Summer 2006: Open Spaces Create Clean Water - Part 1

Summer 2006

Open Spaces Create Clean Water

Consider what happens when an inch of rain

fertilizer used on the plants along the perimeter of the parking lot, as well as a bit of insecticide falls on an asphalt parking lot at a shopping used to keep the white flies under control. center somewhere in the Los Angeles River Hmmm, there’s also a bit of fecal watershed. That water hits the material, where a dog was ground and flows toward the The five most allowed to “do his business” in lowest part of the parking lot, polluted beaches in the bushes. Each gram of dog where it enters a storm drain, flows the state were all in feces contains 23 million bacteria. into a flood control channel like the LA County.

LA River and eventually reaches Multiply this situation by the ocean. On the way to the storm drain, it thousands of asphalt parking lots. Is it any picks up a few drops of oil from a leaking car, a wonder that, according to Heal the Bay’s 2005bit of radiator fluid from another car, and a 2006 Annual Beach Report Card, “the five most plastic lid from a discarded coffee cup. Oh polluted beaches in the state were all in LA yeah, there is also some time-released County. “ (continued on page 2) Inside this issue….

1 Feature Story 2 Feature Story (cont) 3 Greetings from the MRCA 3 From the Editor 4 Marsh Park 4 Cyberteer 5 Storm Water Runoff 6 Chautauqua 6 Ask the Naturalist 7 Parks in the News 8 Featured Plant and Animal 9 Science News You Can Use 10 For Parents and Educators 11 Volunteer Happenings 12 Volunteer Calendar 13 Volunteer Calendar 14 Access Un-Deniable 14 Invasive Weeds 15 Notes from the Field 16 Photo Gallery

Ballona Wetlands - a coastal estuary with a mixture of both saltwater and freshwater marshes.

Photo courtesy Jonathan Coffin

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Feature Story Continued…..

Now consider what happens to that same inch of rain when it falls on one of our parks or open spaces. Some of it percolates into the soil, where it is cleansed of fecal bacteria, viruses and other pollutants. Some of it flows into streams, where UV sunlight acts as a disinfectant, killing the fecal bacteria that comes from the animals that live there. The clearer the water, the more effective the sunlight, so properly constructed trails and minimal erosion are vital. Because this is parkland, there is no pesticide or herbicide or commercial fertilizer in the runoff. And if visitors pack out their trash, (and pick up after their dogs) there is no litter either.

As an agency, we are involved in monitoring small but ecologically significant portions of our watershed. For example,Tierra Rejada, located in the City of Moorpark, is the site of a small vernal pool. The MRCA is responsible for an annual biological assessment on that site of three federally endangered species, the Riverside fairy shrimp (Streptocephalus woottoni), Orcutt grass (Orcuttia californica), and Lyon’s pentachaeta or Pygmy Daisy (Pentachaeta lyonii).

The MRCA is working on some exciting innovations in our water demonstration parks. You can read about Marsh Park, one of our recently launched projects, on page 2. But there are several more projects in the works.

At 8th Street Park, located in the City of San Fernando along the Pacoima wash, the MRCA is incorporating stormwater capture and treatment into the park design. Stormwater from a 33 acre residential area will be filtered to remove suspended solids prior to entering two “placitas”, which also double as community gathering spaces. These placitas also act as sediment traps, cleaning the water before entering the

A slough at Ballona Wetlands reflects a nearby building

naturalized stream which delivers the water to a large sand media filter detention basin within the park, where water infiltrates into the underground aquifer.

Further west, the design for the West Mulholland Trailhead near Topanga State Park uses porous concrete for the park road and parking spaces. Stephanie Landregan, the Chief Landscape Architect for the MRCA, explains the influence of the project: “if all the driveways in LA were pervious instead of impervious, imagine the impact on regenerating the groundwater...The small improvements we make in our water demonstration parks and facilities are contributing to the big picture and have in the long run a big impact!”

Downstream, the MRCA is working with a number of agencies and groups involved with the Ballona Wetlands.

Recently, the Agency has been authorized by the State Coastal Conservancy to “help implement stewardship activities to protect and enhance the site.”

From the top of the watershed, through the urban core and out to the ocean, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and MRCA are active in helping keep our water clean.

Cyberteer…..

Here are some websites learn more about watershed management and water quality: The EPA has an online Watershed Academy. This Web site offers a basic and broad introduction to the watershed management field: www.epa.gov/watertrain/ For information on vernal pools: www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/types/vernal.html The State Coastal Commission has a model urban runoff program, with a series of “Best Management Practices” monographs for local businesses and homes: Symbiosis Summer 2006 Page 2

www.coastal.ca.gov/la/murp.html They also have a site for educators: www.coastal.ca.gov/publiced/directory/educate.html The City of Los Angeles has a website devoted to stormwater issues, including a glossary of terms and FAQ’s about stormwater runoff: www.lacity.org/SAN/wpd/index1.htm For a copy of Heal the Bay’s Annual Beach Report Card, go to: http://www.healthebay.org/brc/annual/default.asp

Greetings from the MRCA. . .

teach them to see so that they might care. And we help them put their caring into action.

