Northeast Los Angeles Canyons and Hilltops:

Community Wildfire Resilience through Restoration, Local Engagement, and Workforce Development

Description: Wildfire resilience efforts in Los Angeles are complex and most resources focus on the large mountain ranges that surround the developed valleys and basins, such as the Angeles National Forest and the Santa Monica Mountains; however, there is another vulnerable landscape type: urban islands of open space. These smaller open space areas typically include undeveloped canyons and hilltops and are often owned by local agencies, non-profits, private parties, or a combination of these. These open space islands are surrounded by some of the most densely populated communities in California and are highly utilized as spaces of refuge and recreation for residents of Los Angeles. Although they differ in size from the large State and Federal landholdings in the mountains, these smaller islands of open space are also vulnerable to wildfires. The potential impact of a wildfire in any of these islands would be devastating to the surrounding communities, which lack the resources of more affluent areas. On this tour, we will discuss various wildfire efforts occurring in Northeast Los Angeles led by local non-profits, including organizations like North East Trees, who are working to deplete an invasive seed bank of flammable flashy fuels and restoring native habitat, and Community Nature Connection, who is establishing a nursery to supply local restoration projects. They will discuss their unique projects and community engagement efforts. An important component of these efforts is training to create a sustainable green workforce who can steward future wildfire resilience projects to combat climate change and progressively more destructive fires. On this tour, we will also hear from organizations working on wildfire efforts in similar landscapes across the metro area, such as a new Tribal Conservation Corps for Los Angeles and Outward Bound Adventures, an organization dedicated to outdoor education for BIPOC youth for over 60 years. This tour will be an opportunity to hear the perspective of several local organizations as they share their unique wildfire perspectives, goals, and priorities, engage with local communities, and increase conservation employment opportunities.

Location: Northeast Los Angeles (1 hour from Calabasas)

Start/End Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm

Eastern Angeles National Forest Tour:

Description: This tour will begin in Wrightwood to discuss the recent Sheep Fire’s progression and impacts to the community including the role of climate change and weather and their impacts to communities and resources including desert transition vegetative communities such as Joshua Trees. The tour will discuss fire history of the area, the role that fuel treatments played in the Blue Cut Fire and Sheep Fire, and restoration potential. Next, the tour will take a look at Big Pines Highway, ongoing fuels treatment implementation, and a three-way partnership with the Forest Service, National Forest Foundation, and the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy. The tour will conclude at Big Rock Creek road which demonstrates the impacts of the Bobcat Fire. Here we will discuss the bigcone Douglas-fir endemic in Southern California as well as restoration in the face of climate change. Please note that this tour will take place in the eastern Angeles National Forest; it is recommended that participants traveling for the event fly out of Ontario Airport after the tour. Guests may also elect to spend the previous night in the Ontario area to assist with travel time to the tour in the morning. The tour will involve driving to several sites and standing on uneven terrain. Participants are advised to bring their own lunch, wear warm clothes, and wear sunscreen.

Location: Wrightwood (2.5 hours from Calabasas)

Start/End Time: 9:00am – 2:30pm

Angeles National Forest:

Mt. Wilson and Chilao Tour

Description: This tour will visit two sites on the Angeles National Forest that have been threatened by large wildfires, including Mt. Wilson and the Chilao area. The southern California Mediterranean climate has always been subject to large wildfires due to the flammable shrub vegetation and Santa Ana wind patterns. Values at risk and other tree form vegetation types are equally threatened and at risk from climate change, past fire suppression, and high frequency of human caused ignitions. On this tour we will visit Mt. Wilson which hosts numerous stakeholders such as the communications site which serve the Los Angeles basin for emergency, utility, and media services. The tour includes a visit to the Mt. Wilson Observatory which maintains operational telescopes while preserving its legacy of historic contributions to astronomy. Mt. Wilson and the stakeholders’ interests have survived the Station and Bobcat Fires and a lesser known Wilson Fire. We will look at the site’s proximity to Los Angeles and the urban interface and fuel treatments that were initiated 10 years ago. There will be a representative from the Mt. Wilson Observatory to discuss stakeholder interests and actions within the framework of living with wildfire. The second leg of the tour will explore Chilao – a popular area for recreation within one of the few areas of the national forest that is a forested east side pine stand. The Chilao area has also been subject to both the Station and Bobcat Fires and represents a remote forest health stand, highly susceptible to wildfire due to adjacency to flammable chaparral. We will look at different fuel and vegetation treatments including mechanical and prescribed fire. Participants are advised to bring their own lunch. The tour will involve standing on unpaved surfaces.

Location: Angeles National Forest (2 hours from Calabasas)

Start/End Time: 9:30am – 2:00pm

Angeles National Forest – Green Valley Tour:

Forest Health in the Face of an Invasive Pest

Description: This tour of Green Valley will highlight the challenges posed by the goldspotted oak borer (GSOB) which was discovered in Green Valley in 2015, 162 miles from the known initial introduction point in San Diego County. We will discuss how public agencies are coordinating with private landowners, bordering National Forest land, as they remove or treat trees affected by GSOB. Participants are advised to bring their own lunch and wear warm clothes. The tour will involve walking on unpaved surfaces.

Location: Green Valley (2 hours from Calabasas)

Start/End Time: 9:30am – 2:30pm