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Rivers & Mountains Conservancy - February 2024 |
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A Message from the RMC's Executive Officer Mark Stanley
Dear Friends,
Happy Black History Month, a time when we pause to recognize the achievements, resiliency, and rich cultural contributions of African Americans to our society. It is a time when we celebrate and remember the accomplishments of black scientists, doctors, bankers, political leaders, musicians, artists, authors, and others who have boldly shaped American history over the past 4 centuries. But how many, if any, black naturalists or black outdoors men and women do we remember during Black History Month? Many more than you might realize.
Having grown up in Maryland I’ve always felt a deep historic and spiritual connection to the places where African Americans lived and suffered under chattel slavery. While it is painful to imagine the anguish endured at these locations, I’m filled with a deep admiration and respect for my ancestors, like Harriet Tubman, who used their skills as naturalists to aid one another through the swamps, forests, and waterways of the Underground Railroad to liberation.
Harriet Tubman grew up on what is now known as the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Maryland, which consists of more than 28,000 acres of freshwater impoundments, brackish tidal wetlands, and evergreen and deciduous forests. Growing up, Harriet labored alongside her brothers and father in the timber fields around the Blackwater River. At a young age, her duties included checking game traps in the area’s wet marshes, among other jobs that helped her form a deep understanding and connection with the natural world.
Freedom seekers under Tubman’s leadership could rely on her knowledge of botany to find foods like okra, tomatoes, and collard greens. Vegetation provided medicines to relieve pain, clean wounds, and soothe crying babies. Her ability to navigate waterways allowed freedom seekers to mask their scent from the hounds who tracked them. She could expertly mimic the call of the Barred Owl to let others know if it was safe to come out of hiding, a sound that would blend in perfectly with the forest’s soundscape without raising suspicion. After more than 13 missions to Maryland’s eastern shore that resulted in the liberation of roughly 70 slaves, Harriet would go on to use her expertise in covert travel to aid the Union Army by leading bands of scouts and conducting reconnaissance missions. She is widely credited as the first woman to lead U.S. troops during an armed assault.
In 2014, 480 acres of the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge were transferred from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to the National Park Service, and renamed to the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park.
Harriet Tubman and her contemporaries were naturalists necessitated by the circumstances of their lives. Today, studies show a lack of African American presence in outdoor recreational activities, something we at the RMC, WCA, and LCWA work diligently to remedy. In accordance with our state’s Outdoors for All initiative, we will continue our work to ensure that everyone can experience the outdoors while feeling a sense of belonging, and that they are safe and welcome.
See you on the trails,
-Mark
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Nogales Park Ribbon Cutting
 On December 9th, the unincorporated community of Walnut Park celebrated the opening of Nogales Park, the first and only green space in the community. The land acquisition for this pocket park was made possible by a $1.265 million RMC Proposition 1 grant to the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation in 2019. What had been an empty and underutilized lot now features a splash pad, lawn, playground and exercise equipment, walking paths and benches, and more. The park’s new stormwater capture features prevent metals and unwanted bacteria from entering the Los Angeles River, in addition to serving as a catch basin for a 27-acre area.
RMC Board Chair Ali Saleh and RMC Executive Officer Mark Stanley joined Supervisor Janice Hahn, Assembly Speaker Emeritus Antony Rendon, and county administrators at the event. Aztec dancers, local artists, and Walnut Park Elementary School students showcased their community pride and welcomed this much needed green space to one of the densest neighborhoods in LA County.
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Staff Spotlight: Arturo Gonzalez, Sleepy Lagoon-Water for Life Community Mural Celebration, Maywood Riverfront Park
 On January 27th the Southeast Los Angeles community came out in droves to celebrate the completion of Maywood Riverfront Park’s new Sleepy Lagoon - Water for Life Community Mural, a project championed and envisioned by the RMC’s very own Project Development Analyst Arturo Gonzalez, through his non-profit East Side of the River. East Side of the River provides creative outlets for young artists to showcase their talents and develop their leadership skills, all while beautifying their communities through public art. The non-profit received a grant from the State Coastal Conservancy Coastal Stories Program for the project.
All in all, Arturo estimates that over 1000 hours of artistic labor went into the mural. That doesn’t include the countless hours spent mentoring and developing local youth artists throughout the process. On mentorship Arturo stated, “An essential component of this project was developing youth artists from the community and paying them to paint with established artists from similar backgrounds. All of our artists come from the streets and can relate to the kids and teach them empowerment through art and environmental justice.”