Dear Friends -

So when the students of Hollenbeck Middle School approached LAUSD Councilmember Huizar and Supervisor Gloria Molina about improving neglected land near the Blueberry Hills stairway in Boyle Heights, we were brought in to assist with the project. Now this area will be turned into a green and usable space for the neighborhood.

Most of my professional life has been spent as an educator and I will be retiring soon after 37 years in the profession. So I know a bit about young people and how education, at it’s best, helps instill positive values in students.

Why was this teenage boy peering into a storm drain while holding an aquarium fish net? To rescue these baby quail, that’s why. But where did he first learn to care about other living creatures?

He was first taught to see, so that he might care. That’s one reason why I’m proud to work with the MRCA - we work with students to connect them with their natural environment. We

From the Editor…..

About a year ago, my old car, “The Tin Can”, finally died and we began looking around for a replacement. I noticed myself paying more attention to the cars I saw on the streets, especially if they were on our short list of possibilities. That’s how I felt when we began working on this edition of Symbiosis. I noticed all sorts of first-class publications were writing about our polluted watersheds, estuaries and oceans. The June edition of Scientific American has “Wading in Waste” and the July issue of National Geographic has “Our Coasts in Crisis”. There was even an article in The Wall Street Journal. National Geographic included a stunning picture of trash in Ballona Creek, which was so much better than the photos I took there in May. I was left with two questions: “what can I say that hasn’t already been said” and “where can I find a great cover photo?”

Answer to question number one came from a marketing class I took years ago. I remember the Professor was fond of the phrase, “look for the hole and fill it”. So be it! We’re a small niche publication and we can tailor it to interests of our local California readers. So we have devoted this issue of Symbiosis to what the SMMC and MRCA are doing to be

If this issue of Symbiosis helps you to see how our local neighborhoods affect our water quality, then perhaps you will care. Perhaps you’ll look at your neighborhood in a new light, with ideas of how we can use the power of dirt and sunlight to clean our water. Perhaps you’ll be willing to help us put that caring into action too.

Now go outside and play!

Michael D. “Mike” Berger, Chair Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority part of the solution. We also want to equip you with the tools you need - to explain the local issues, to share some practical ideas and to identify places where you can learn more - so you can make informed decisions about what else needs to be done. I’ll leave it to you to decide how well we have performed our task.

Answer to question number two came from Jonathan Coffin, the photographer who provided the cover photo at Ballona. Thanks, Jonathan, for sharing your photos with us.

I also want to thank Linda Locklin from the California Coastal Commission and, of course, our staff and volunteers, whose photos and ideas are always welcome.

One final note. In June, we said good-bye to one of our regular contributors. For the past year, Asha Bankowski has been writing the “Cyberteer” and “For Parents and Educators” pages. She has joined the Peace Corps and will be spending the next two years in Latin America. We will miss her, but wish her well on her great adventure.

Wendy Langhans 310-858-7272 x 115 Wendy.langhans@mrca.ca.gov Page 3

This May, we celebrated new park opening in the Elysian Valley neighborhood near downtown Los Angeles. Marsh Park is the first Clean Water Natural Park on the Los Angeles River.

What do we mean by a “clean water natural park,”, and why is it important? Each year, billions of gallons of water runs off of city streets into storm drains that empty into the Los Angeles River and, eventually into the Pacific Ocean.

As this water washes along our streets it picks up pollutants such as motor oil, insecticides, and fertilizer, which pollute our river, beaches and ocean. Marsh Park’s design incorporates a detention and infiltration system that uses a plentiful and naturally occurring substance - DIRT - to cleanse storm water runoff of pollutants. Marsh Park is located adjacent to the Glendale Narrows, a section of the Los Angles River which has a “soft bottom” instead of a concrete floor, so the water percolates into and replenishes the underground aquifer.

Most professionals agree that if the water runoff from each twenty acres of paved city streets were directed to approximately one-acre detention and infiltration areas like Marsh Park, our regional stormwater pollution problems would be solved.

A rainstorm in late May demonstrates how storm water runoff is captured and cleansed of pollutants while filtering into the underground aquifer.

Symbiosis Summer 2006 Page 4

Marsh Park captures and filters the runoff that previously flowed directly into the adjacent Glendale Narrows section of the Los Angeles River.

But there’s more to this story than simply cleaner water. To quote Joseph T. Edmiston, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, “We bring nature back into the neighborhoods and create parkland and recreational opportunities in densely populated urban areas where they are needed most. Joint use, multi-benefit projects give the public the most for its money.”

