IMPORTANT PARK CLEANUP, SAT. MARCH 19, 9 - noon

Members of the city council may be coming to the Nature Park this month. They have been discussing the possibility of allowing the golf course to extend the driving range into the small piece of land that acts as a buffer between the Nature Park and the driving range (you can see my thoughts on this below).

It is very important that those who oppose this come to the cleanup and let your representatives know how you feel. I am not sure what time they will be there, but I think it would be a good idea to arrive at 9.
As always:

Meet at the park info sign on Pasadena Ave and then head down into the park. The group will pull weeds, pick up litter, and enjoy the park. Come for the whole time, for an hour, or just stop by to say hello.


Nature Park entrance on Pasadena Ave., east of the York St. Bridge

Remember to:
- wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- bring water
- bring gardening gloves and tools (weeders, trowels, whatever you use in your own garden)
- comfortable work clothes, including work shoes (sneakers or boots)
- binoculars for bird watching (optional)

Children must be under adult supervision at all times. There is poison oak in the park, which we will point out before we start.

Please pass this info along to anyone else you think might be interested in the park. If you know of anyone who doesn't use the internet, let me know so we can be sure they are kept in the loop.
See you soon!

FUTURE CLEANUP DATES
April 9, 2011

City Council considers extending golf course

Last week I learned that the South Pasadena City Council is considering extending the golf course driving range into the piece of land adjacent to the Nature Park. (Item 6 on the Closed Session Agenda).

It had been hoped that the land would become part of the park providing a buffer between the park and the golf course. I spoke at the public comment period on Wednesday, March 2nd prior to the closed session meeting.

My opposition to this proposal is based on the following considerations:

1. If the driving range (see map below) is extended there will be a tall fence adjacent to the path that goes down to the Sycamore Circle. The view from the Sycamore Circle will not be of an oak woodland (which it would become if weeds were removed and the existing trees were allowed to thrive), but of an unnaturally green field behind a tall fence.
   
2. There are several beautiful native trees in this fenced area including a large, mature western sycamore (Platanus racemosa) and several coast live oaks (Quercus agrifolia) of different sizes and ages. Even if the trees are not removed, the change to the land and the future requirement of ongoing irrigation, particularly in the summer, would likely be detrimental to the trees.
   
3. Converting this land into turf will increase water usage and urban runoff into the Arroyo Seco. It is a direct, downhill slope from the property to the Arroyo. Whether it is recycled or potable water, it will require an increase in water usage. Recycled water usually has more salts than potable water and may endanger any trees that receive runoff or direct irrigation. Runoff into the Arroyo Seco from irrigation of turf with recycled or potable water is definitely a concern and may require an EIR (Environmental Impact Report), or at least notification to the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.
   
4. The city promotes itself as a “Tree City” and requires residents to go through an arduous and expensive process to remove trees, especially California natives. If it were necessary to remove any of the trees in that parcel to accommodate the driving range activity, this would leave the city open to criticism of having a double standard when it comes to its policy on the value and protection of urban canopy. Project managers sometimes agree to move trees from effected areas as a form of mitigation. This practice has been shown to be ineffective and expensive. It is a waste of money and worse than just chopping down trees with no mitigation at all.
   
5. The city sets a bad example by increasing turf when the public is being told to reduce water usage by removing lawn.
   
6. Looking at a map of the park land along the Arroyo Seco in South Pasadena, the small southwest tip (shaded in blue and red on the map below) is the only habitat that can be enjoyed by the public. It should also be noted that a large portion of the Nature Park is actually on LA City land (the extreme western tip, shaded in red) so that South Pasadena land dedicated to natural habitat is even smaller.

Members of the South Pasadena City Council may be coming to the Nature Park for the next Friends of the Nature Park cleanup on Saturday, March 19th. It would be helpful if you could spread the word to anyone who might oppose the golf course extension. Ask them to contact the city council and to attend the March 19th cleanup to let them know in person how they feel.

PARK CLEAN UP - Sat, Mar 19, 2011, 9 AM - noon

Meet at the park info sign on Pasadena Ave and then head down into the park. The group will pull weeds, pick up litter, and enjoy the park. Come for the whole time, for an hour, or just stop by to say hello.


