Threatened Wilderness

God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools.

--John Muir

When the Arcadia Woodlands were razed last month, most of us were stunned. It was a reckless decision carried out with little discussion and an almost gleeful disregard for public outcry. The echoes of all those chainsaws and bulldozers still reverberate, making it hard not to imagine warnings from the spirit guides that surely must haunt our Arroyo corridor. We have paved so much of paradise. For decades we have slashed and buried because it was easy or handy or politically connected. But we simply can't destroy all of our wild places in the name of convenience. We have so few green spaces left, we must use our best minds to find ways to manage the needs of civilization without decimating our natural wonders.

Which brings me to nearby Hahamongna Watershed Park. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Works is leaning toward turning much of it into yet another dumping ground. (CORRECTION: they are leaning toward destroying much of the habitat in order to remove debris. The end result is the same: it means turning much of this beautiful wilderness into a wasteland.) Our good friend Petrea over at Pasadena Daily Photo has studied this developing story with great interest. Please take a look at her post from yesterday and follow the links for more information, as well as ways to help.

I will include more information here in the coming weeks.

Requiem for the Trees

A few minutes ago every tree was excited, bowing to the roaring storm, waving, swirling, tossing their branches in glorious enthusiasm like worship. But though to the outer ear these trees are now silent, their songs never cease.

--John Muir

This morning, our neighbors in Arcadia will lose a natural treasure. Barring a last minute miracle, the 11 acre grove of century old oak trees known as the Arcadia Woodlands will be razed today to make room for 250,000 cubic yards of Santa Anita dam sediment. The area is the only remaining example of the flatland woodlands that once thrived within the alluvial fans exiting the San Gabriel Mountains. You can read about it here, here, and here. You can see video of exactly what will be destroyed here.

I'd like to think that wisdom, thoughtfulness and true stewardship will prevail, but we all know how these things turn out.

Tree Hugging

Don't the trees along Arroyo Drive look beautiful this time of year? By the way, I have a new column going up at South Pasadena Patch sometime this morning. It's all about one of my favorite subjects: South Pasadena's many, many trees. Our city has a history of protecting and cherishing our trees, and our community is all the better for it.

Meanwhile, construction is set to begin Wednesday on LA county's controversial Santa Anita Dam Riser Modification and Reservoir Sediment Removal Project. Why is this of interest to me? Because the proposed project would decimate nearby Arcadia Woodlands. Arcadia is slated to lose some 179 legacy oak trees, many over a hundred years in age. This woodland area also includes sycamores, California bay, elderberry, toyon, sugar bush and dozens of other native plant species. It provides a natural habitat for deer, bears, owls, hawks and bats as well as countless species of birds. If the county moves forward, it will turn a thriving, dynamic, regenerative, intact ecosystem (as well as a natural groundwater storage area) into a dump for sediment. And it won't just be the trees and animals who will suffer if the region is destroyed. The area is particularly hospitable to human beings, too. It is located at the northern end of an accessible urban trail that is level, flat and easily enjoyed by children and the elderly.

Several alternatives have been presented by concerned citizens, all of which have been rejected or passed off as unfeasible. I'm not blindly advocating that trees take precedence over dam safety or that flood control isn't a major (not to mention historical) issue in LA County. But in my opinion, officials have been at best disingenuous about this issue. When it comes to the grave decision to destroy a precious natural habitat -- one that can never be recreated -- the powers that be had damn well better exhaust all options before bringing in the bulldozers. Once a grove of century old trees is buried in sludge, it's too late to realize there might have been a wiser alternative.

Please join me in asking that LA County spare one of our few remaining woodlands by signing this online petition. So far, over 1300 concerned people have added their names to the list. If you are feeling particularly inspired, LA County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich's office phone number is 213-974-5555. He might be able to help, and would certainly be more inclined if enough people bugged him about it.

For more information, Arcadia Patch is providing great up-to-date coverage of this developing story. Sierra Madre Patch also has an interesting article here. I'm not the only one putting out the call for support. See Pasadena Adjacent for a list of other bloggers who want to save the Arcadia Woodlands.

UPDATE 4:25PM: Damn. Pasadena Star News is reporting that environmentalists lost the appeal. Razing of Arcadia Woodlands is slated to begin as scheduled tomorrow.