The Park was constructed by the non-profit Los Angeles Conservation Corps, which employs young adults to construct environmental projects.

Marsh Park is an example of several public agencies working together to create common-sense solutions to regional problems. Both the City and County of Los Angeles and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy (SMMC) were involved in this project. Funding for Marsh Park came from voter-approved State bond funds (The Safe Drinking Water, Clean Water, Watershed Protection, and Flood Protection Act of 2000), Los Angeles County Proposition A, and private donations.

What’s so bad about Storm Water Runoff...

Let’s begin with a few facts about storm water drainage systems and storm water runoff in Los Angeles: 1) Every day in Los Angeles County, at least 100 million gallons of contaminated water and debris drains through the storm drain system and flow directly into the ocean. On a rainy day, that amount can increase to 10 billion gallons. In open channels, this flow can reach a depth of 25 feet and speeds of 35 mph. Our MRCA Parks and Open spaces reduce this flow by creating buffers for overflow and infiltration. Remember, if you want water from a hose to flow faster, you constrict the nozzle.

2) The Los Angeles storm drain system drains water from a 1,060 square One of 35,000 storm drains in Los Angeles County mile area into 35,000 catch basins, 1,500-miles of underground pipes and 100 miles of open channels that discharges directly into our coastal waters at 65 points on our coast. MRCA Parks and Open spaces, such as Upper Las Virgenes Canyon, are located at the top of the watershed, to minimize pollution from the start.

3) Unlike the sewer system, storm water runoff is not treated. Storm water runoff is contaminated with the chemicals and organisms that make up our urban lives: pesticides, insecticides, herbicides, fertilizer, petrochemicals, heavy metals and fecal bacteria, protozoa and viruses. The MRCA does not use pesticides or insecticides on our properties. We require dogs to be on leash and that dog owners clean up after their dog.

Why is this an issue? After all, we do treat our sewage waste water. Isn’t that enough? No, it’s not enough - storm water runoff is full of disease causing organisms. The EPA estimates that swimming in seawater even with maximum acceptable counts of fecal contamination will cause 2 percent of bathers to fall ill.1 These illnesses can vary from common ones such as gastroenteritis, conjunctivitis, and ear infections to more serious ones such as hepatitis.

In Los Angeles, Escondido Beach exceeded EPA thresholds on 95% of sampled days. But the problem is widespread and not confined to specific beaches. Heal the Bay’s 20052006 Beach Report Card gave a good to excellent grade to only 68 % of LA County beaches. The five most polluted beaches in the state were in LA County.

Another concern has to do with the health of our oceans and the creatures that rely on it for survival (including ourselves).

Pollution from our waste water has reached the point that “over 90% of the area in the Santa Monica bay has contaminants at levels at which biological effects begin to occur.”3 Today, the greatest overall threat to the bay is stormwater run-off.3 What can be done about it?

Increase the amount of pervious (porous) surfaces. There is a correlation between the abundance of E. coli and impervious surfaces.2 For example, parking lots can be paved with porous concrete, a semipervious material that allows water to filter into the soil while at the same time supporting the weight of automobiles.

Reduce peak runoff flow. Create spaces for storm water runoff to collect, rather than immediately flow into the drain system. Allow open channels to have a “soft bottom”, so that water can percolate into the underground aquifer. By reducing peak flow, you reduce the amount of sediment in the water from erosion. The clearer the water, the easier for sunlight to penetrate and kill fecal bacteria with UV light.

Also, sediment can bind with pollutants such as phosphates, ammonium and fecal bacteria and carry them downstream.

Filter storm runoff. In the urban core storm water runoff can be funneled into areas where it can be filtered before percolating into the ground or flowing into storm drains.

This will cleanse the water of pollutants before it enters the storm drain system. These filtration areas can be scalable in size - small for the area the size of a parking lot, or larger for a residential neighborhood such as the MRCA’s Marsh Park.

(1) M. Mallin. Wading in Waste. Scientific American. June 2006: 52 - 59 (2) J. Bourne. Our Coasts in Crisis. National Geographic. June 2006: 60-87.

(3) United State Geologic Survey. http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/socal/smbay/

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Chautauqua programs for Summer…..

Summer Campfire Programs at Temescal We will be taking a break from Chautauqua programs in July and August, so we can again offer our popular weekly Campfire programs. Every Thursday night, 8:00-10:00 PM THU 7/6, 13, 20, 27 THU 8/3, 10, 17, 24 For more information call (310) 454-1395 ext.106 or visit www.Lamountains.com.

Butterflies of the Santa Monica Mountains Sept. 29, 7:30 PM. Margaret Huffman Butterflies are very beautiful creatures, with their bright colors and graceful flight. The Los Angeles area, with its temperate climate, is home to more than 100 kinds of butterflies. Monarchs, anise swallowtails, and marine blues Location: Temescal Gateway Park 15601 Sunset Boulevard Pacific Palisades, CA 310-454-1395 x 106

are just a few of the species to grace our local skies. Learn what butterflies can be seen in the Santa Monica Mountains and where and when it's easiest to see particular species.