Nature Park entrance on Pasadena Ave., east of the York St. Bridge

Remember to:
- wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- bring water
- bring gardening gloves and tools (weeders, trowels, whatever you use in your own garden)
- comfortable work clothes, including work shoes (sneakers or boots)
- binoculars for bird watching (optional)

Children must be under adult supervision at all times. There is poison oak in the park, which we will point out before we start.

Please pass this info along to anyone else you think might be interested in the park. If you know of anyone who doesn't use the internet, let me know so we can be sure they are kept in the loop.
See you soon!

FUTURE CLEANUP DATES
April 9, 2011

PARK CLEAN UP: SATURDAY, February 12, 2011, 9 am - noon

Meet at the park info sign on Pasadena Ave and then head down into the park. The group will pull weeds, pick up litter, and enjoy the park. Come for the whole time, for an hour, or just stop by to say hello.


Nature Park entrance on Pasadena Ave., east of the York St. Bridge

Remember to:
- wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- bring water
- bring gardening gloves and tools (weeders, trowels, whatever you use in your own garden)
- comfortable work clothes, including work shoes (sneakers or boots)
- binoculars for bird watching (optional)

Children must be under adult supervision at all times. There is poison oak in the park, which we will point out before we start.

Please pass this info along to anyone else you think might be interested in the park. If you know of anyone who doesn't use the internet, let me know so we can be sure they are kept in the loop.
See you soon!

FUTURE CLEANUP DATES

March 19, 2011 (changed from 3/12)
April 9, 2011

Jan. 29 Cleanup Report

What a lovely day it was at the Nature Park! Old friends and new wandered in through out the morning. A couple of young families arrived to help out and to look for lizards and other critters.


Others got down and dirty pulling weeds like...


horehound (Marrubium vulgare) before it goes into bloom, forming seed heads that stick to everything.


This horehound has been left to dry out in the sun, leaving room for black sage (Salvia mellifera) and other natives to thrive.


Seedling of sagebrush (Artemisia californica) will do just fine!


Coast sunflower (Encelia californica) on left and large black sage (Salvia mellifera) on right have enjoyed this winter's rains. It took several plantings of the encelia to get one going. Early ones didn't get enough rain and cooked by the wall. This one seems like it will make it. Keep a look out for its happy yellow flowers.



Hope to see some of you at the Nature Park. If you can't make it for the scheduled cleanups, do make the time to go for a stroll - there's always something interesting to see.

Future cleanups are scheduled for:

February 12, 2011
March 19, 2011 (changed from 3/12)
April 9, 2011

PARK CLEANUP, SATURDAY, January 29, 2011, 9 am - noon

Don't know about you all, but I am ready to get back into the park and pull some weeds. On my last visit to the park horehound (Marrubium vulgare) was out of control. Here are some of the weeds we will be battling as the war on the weeds continues!

Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)


Castorbean (Ricinus communis)


Mustard (Brassica and Hirshfeldia species)


Milk thistle (Silybum marianum)


Meet at the park info sign on Pasadena Ave and then head down into the park. The group will pull weeds, pick up litter, and enjoy the park. Come for the whole time, for an hour, or just stop by to say hello.


Nature Park entrance on Pasadena Ave., east of the York St. Bridge

Remember to:
- wear sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- bring water
- bring gardening gloves and tools (weeders, trowels, whatever you use in your own garden)
- comfortable work clothes, including work shoes (sneakers or boots)
- binoculars for bird watching (optional)

Children must be under adult supervision at all times. There is poison oak in the park, which we will point out before we start.

Please pass this info along to anyone else you think might be interested in the park. If you know of anyone who doesn't use the internet, let me know so we can be sure they are kept in the loop.
See you soon!

NO PARK CLEANUP IN JANUARY

I am sorry but I will not be available for the regular park cleanup this Saturday, January 8th. Please feel free to go on down to the park at your convenience to pick up litter, weed and just enjoy.

Future cleanups are scheduled for:

February 12, 2011
March 12, 2011
April 9, 2011

I will try to make it down on Saturday, January 29. This is tentative, so check your email (let me know if you want to be on the Nature Park email list) and this blog for confirmation.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year.

Barbara