Finding The Positive in Los Angeles - The River and Local Wildlife

Los Angeles River west of Balboa Blvd.

On a day like today, following another mass assault on our own humanity, it can be difficult to see the world as a positive place. But we all have a choice and I choose to reach out to people making positive differences in the world. 

Los Angeles River just above Sepulveda Dam

Walking the Los Angeles River we have seen the neglected waterway being embraced and re-imagined as part of our communities. The neighborhoods we have walked through so far have been as varied as the River. We all should step out of our own neighborhoods more often to understand the lives of people we think are different from ourselves. The L.A. River holds the potential of uniting disparate peoples across a large city.

The River also can connect disengaged people with the natural world. The section through the Sepulveda Basin is wildness contained, a place to experience wildlife in the city.

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Channel Island fox

The non-profit that I work with, Friends of the Island Fox (a program of the Channel Islands Park Foundation) has just wrapped up a year of numerous successful efforts to support island fox conservation. The Channel Island fox has made a strong recovery from the brink of extinction because of the determined efforts of local people.

There is much to celebrate, but too often it is overshadowed by mindless tragedy caused by people. Today I reject fear and pledge to reach out and build connections with more of my neighbors. Safety doesn't come through weaponry, it comes through bonds of respect and understanding.

Walking the Los Angeles River

Water is life giving. The current drought should be making us more respectful of the naturally occurring water in southern California. Still many people laugh when Angelenos say we have a river.

The Los Angeles River was the center of human habitation in this area for thousands of years. When it created havoc and catastrophic flooding, people confined it to a concrete pathway in order to control its unpredictable ways.

Bridge at Tampa

Finally, fear is giving way to respect and a desire to allow the River to reconnect with its natural ways. The L.A. River officially begins in Canoga Park, less than two miles from where I grew up and I've always wanted to think of it as a river rather than "a wash" or storm drain.

Heron gates at Canoga Ave.

We've been venturing down to the L.A. River for the past nine years. Gradually, new parks and pathways are inviting the public to rediscover the River. See the L.A. River Headwaters walking path.

I've been birding the L.A. River in the Sepulveda Basin for years. It is a gem of wildlife habitat surrounded by suburbs. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the whole L.A. River could become a ribbon of life winding its way through the city? 

I've gotten this idea that I want to walk the River from its birth as a trickle of water in the surrounding mountains to its eventual arrival at the sea.

native wildflowers along the bikeway

So far I've walked sections from the trail along Bell Canyon Creek to the mid-valley at Tampa.

Exploring the River is also seeing the land change, the neighborhoods change, and thinking about the city in new ways. Today, friends joined me in walking the River from Winnetka to the footbridge at Vanalden St. We saw thirteen species of birds and a variety of wildflowers on the native plants landscaping the bikeway. Check out my friend Doug Welch's flower photos on his blog. 

There is a river near you and it is worth exploring.

Video of the Tributaries:
Limekiln Canyon Creek
Arroyo Secco
 
Watershed: Las Virgenes Open Space and take a hike there