Margaret Huffman is program chair and past-president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA). The group promotes enjoyment of butterflies through programs, field trips, butterfly counts, butterfly gardening, and through its web site: www.naba.org. She has put on many shows about southern California butterflies and run workshops on gardening for birds and butterflies. A naturalist at heart, she emphasizes growing native plants for birds and butterflies and, ultimately, for restoration of the natural California Sister landscape.

Photograph by Dr. Paul Levine

Ask the Naturalist…

How do wading birds catch fish?

Take a close look at this Green Heron standing on a deck, trying to swallow a fish he just caught. Notice the sharp pointy bill; notice how far open it can stretch. Most fisheating bird have sharp pointy bills - designed to spear fish and other water-dwelling creatures like frogs. Sometimes they use their bill like a set of tongs to grab their prey.

I’ve watched this particular Green Heron hunting. He stands for a long time in a crouched position, horizontal to the water surface, with neck and head retracted. Sometimes he oh-soslowly walks to a new location, where he again pauses and watches motionlessly until….

Suddenly -

he makes his move - an explosive dart and leaping dive into the water. Sometimes he lands a fish; sometimes not.

Green Herons are one of the few birds that use bait to attract fish; they drop things like bread crusts or insects onto the surface of the water, waiting for a curious fish to investigate.

Green Herons live near wetlands and rely on their acute vision to forage during the day. This particular bird has a nasty-sounding squawk which he does not hesitate to use whenever he thinks I get too close.

E-mail your questions to Wendy.Langhans@mrca.ca.gov.

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Parks in the News‌

4th Annual Towsley Trail Days Volunteers from the MRCA, REI Inc Northridge, and the Santa Clarita Valley community joined together on June 3rd to repair trails in Towsley Canyon.

Trails that are properly designed and maintained are safer for hikers and mountain bikers. Also, good trails minimize erosion and storm water runoff - which keeps our streams cleaner and helps replenish our groundwater.

But it wasn’t all work. We celebrated afterwards with a Bar-B-Que and raffle, with prizes donated by REI. Top prize - a plush stuffed bird that chirped when squeezed.

All told - 17 Towsley Trail Volunteers put in over 327 hours this spring.

Photos by Dianne Erskine Kicking a large loose rock down the hill. (Rt.) Tread repair.

(Lft.)

Newhall Ranch High Country Recreation and Conservation Authority The SMMC has entered into a partnership with the City of Santa Clarita, County of Los Angeles and Newhall Land to manage a 6000 acre preserve in the Santa Susana Mountains.

The first 150 acres will be transferred before the end of 2006 to the Center for Natural Lands Management, a non-profit that will maintain the land, overseen by the Authority.

Ultimately, these 6000 acres will have 50 miles of trails. The long term goal is to connect this open space to Michael D. Antonovitch Regional Park at Joughin Ranch.

Clean Water, Parks & Coastal Protection Bond Qualifies For November Statewide Ballot Measure Protects Drinking Water, Improves Water Supply & Protects Natural Resources The California Secretary of State's office announced on June 14 that the California Safe Drinking Water, Water Quality and Supply, Flood Control, River and Coastal Protection Bond Act has qualified for placement on the November 7, 2006 General Election statewide ballot. Supporters submitted more than 600,000 signatures in April, nearly double the amount required.

The $5.4 billion bond measure would provide critically needed funds to ensure the availability of safe drinking water, improve local water supply reliability, strengthen flood protection, and preserve California's natural landscapes, including parks, lakes, rivers, beaches, bays, ocean and coastline.

The proposed $5.4 billion Clean Water, Parks and Coastal Protection Bond will invest in California's natural infrastructure to ensure that all Californians will have access to safe drinking water, be better protected from floods, and continue to have opportunities to enjoy parks, rivers, lakes, beaches, bays and coastline.

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Featured Plant and Animal…..

Pacific Chorus Frog is Heard Far and Wide

Stately Cattail Takes Care of Dirty Business Cattails may often be found rising above the wetlands of the Santa Monica Mountains, their stately stalks towering over long slender leaves and crowned with their trademark sausage-shaped, brown flower stems. Tule (Typha latifolia) and broadleaf (Typha domingensis) varieties of cattail are common in the area. They serve as a source of food and shelter for wetland birds and their roots, pollen, and seeds were an important year-round food source for the California Indians. Most importantly, the stately cattail takes on the dirty job of water filtration.

Wetlands are nature’s water treatment plants, and cattails, as dominant inhabitants of shallow, still or slow moving fresh waters, are an integral part of the cleansing process.

