In the most recent edition of the Pasadena Audubon Society's newsletter, Laura Garrett writes of two opportunities to help save important foothill areas of the San Gabriel Mountains.
Sensitive wildlife habitat in Pasadena's Hahamongna Watershed Park (located near JPL) could be turned into sports fields, parking lots and roads if a majority of the city council has its way.
While the proposed project appears to have been reduced in size to some degree, the city council's recent decision to move ahead with the project -- and to sacrifice ever-rarer habitat and opportunities for passive recreation -- is at odds with what the council heard from the community on July 12. "40 people spoke out against building any soccer fields in Hahamongna Watershed Park, " Laura writes, "while not one person spoke out in favor of the fields."
She encourages people to write the mayor or a city councilmember, attend council meetings when the EIR is being discussed, and sign the petition at http://www.savehahamongna.org/.
Conservation isn't just about stopping bad projects, it's also about taking positive, substantive steps to ensure that our remaining wild places stay wild. In that spirit, the Arroyo & Foothills Conservancy is working to buy 21 acres at the mouth of Rubio Canyon, Laura writes.
Combined with a 2009 purchase, the new effort would preserve all of Rubio Canyon, -- its waterfalls, its diverse habitats and the wildlife they support, she writes. The purchase would also help to link and expand hiking and birding opportunities.
The conservancy is working to raising $1.3 million by the end of this year for the purchase, habitat restoration and trail creation. Laura -- who writes that she is also the newest member of the conservancy board -- encourages people to visit http://www.altadenafoothills.org/ if they're interested in making a financial contribution to the effort.
The September - October PAS newsletter, as well as past newsletters, can be found at http://www.pasadenaaudubon.org/act.html#wren.
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In my experience, the result of making new tarted-up places for amateur field sports is that the high school fields were they HAD been played are left abandoned and wasted. Maybe an official study ought to be done on this.
ReplyDeleteBetter yet, let's just return PARK to its earlier meaning of a place where NATURE thrives with discreet enhancements of human custodial care. C'mon, Children of Adam: this time, side with EDEN instead of the Enemy!