According to a study by Zhu and Zhang (Auburn University, AL., School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences; University of Southern California School of Policy, Planning and Development).."The empirical findings suggest that the demand for urban forests is elastic with respect to price and highly responsive to changes in income."
More on this topic...and very cool articles, I might add...
So, in other words.... poor communities have few trees and wealthy communities have lots of trees. And apparently, urban forests fight crime! Lots of trees in the community also brings healthier newborns! Trees reduce stress, clean the air, provides shade, and a whole host of other positives..... so, WHY IS the County of Los Angeles trying to reduce the number for trees by building a giant building and parking lot for the water agencies in the ONLY OPEN WILD SPACE with MATURE TREES (???) which serves the communities of El Monte/South El Monte/Rosemead/Montebello/Whittier/Baldwin Park/ East Los Angeles/Temple City (mostly Latino, Asian)?
The proponents of this Discovery Center Project, which includes the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation, the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy, and the various water agencies.... believe the communities around the Whittier Narrows Nature Center and Sanctuary need educating...especially about water. But why? you ask.
Question: "So, if the community that surrounds the Whittier Narrows Sanctuary which has many many trees, but is of the low to lower median income bracket and has less trees then say, Santa Monica or Beverly Hills, WHY WOULD THE COUNTY WANT TO REMOVE THEIR TREES AND MAKE THEIR COMMUNITY WORSE????
The Los Angeles County (probably Supervisor Gloria Molina) and the RIvers and Mountains Conservancy (a state run 'conservacy' that doles out our -tax- bond money) think the community needs educatin'.... Rather rude folks, I would say...
Here is a group that has been around before the Los Angeles County Parks and Recreation's Discovery Center Project began... The Water Education Foundation. Here is a link where you can find out where your water comes from in any city in California...
And here is a study by the USGS in 2000 on the use/overuse of water per state.
But in REALITY..... if we just stop to think and ask ourselves..... who DOES USE MORE WATER ->>> RICH PEOPLE or NOT RICH PEOPLE????
1) A person/family with a) a large property b) lots of green grass c) swimming pool d) a spa e) lots of clothes f) lots of cars
2) A person/family with a) a small property b) spends most of the time at work/school c) has one car/person who works d) does not have a lot of grass e) does not have a pool or spa f) does not have a lot of clothes
I would say... the folks who use the most water are those who make $100.000.00+/year. BUT STILL.... why is the County of Los Angeles and the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy SO HOT to take away this community's Sanctuary? Greed? Power? A nice brass plaque on the front door?
Now.... lets look at pictures.... they tell the story..................
Google Map of Whittier Narrows Sanctuary and community
Google Map of Cheviot Hills/Beverly Hills
A view from the sky of the Sanctuary (building under trees)
You can't see the building, can you! Hawks and owls nest in those trees!
You can't see the building, can you! Hawks and owls nest in those trees!
A view from the sky of surrounding communities of Sanctuary
and downtown Los Angeles (note the air quality)
Closer view of existing Nature Center under trees and the
parking lot, today (where is that building???)
The UNFORTUNATE (ahem) building design by the LA County and Rivers Mountains
Conservancy and without all the trees
Again, the UNFORTUNATE design of the Discovery Center (also
an unfortunate name for this design) in the most recent
Rivers and Mountains Conservancy Schematic in 2012 website
Truly, UNFORTUNATE, sad but still, not without humor and irony.