Sediment- and pollutant-rich waters enter wetlands as People around the globe are familiar with the call of the Pacific Chorus Frog, Pseudacdris regilla. Upon hearing these overflow from rivers and lakes. The water’s flow is slowed surprisingly tiny creatures sing to the springtime night from a by the wetland and as it encounters wetland vegetation, allowing solid particles suspended in it to settle out. In mile or more away, you might imagine that lung power slowing the flow, wetlands also protect nearby developed alone could carry their calls to the far corners of the Earth.

Indeed, the male Pacific chorus frogs often drown out other areas and farmlands from erosion. The water is nutrient-rich and leaves wetland soils devoid of oxygen. Cattails happily nighttime sounds with their rousing chorus of “krektake root in the oxygen-poor soils and take up problematic ek….krek-ek…” While widespread throughout the moist areas of southern California, the Pacific Chorus Frog ranges nutrients such as phosphorous and nitrogen from the polluted waters. Water exits the wetlands cleansed of gillfrom California up to southern British Columbia and as far clogging sediments and the excessive nutrients that would east as Montana and Nevada. Movie stardom has carried otherwise lead to nasty algae blooms. their call far and wide -- recordings of Pacific Chorus Frog vocalizations are commonly used in movies as the nighttime soundtrack.

Pacific Chorus Frog Photo Courtesy MRCA volunteer Dr. Paul Levine

The loud call of the male Pacific Chorus Frog stems from a deep-seated instinct to mate. In frog language, the two-toned calls of the male Pacific Chorus Frog translates into something like, “Hey, ladies! I’m looking for a hot date!” An interested female, measuring up to two inches in length and dwarfing the male, approaches and if she likes what she sees, lays a jelly-like mass of eggs in the water which he fertilizes.

The parents hop back amongst the protective vegetation and leave the eggs to survive on their own.

Join us for a full moon hike at one of our many locations to hear Pacific Chorus Frogs calling for mates - a two-toned call during the spring breeding season or the one-tone “c-r-r-ick” the rest of the year. Schedules can be found on our website at www.LAMountains.com.

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Cattails in Towsley Creek Hear the male Pacific tree frog’s vocalizations at www.naturepark.com/sound1.wav and www.enature.com/fieldguides/detail.asp?recnum=AR0018

Science News You Can Use…..

Amphibians - the Canary in a Coal Mine The expression “Canary in a Coal Mine” originally comes from the coal mining industry but today it is used to describe something that is used as a warning signal. While digging for coal, miners sometimes tapped into pockets of carbon monoxide (CO). This deadly gas would cause the miners to become drowsy and eventually pass out and die.

Because CO is a colorless and odorless gas, the minors had no warning they were in danger. But canaries are very sensitive to small quantities of CO; when exposed they stop singing and sway back and forth on their perches. That was the signal for the miners to get out NOW. It’s no secret among conservation biologists that there is a worldwide decline in amphibian populations. Results of an ongoing Global Amphibian Assessment, organized by the World Conservation Union (IUCN), Conservation International and NatureServe, indicate that forty-three percent of all species worldwide are in decline, with one third of all species categorized as threatened. But what are the reasons behind this decline? Some we know - loss of habitat and the fungal disease chytridiomycosis are significant. But other declines cannot be so readily explained. The search for additional answers begins with what we know of amphibian biology.

Most amphibians are biphasic, which means they have an aquatic stage, and a terrestrial stage in their life cycle. Most

species produce shell-less (amamniotic) eggs that are deposited in the water. We know that human embryos, fetuses and children are more susceptible to environmental toxins. How much more so an unprotected amphibian egg or larvae, living in water polluted with pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals.

We know that tadpoles infested with flatworms, specifically Ribeiroia ondatrae, result in frogs with deformed legs. These flatworms are parasite of aquatic snails, who feed on algae.

Fertilizer runoff in wetlands results in overwhelming algae blooms, which leads to larger populations of snails, flatworms and deformed frogs.

Adult amphibians have extremely thin water permeable skin, which makes them sensitive to both airborne and waterborne pollutants. Increased UV radiation may also affect mortality.

That’s why ecologists refer to Amphibians as “indicator species”, whose health is used to measure the health of an ecosystem.

So why do we refer to Amphibians as a “Canary in a Coal Mine”? Because the factors affecting amphibians are most likely taking a toll on other species - like us. Consider the recent scientific studies linking smog, ozone and asthma.

According to the EPA, the incidence of asthma in the US has increased dramatically in the last 25 years. Or how about this - recent epidemiological studies are suggestive of an association between pesticides and Parkinson's Disease.

Are these signals for us to take action NOW?

And an example of how we use it…..

GLOBE Research and Data Gathering Students attending the MRCA’s annual field science camp at Temescal Gateway Park gather data for the GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) program. GLOBE is an international program sponsored by NASA and the National Science Foundation (www.http://www.globe.gov/globe_flash.html).