The mural itself features elements of Chicano, Tongva, Mesoamerican, and local traditions, as well as callouts to the area’s important but too often forgotten history. Featured prominently is Sleepy Lagoon, a once popular swimming location for Mexican Americans who were barred from public pools in segregated 1940’s Los Angeles. In 1942 local man Jose Diaz was discovered unconscious and dying near the lagoon. After his passing, 12 men were dubiously convicted of Diaz’s murder, convictions that are widely considered precursors to the Zoot Suit Riots. Located just across the L.A. River from the site of the former lagoon, the mural honors the perseverance, culture, and resolve of the early Chicano movement. “A lot of local residents are new to the rich history of this area, its historical significance, and how events tied to BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) access to water and open space played a major part in the civil rights and environmental justice movements. Placing the mural along the river and in a park built on a former toxic cleanup site underscores how the struggle for equity continues,” said Gonzalez.
The Water for Life Mural adds community centered and locally produced public art to Maywood’s scarce park space. With only .26 acres of park space per 1000 residents, Maywood ranks as one of the most park poor communities in the United States. In 2022 the RMC board approved a $2.2 million Proposition 1 grant to the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust for the Maywood Riverfront Park Renovation and Development Project. The project will enhance Maywood’s largest park with ADA accessible playground areas, water play elements, upgraded restrooms, formal soccer fields, art elements, and exercise equipment. The RMC will fund drought tolerant native plantings and expanded river adjacent natural habitat, over two dozen new shade trees, and enhanced water capture features including swales and permeable pavement. The project is expected to be completed later this year.
Congratulations to Arturo, East Side of the River, and community partners like East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice and Communities for a Better Environment on the completion of this stunning mural!
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RMC Welcomes Board Vice Chair Joe Kalmick
 On January 17th the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy Governing Board welcomed Joe Kalmick back to its ranks and appointed him as its vice chair. Vice Chair Kalmick was first elected to the Seal Beach City Council in 2018, twice serving as the city’s mayor. Having previously served on the RMC board, and as a past LCWA board member, Mr. Kalmick brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Vice Chair position, as well as representation for RMC’s Orange County territory. In addition to his roles with the RMC, Mr. Kalmick sits on the board of the Orange County Fire Authority, and represents the region 20 cities for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG). Welcome back to the board Vice Chair Kalmick!
Vice Chair Kalmick will work alongside Ali Saleh, who was selected by his colleagues to serve as board chair in July 2023. Chair Saleh currently serves as a City of Bell councilmember, first elected to the position in 2011 after successfully rooting out corruption in the city as a founding member of BASTA (Bell Association to Stop the Abuse). In addition to his roles with the RMC and in Bell, Chair Saleh is a past board president of the Gateway Cities Council of Governments, regional council board member for SCAG, and board member for the Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District. With well over a decade of public service experience to draw from, Chair Saleh's leadership is greatly appreciated by the RMC’s staff.
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Temporary Park Closures During Inclement Weather Events
 As our state braces for atmospheric rivers in early February, the Watershed Conservation Authority will temporarily close the Mt. Baldy Wilderness Preserve and Azusa Wilderness Park in the interest of public safety during the events. Forecasters predict that in Southern California, rain could fall at a rate of a half-inch to three-quarter inches per hour in some areas, making travel and recreation in the areas unsafe.
The Watershed Conservation Authority, while focused on expanding public enjoyment of open space, prioritizes public safety when making these decisions. In the same vein Azusa River Wilderness Park was officially renamed to Azusa Wilderness Park at the January WCA board meeting. The inclusion of the word “river” had led some members of the public to assume that the river could be accessed at the park. Unfortunately, due to unannounced water releases from upstream dams, it can be extremely dangerous to access the river at the park. The river can be safely accessed 10 miles north at West Fork River Trail, or 13 miles to the northeast at East Fork Oaks Picnic Area.
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Stewardship Program Volunteer Opportunities
 Members of the public are invited to help restore 66 acres of the Los Cerritos Wetlands as LCW Stewardship Program Volunteers. Led by trained naturalists and local educators, volunteers will assist with the removal of non-native weeds and plants, collection of rare seeds for future planting, and litter collection. As the wetlands are currently closed to the public, the Stewardship Program offers a unique opportunity for the public to help and view the habitat and its inhabitants up close. Sunscreen and hats are recommended, closed-toed shoes are required. Water will be provided, but please bring a re-usable water bottle as the program is plastic water bottle-free.
In partnership with the Aquarium of the Pacific, volunteers will be eligible to win a free ticket to the aquarium and other prizes!
Upcoming Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewardship Program Dates:
Saturday February 3rd 10:30 am-12:30 pm
Saturday March 2nd 10:30 am-12:30 pm
Saturday April 6th 10:30 am-12:30 pm
For more information email: iwanttohelp@tidalinfluence.com.
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 To learn more about or to apply for these opportunities click here.
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