Restoration of native plants at pocket parks along historic waterway offers a chance for community involvement.
Momentum has been growing for several years to revitalize the Los Angeles River, with multiple nonprofit groups involved, and increased public investment.
This has been welcome news to Marcos Trinidad, who for years has been trying to raise awareness that the river, despite its concrete walls and fencing, is actually a remarkable habitat for dozens of bird species. On any given day, you can see a wide array of egrets, herons, swallows, stilts, and other birds.
Through bird walks and nature tours, Trinidad saw an opportunity to open people’s eyes to the nature that exists in this urban landscape. Throughout his career in conservation, he has been testing out programs that bring people to the river.
Volunteers install native plants at one of the pocket parks along the Los Angeles River.
With a new project linked to the Audubon Center, Trinidad has hit upon the formula. Using funds from the recent Proposition 1 water bond, and in partnership with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, Audubon is organizing volunteers to enhance habitat in three pocket parks along the Los Angeles River with native, bird-friendly plants.
Cindy Casteneda, the center’s conservation program coordinator, has been organizing habitat enhancement events at the three parks since last summer. At each event, five to fifteen volunteers install native plants from Audubon’s native plant nursery at Debs Park.
He mentioned that one volunteer from the neighborhood, who also organizes community bike rides along the river, approached Castaneda about putting together Birding and Bikes events. These events will create even greater awareness about the birds of the Los Angeles River.
When Trinidad was designing this new program, he took the opportunity to address one of the biggest challenges to conservation in low-income, urban neighborhoods.
Volunteers ham it up after a great work day along the L.A. River.
Trinidad noted that one neighborhood group declined to support a proposed park clean-up event sponsored by the Audubon Center at Debs Park for this very reason.
A key part of Audubon’s new pocket park program is to partner with the Southeast Asian Community Alliance and Public Counsel to identify strategies to address myths about parks and displacement, and develop ways to build public support in difficult political environments for green infrastructure. This could involve the creation of a toolkit for conservation groups, neighborhood leaders, and residents.
In addition to this new project emerging from the Audubon Center at Debs Park, Audubon California is taking a closer look at how the birds of the Los Angeles River can play a part in its resurgence.
You can help. If you’re interested in participating in one of our habitat enhancement volunteer days, contact the Audubon Center at Debs Park via email at debspark@audubon.org or by calling (323) 221-2255.
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