Students from the Los Angeles Unified School District gather data on water quality including: 1) Site Conditions – weather & debris, 2) Air Temperature, 3) Water Temperature, 4) Turbidity /Transparency, 5) Dissolved Oxygen, 6) pH, 7) Conductivity/Salinity, 8) Nutrients, 9) Bacteria - Total coliform, Escherichia coli (E.coli) and Enterococcus and 10) Algae.

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For Parents and Educators‌..

Fun Facts Matching Game: Draw a line matching the items on the left to the amount of water on the right.

1. Taking a shower

A. 30 gallons

2. Watering the lawn

B. 180 gallons

3. Washing the dishes

C. 4-7 gallons

4. Washing clothes

D. 1/2 gallon

5. Flushing toilet

E. 39,090 gallons

6. Brushing teeth

F. 62,600 gallons

7. Drinking

G. 15-30 gallons

8. Needed to produce one ton of steel

H. 9.3 gallons

9. Needed to process one can of fruit or vegetables

I. 1 gallon

10. Needed to manufacture a a new car and its four tires

J. 9-20 gallons

WEBSITES FOR EDUCATORS: Project Water Education for Teachers, or Project WET, has developed a website. Their mission is to reach children, parents, educators, and communities of the world with water education. www.projectwet.org U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a very fun and interactive site, which includes articles and kid friendly activities to use in the classroom. www.epa.gov/owow/nps/kids/

Answer Key: (1)G, (2) B, (3) J, (4) A, (5) C, (6) I, (7) D, (8) F, (9) H, (10) E

What is wrong with this picture? Circle all the mistakes these people are making in managing their neighborhood.

Thirstin’s Word Scramble: All living things need ___________ (tawer) to live.

When water evaporates, it travels into the air and becomes part of a ____________(dlocu).

Less than 1% of all the water on the Earth is _____________(sefrh) water.

We ____________ (ikdrn) water in the liquid form.

Wash bikes and cars with a __________________(kecbut) and sponge instead of a running hose.

Symbiosis Summer 2006 Page 10

ATTENTION NEW VOLUNTEERS: Congratulations and welcome to the MRCA volunteer family!

MRCA park rangers, park staff, and fellow volunteers recognize the generous contribution of your time, talents and passions for choosing to volunteer in the outdoors. We appreciate your commitment to making our parks and programs a success. Through your selfless dedication, many families, students, scouts, and seniors will receive warm welcomes, quality programming, and new meaningful connections to the natural world.

Be proud, YOU make THE difference!

Congratulations MRCA Volunteers Naturalists These talented volunteers have completed intensive naturalist training, preparing them to design and lead effective interpretive school, scout and public programs for our MRCA park visitors. We welcome Angie Fleck, Aaron Gluck, Dylan Gunning, Craig McCain, Peggy O’Neal, Zandra Platzek, Margery Pope, Carolyn Ritter and Amy Tibbles. “We look forward to seeing you on the trails!”

MRCA Volunteer Wildland Fire Unit A proud group of individuals who have committed their time to learning the skills, safety and discipline of wildland firefighting.

“We honor your courage and commitment!”

Welcome New Mountain Bike Unit Volunteers Another intrepid group of cyclists have completed extensive MBU trainings in responsible trail use, visitor services, radio communications, and emergency procedures. We welcome Jeff Cary, Ron Cohen, Aaron Diyarzan, Joy Dugger, Robert Ettleman, Cathy Gribble, Augustin Guerrero, Gregory Hadinoto, Race Headen,

Danny Kay, Sue Kay, Brad Kraus, Lance Laspina, Eugenia Luvisaro, Kate Maddox, Lori Meyer, Zachary Morales, Jim Nowatzki, Ryan O'Malley, Richard Piatt, Scott Sogaard, Lyndon Talbott, Ryan Thompson, Paul Wisner and Jay Zimmerman. “We welcome you to the team!”

Special Thanks to the MRCA Volunteer Mentors who helped make these trainings possible!

State Senator Richard Alarcon’s Young Senators in the Parks The MRCA hosted State Senator, Richard Alarcon’s visit to Franklin Canyon Park on May 20, 2006 with his group of Young Senators. A dedicated group of high school students from the San Fernando Valley, who participate in a yearlong leadership training program. Students receive advocacy training, learn legislative process, and focus on issues having an impact in their communities and the environment. The MRCA offered a guided hike and interpretive program highlighting its mission to strategically acquire open space, provide services, and make parks easily accessible to the Los Angeles and Ventura County communities.

MRCA Volunteers honored at the NPS Spring Appreciation BBQ

On May 13th, MRCA Volunteers from mountain bikers to volunteer naturalists enjoyed good company, nature-themed carnival games, appreciation awards, and juicy burgers grilled by the talented NPS staff.

