$6 Million saves 842 acre L.A. Eco-Gem...

Key Link in Circle of Parks around L.A. will be saved in October--for $6 million

Dear readers:

One of my favorite unknown hiking spots in L.A. is called Elsmere Canyon. This beautiful canyon has caves, a waterfall, cool rock formations and a stunning view of L.A. and Santa Clarita and almost no one knows about it.

However, this wildlife and trails connector leading from the Angeles Forest to Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains is about to become public property.

The two canyons that make up this purchase, Elsmere and Grapevine, were formerly owned by the landfill operator BFI, and in the early 1990's Elsemere was proposed as the site of a mega-trash dump. At that time, three canyons along this wildlife corridor pinch-point (Sunshine, Towsley and Elsmere) were threatened with becoming L.A.'s newest landfills. With the purchase of Elmere by the City of Santa Clarita, two of those three canyons will be saved. The other canyon, Towsley, was saved in the mid-1990's and is now known as Ed Davis park. (Sunshine canyon got picked as the sacrificial lamb.)

For details of the land sale:

Consideration of resolution authorizing a Proposition 84 matching grant to the City of Santa Clarita to purchase approximately 842 acres, Elsmere and Grapevine Canyons, unincorporated County of Los Angeles. [Attachment] [Staff Report] [Resolution] [Map] 

(CLICK ON MAP TO ENLARGE)

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To see photo tours of the new Elsmere Canyon Park, go here: 

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/ElsmereGrapevineCanyons#

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/GrapevineCanyonGatewayToFutureNewhallPassStatePark#

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/ElsmereCanyonDecember17And192009#

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For photos of the connection between Elsmere Canyon and Towsley Canyon:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/BealeSCutNewhallPass#

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For photos of Towsley Canyon Park:

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/TowsleyCanyonSantaSusanaMountains#

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/NewhallPassEastCanyonLoopTrailConnectionOfSantaSusanaMtsToSanGabrielMts#

http://picasaweb.google.com/Rare.Earth.fotos/TowsleyCanyonWildflowerHikeSantaSusanaMountains#