriel Valley all
the way to the sea from where the shells originated. Walking
the ancient trails, collecting acorns, resting in the shade
of the great oaks.
The endangered California gnatcatcher, perhaps nesting in
the once-abundant coastal sage scrub and chaparral.
Abundant birds from riparian, mountain, desert, and chaparral
habitats, mingling in a rare assemblage made possible by the
varied terrain of the steep San Gabriel mountains. Roadrunners,
warblers, nuthatches, phoebes, hummingbirds, hawks, owls and
so many others call these hills home.
A “Mediterranean” ecological zone, found in only
five locations on the planet, rarer than rain forest, supporting
extraordinary species diversity.
Trails for hiking, horseback riding, and mountain biking,
leading to destinations in the San Gabriel mountains, reaching
west to La Cañada Flintridge and the Verdugo Hills,
and east to Eaton Canyon, Sierra Madre and beyond.
Rainwater that puddles and percolates into the underground
aquifer to provide some of the local water supply.
School children in an outdoor “classroom” learning
how it all fits together…
Each of these vignettes, and more, can be found in the Altadena
foothills. Altadena provides a scenic entrance to the Angeles
National Forest. Easily reachable by trails are the beautiful
year-round Millard Canyon waterfall, historic Dawn gold mine,
Brown Mountain, Rubio Canyon, the historic Mt. Lowe Railway
site, and Mount Lowe. Such diversity of natural and historic
treasures can be found in few other places so close to a major
urban area, right on the edge of greater Los Angeles.
These natural and historic values should
be preserved for all to enjoy forever, as we do today. By
working with landowners, non-profit corporations, private
foundations, government agencies, neighbors, and others who
love and value the foothills, we can do this, just as many
other conservancies around the country have successfully preserved
their natural resources for all to enjoy.