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Summer Family Campfire Program Series We Need Campfire Program Leaders!

Can you help in one or more of the following ways? Prepare the wood, build the campfire, tell stories, sing songs, lead nature games, and help roast marshmallows!

Learn how to conduct memorable campfire programs for groups of all ages.

Make them fun, magical, silly and safe for everyone.

Don’t wait, please call 310-858-7272 ext.132 if you are interested!

Summer Campfire Program Series Traditional Fireside Fun in the Big City!

Sacred Geometry, Fractals & Shared Forms in Nature

July & August, Franklin Canyon Park Every Wednesday 6:30-8:30 pm July & August, Temescal Gateway Park Every Thursday 8:00-10:00 pm Upper Las Virgenes Open Space Preserve July 11th, 8:00-10:00 pm September 7th, 8:00-10:00 pm Upper Las Virgenes Open Space Preserve (Victory trailhead) - August 9th, 8:00-10:00 pm

Sunday, July 30th, 10:00 am-12:00 pm, Franklin How are the shapes of trees and rivers alike?

How are fractals seen in nature? Explore the Golden Mean, Fibonacci sequence and expand to a new dimension of nature awareness.

You’ll never look at nature the same way again!

Astronomy for the Trail Wednesday, July 26th, 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Franklin Have you ever wondered what to say when the sun goes down? Learn tricks, tools, and techniques for incorporating astronomy into your evening programs.

Volunteer Meeting at Franklin Sunday, August 4th, 12 pm –2 pm Meet at the Sooky Goldman Nature Center Meet and greet fellow, and new volunteers.

Learn about upcoming trainings, special events and volunteer opportunities. Bring a snack or potluck lunch to share! Please let us know if you are coming , call 310-858-7272 ext.132

Volunteer School Leader Training Tuesday, August 22nd, 10 am-1 pm, Franklin Help us kick off the new school season! Hike, have lunch, and learn with NEW, and fellow School Volunteers. Learn new tricks and techniques for working with kids on the trail. Play nature trail games & activities. Visit favorite trail stops and more!

Nature Rambles with MRCA Volunteer Bob Margolies Franklin Canyon, 10 am – 12 pm Sunday, Sept. 3rd, Franklin Canyon Ranch Saturday, Sept. 30th, Sooky Goldman Nature Center Join Bob on his monthly public program to explore the interaction between a variety of plants, insects, and birds. Great for new volunteers!

Mounted Volunteer Patrol (MVP) If you have a horse, and want to help patrol our parks, this group is waiting to ride with you!

The MVP is a group of riders who provide horseback patrol services for the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority, National Park Service, and California State Parks.

Make up Orientation (9 am-12 pm) and CPR (12:30 pm -4:30 pm) at Diamond X Ranch Saturday, July 15th. RSVP with Bernie Weiss at Bernie@bandj.net.

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ParkLINK Shuttle now connects with the San Fernando Valley this Summer on Weekends MORNING Connection: Take the Orange Line every 15 minutes to the Warner Center.

Catch Metro 161 at Warner Center at 9:53 and 10:53 am.

Metro 161 connects with ParkLINK Shuttle at Agoura/Las Virgenes Rd at 10:35 and 11:35 am.

AFTERNOON Connection: ParkLINK Shuttle connects to Metro 161 at Agoura/Las Virgenes Rd. at 4:30 pm and 5:30 pm.

Metro 161 connects to Orange Line at Warner Center at 4:56 pm and 5:56 pm.

For more info call 888-734-2323 or www.parklinkshuttle.com

To Connect to ParkLINK Shuttle from the Pacific Coast Highway Take the 534 MTA bus to Malibu Village/Cross Creek (http://www.mta.net/images/534.pdf)

MRCA Volunteer BBQ, & Franklin Ranch Campout Saturday, September 9th, 2pm Sunday Morning, September 10th, 10am Volunteers and family are invited to play, eat, sing, relax, hike, and camp out at Franklin Canyon Ranch.

Bring your favorite dish to share!

MRCA Volunteer Beach Blast Sunday August 26th, 11 am-4 pm Location: Leo Carrillo State Beach (North of Kanan Road on PCH)

Volunteers, Family and Friends!

Everyone is invited to put on a hat, sunscreen, and your favorite flip-flops.

Optional Activities & Trainings:

You can bury someone in the sand, play a serious game of volleyball, or simply enjoy a day at the beach Sat. 2-4 pm BBQ and Potluck lunch 4-6 pm Nature Games for Trails, Fields, & Campfires! with fellow MRCA Volunteers. Bring a potluck dish to share, a chair, and your favorite beach toys!

6–8 pm Evening Birds of Franklin Canyon 8-10 pm Campfire and Smore’s (bring an instrument Help us plan for this event, please call 310-858-7272 and your favorite campfire story or song to share) ext.132 or email rebecca.farr@mrca.ca.gov Sun. 7:30 am Breakfast (Bring your favorite cereal) 9-11 am Aerobic Trek - Hike the whole park!

