by Timothy Rutt
The Arroyo & Foothills Conservancy has received an almost-$21,000 grant from Los Angeles County to plant native trees in the foothills, according to a press release from the organization.
The $20,550.13 grant will enable the Conservancy to begin to reforest lands "hat have been depleted of trees by wind, fire and historic logging," the release said. The Conservancy will plant trees on land it owns in Rubio Canyon, in Millard Canyon, and in Goss Canyon in La Crescenta.
"We're very grateful to the county for this grant," said John Howell, AFC's executive director. "A key part of our mission is to restore native habitat in the foothills, and this is a big step in that direction. We are gratified in particular that Supervisor Michael Antonovich shares our conviction.”
The reforestation won't happen right away. The Conservancy plans to germinate new trees first, from seeds gathered in the foothills to ensure that each new tree is genetically native to the area. Seedlings will be propagated for a year before planting.
AFC consulting biologists homas Juhasz and Mickey Long have determined that 250 bigcone spruce, California sycamore, coast live oak, canyon live oak, California walnut, and bigleaf maple should be planted during the restoration.
While the grant will also fund irrigation and care for the trees, the Conservancy is also looking at installing suitable "companion plants," trying to "recreate habitat as it might have existed prior to major human intervention," Howell said. The California Conservation Corps will plant the trees.
