There seems to be much activity these days regarding the Whittier Narrows, a possible national recreation area designation for the San Gabriel Mountains and River, and a possible trail linking Eaton Canyon to the Rio Hondo.
The Whittier Daily News reported on this month's Visioning Whittier Narrows event. The Friends were at the event, providing information on the campaign to save the Natural Area, meeting other people from the community, doing a little face painting. We and other members of the community were able to share their concerns about the proposed San Gabriel River Discovery Center.
The Discovery Center is only one part of the larger recreation area, but it's an expensive part. And controversial. So its understandable that it should get more attention.
I find the whole "Visioning" thing very confusing. If it really is about a revision to the Whittier Narrows Master Plan, then I'd expect something vastly more structured and formal that the sort of festival we participated in on Aug. 1. (That's not to say I didn't enjoy it.)
Also in the news this month is a story about a study being conducted by the National Park Service to see if the San Gabriel Mountains and the San Gabriel River might be good candidates for a new national recreation area. The NPS has scheduled five meetings for public input. More information can be found at the NPS study website.
And finally, the Pasadena Star-News is reporting that a local conservancy will be studying the possibility of building a trail along Eaton Wash that would link Eaton Canyon with the Rio Hondo. It's an interesting possibility--but I'd be glad never to see the phrase "Emerald Necklace" again.
Can't we just have the trails and do without the marketing gimmicks?
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Snips 'n' edits of something I posted to the www.visioningwhittiernarrows.org/ site:
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Visioning Whittier Narrows expresses general concepts nebulously, like election flyers for politicians who are afraid of stating their specific plans and deeds for fear that such honest clarity would lose them votes. I can find no blog/forum/published feedback subsite. This makes thinking people suspicious of your intentions and what's not being said. If you are truly interested in helping the community, you should be crystal clear about past history and current plans and proposals, and welcome all sorts of ordinary citizen feedback regarding it. ... Words used in Visioning, like '...much of the park is overgrown and inhabited by the homeless' are red flags. (1) 'Overgrown' does not exist in nature. Yes, certain noxious invasive species like thistle, and lots (though not all!) of (truly, not just seasonally appearing-)dead brush need to be taken away... but anyone who wants to help wildlife or even aesthetically appreciate nature does not use 'overgrown' in regards to native species ...And certainly does not propose more places for ball and skate sports and powertool 'manicuring' mania , which already ruin and bully away open space everywhere else. (2) 'The homeless' are people, too, most of whom just want not to be harassed; of whom Jesus spoke when He said, '...the son of man has no place to rest his head'. Let them sleep in the bushes and use benches and facilities as long as they're not harming anything, for God's sake. One great object of public funds should be to reduce unemployment and hire more law enforcement (aided by simple hidden security cams and light & heat detectors), perhaps on horseback--which good citizens love! This would be of great help against the genuinely malignant: Vandals, gangstas, smugglers, etc.
Within the former Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary (of which nature it ought to be in perpetuity), and the as-yet-unpurposed land ought to made an expansion of nature-&-pedestrian refuge, almost all improvements really needed could be made by civilian volunteers- as well as some of the Sherriff's Dept. 'penitents' (across Durfee): Deadwood, trash and trail clearance, placing helpful and welcoming signs, and planting appropriate native species. A special effort could be made, for instance, to plant rare Tecate Cypress, Bigcone Douglas Fir and Torrey Pines; understory with colorful and nutritious Ceanothus, Hazel, Dogwood, Redbud and Manzanita, while restoring streamsides with Black Cottonwood, Red Alder, California Walnut, ashes, willows, etc.
What government could do would be to supply things like lights, irrigation, benches, wastebins, and restrooms. Real concern for an Emerald Necklace would have the planners walk (or ride horses, bikes, mobile chairs...) between places like the Narrows Rec and Sycamore Canyon; maybe take buses between more distant spaces. They would suddenly see the need for safe pedestrian ('Wildlife Corridor' too!) paths, bridges and tunnels. Please, 'Visionaries', get real!
I like--even LOVE--the Emerald Necklace concept, as long as we can keep it from being co-opted by those who have scant feeling for or understanding of real Nature, those whose 'vision' is of a string of athletic parks largely made of cut lawns and bombastic hardscape with plaques to their tax-taker names. If I could force these rules, I would:
ReplyDeleteMake all politicians use pedestrian or ordinary public transport for their work, except in emergencies --
Not allow anyone to be a parks honcho of any kind unless he/she was successfully tested on real understanding of the Wildlife Corridor and pledged to uphold its prosperity --
Make them (not only) walk all over existing greenscape trails but the pedestrian ways between parks, bikepaths, etc. ('Discovery' of dead ends, circuitous miles to legal access, dodging roaring vehicles, etc.) --
Insure that every proposal was put to a test as to whether it('s stated ideal-objective) might be done by volunteers or other, simpler, cheaper ways (or was ALREADY being done in an available-elsewhere.
ALSO: Check the NPS link Naturalareafan gave above and go to their very informative FAQ page. There's still a little time for public input on the NPS stuff: Nov. 16th '09.