10-12 pm Volunteer lead nature hike, Great for kids!

Plenty of shade and cold drinks!

Leo Carrillo State Beach

Just want to relax? Plenty of shade and leisure time!

Help us plan for this event, please call 310-858-7272 ext.132, or email rebecca.farr@mrca.ca.gov to RSVP, or to request camping equipment.

MRCA Volunteer Wish List - What exactly do we need?

As the MRCA continues to grow, volunteer opportunities increase. Consider volunteering in new ways, or help us to recruit new volunteers! We specifically need school, scout, public, and campfire program leaders, Sooky Goldman Nature Center hosting, trail patrol, trail maintenance, outreach and special events, Symbiosis mass mailing, kiosk updating, and program marketing.

These volunteer opportunities and available now, and in need of your assistance!

If you are interested, please call 310-858-7272 ext. 132., or email rebecca.farr@mrca.ca.gov Page 13

Access Un-deniable…..

It’s a simple little trail, leading down from the eastern end of Malibu Road to the beach. But for years, public access was obstructed by a chain link fence topped with razor wire.

So when Sam Schuchat, Executive Officer of the State Coastal Commission (SCC), requested the assistance of MRCA in removing the fence, we were more than happy to oblige.

This 100 foot long parcel is owned by the SCC and was acquired in 2002. Currently the SCC is in the design process to construct a viewing platform and stairway to the beach. There are geologic issues that need to be addressed in the design, so it will probably be another year or so before work begins.

On May 18, work crews from the MRCA removed the fence. Now the public can once again enjoy uncluttered views of the ocean and have access to Malibu Beach. Parking is available on the street next to the guardrail.

As Linda Locklin, SCC’s Coastal Access Program Manager, describes it, “Our beaches are like public sidewalks. People are free to walk on them, as long as they respect nearby private property.”

(Photographs courtesy Tom Sinclair and Linda Locklin)

Invasive Weed Awareness Week, July 17th-23rd In celebration of California Invasive Weed Awareness week, the MRCA will host a variety of free public programs at Franklin Canyon Park. To kick off the week, on Sunday, July 16th, 11 am-1 pm Nature Journaling - Hike, highlight and discuss invasive weeds of California Invasive Weed Removal Project with REI, Saturday 9 am-11 am, to participate, please call 310-858-7272 ext.132 Run Away Plants - Explore invasive plant species, and the threatened California native landscape, on a scenic hike.

Saturday, July 22nd, 11 am-12 pm (All programs meet at the Sooky Goldman Nature Center). *Remember, all MRCA parks are open daily, 7am-sunset to visit during the week* Symbiosis Summer 2006 Page 14

Notes from the Field…..

Variable Checkerspot Caterpillars seek out Sticky Monkeyflowers This Variable Checkerspot Caterpillar was recently spotted munching the leaves of a Sticky Monkeyflower plant in East/Rice Canyon. This is an example of naturally occurring chemical pest control. But unlike the pesticides and insecticide we humans indiscriminately spread over the landscape, this chemical is localized and targeted for specific plants and animals.

The Monkeyflower leaves produce a sticky resinous chemical that tastes AWFUL to most would-be browsers. But the Variable Checkerspot butterfly seeks out this particular plant as the place to lay her eggs.

(Photo courtesy MRCA volunteer Dr. Paul Levine.)

Her eggs hatch into caterpillars, which eat the resinous chemical in the leaves. After eating the leaves, the caterpillar tastes AWFUL to any would-be predators. This chemical protection continues throughout the Checkerspot’s life cycle, up to and including the butterfly stage.

Variety in our Watershed River (Riparian) habitats support a variety living things. Clockwise from top.

This stubby Lewis Evening Primrose was found at Ballona Wetlands during an ongoing plant inventory by botanists with California Fish and Game.

This Hooker’s Evening Primrose, found along the Santa Clara River, is significantly taller and the flowers are four times larger.

And this close-up of a Mustard Evening Primrose, found along Las Virgenes Creek in Upper Las Virgenes Canyon OSP, is deceiving. The tiny flowers sit on long spindly stalks.

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Water birds can be found along our rivers, estuaries and in open spaces.

Ranger James Latham took this photo recently from San Canada Geese bob their heads up and down as a warning if anyone comes too close to their chicks.

Vicente Mountain Park. This view looks northeast, over the San Fernando Valley towards the San Gabriel Mountains and is a major component of the Los Angeles River watershed.

This Green Heron obviously never heard the saying - “don’t eat anything bigger than your head.”

A Great Blue Heron watches expectantly while stalking fish.

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Snowy Egrets were hunted almost to extinction in the 1800’s. Their feathers adorned the hats of fashionable ladies.