Walk on the Wild Side
Speaking of wildlife crossings, the recent death of mountain lion P-22 captured the public’s imagination as it underscored the multiple threats that wild native animals face trying to co-exist in our urban jungle.
That’s true. Los Angeles is one of only two megacities in the world – the other being Mumbai, India – where people live side by side with big cats. Most city dwellers will only ever see an animal like that at a zoo. But in L.A., you might be lucky enough to see a mountain lion on your weekend hike or your Ring doorbell camera. I think a lot of people here feel very connected to our mountain lion neighbors, and that’s been apparent with the public grief we’ve seen in response to the death of P-22. Mountain lions may seem fierce, but their status as apex predators is actually what makes them especially vulnerable. They depend on a healthy ecosystem large enough to support their hunting and breeding needs; instead, they are being hemmed in to smaller and smaller spaces. They may consume prey contaminated with dangerous rodenticides, or attempt to cross busy highways to find a mate or new territory. Finding ways to protect mountain lions means finding ways to protect the entire natural ecosystem they call home.
On the flip side, there’s something gratifying seeing that people are so hungry for natural beauty that authorities have to consider measures to deal with crowd control during wildflower season, right?
When people feel connected to nature, such as when they are experiencing the magic of a California wildflower super bloom, that connection can foster a sense of responsibility. People love these natural experiences, and then they want to protect them. That’s certainly how I feel. But that responsibility includes being careful not to let our love of nature overwhelm our care for it. If you’re considering visiting a super bloom, I’d advise you to stay on trails and not venture into the blooms themselves, which are delicate and easily trampled. And be respectful and adhere to any local restrictions or prohibitions that might be in place. Better yet, consider sowing your own native wildflower seeds this winter – if you let them bloom and go to seed, you could have your very own private super bloom year after year.
From a public governance point of view, what are some of the steps that the County can take to make sure that we protect our flora and fauna? How do we work with Mother Nature to better protect herself?
There’s a lot the County can do to protect biodiversity. Here’s one great example: the County’s Significant Ecological Areas program, which identifies and protects areas within the County that are home to irreplaceable biological resources. Outside of natural areas, something I’m very interested in is how the County can transform our urban areas into biodiversity assets. Not only would this help support our local flora and fauna, it would also provide more access to the benefits of biodiversity to L.A. residents, especially those who haven’t historically had easy access to green spaces. For any action the County takes related to biodiversity, consultation with native Tribes is critical. LA County is located on the ancestral territory of the Tongva, Tataviam, Chumash, Serrano and Kizh, who have been the stewards of this land since time immemorial and who are still the keepers of that knowledge and culture today.
What are some immediate next steps for the County to take?
The County has a lot of initiatives related to biodiversity in the works. Recently, the Board directed the CSO to work with County departments on potential pathways for converting 75% of County-managed landscaping to native plants. This would allow the County to lead by example while creating thousands of square feet of new habitat, which will be especially important in dense urban areas. Another project I’m excited about is our Urban Forest Management Plan, which is all about ensuring that the benefits of trees, including their biodiversity benefits, are protected and equitably distributed across the County.
For more information about the County’s goals related to biodiversity, check out the OurCounty Sustainability Plan, especially Goal 5, “Thriving ecosystems, habitats, and biodiversity.” Some of the actions under Goal 5 are already underway, while others are planned actions that the County can take in the future. Goal 5 is guided by ambitious targets, such as no loss of native biodiversity, increases in protected wildlife corridors, and increases in protected natural areas.
And what can the average resident at home do to make sure we keep our wild side active and healthy?
I love this question! First of all, get out there and experience nature for yourself. Venture into the Santa Monica Mountains, or into your local neighborhood park. Take your kids outside and look for bugs under rocks; lie under an oak tree and listen to the birds. Travel far, to the desert or the beach, and see something new; take a closer look at your own backyard and try to see something familiar in a new way.
Then, take action. One of the most impactful things you can do is plant native plants. It doesn’t matter if it’s an entire yard or one potted plant; our native pollinators will find it and thank you. Another great way to get involved is through community science initiatives, such as the iNaturalist app – you can download the app on your phone and use it to share your observations of native wildlife with scientists, researchers, and fellow nature lovers.
Editor’s note: “Wild L.A.,” published by the Los Angeles County Natural History Museum, provided research for this article. You can order it here.
Walk on the Wild Side
L.A. is one of just 36 biodiversity hot-spots across the entire globe. Here’s what we’re doing to protect our special places.
Los Angeles County may be infamous for its sprawling maze of freeways and manicured lawns, but it’s also one of the most biologically diverse counties in the nation. Rugged mountains give way to sweeping beaches – all home to tens of thousands of animal and plant species. From streams to grasslands, deserts to tidepools, L.A. has it all.
But we’re also the most populous county in the nation – nearly 11 million residents. All that human activity places enormous pressure on animal habitat, plant populations and our open spaces. Here, Rebecca Ferdman, a policy advisor with the County’s Chief Sustainability Office, discusses upcoming initiatives to protect what we all love.
When we think of L.A. we might think of movie studios and downtown skyscrapers. But L.A. has an enormous amount of vibrant wildlife and rich biodiversity, don’t we?
We do! When you’re in one of those high-rises or on the freeway it can be easy to forget, but L.A. is home to so many different kinds of wild places. L.A. has the greatest difference between its highest and lowest points of any county in the country, from sea level to 10,000 feet – meaning you can see sea turtles in the San Gabriel River and bighorn sheep near Mt. Baldy all in the same day. Most people don’t realize it, but L.A. is home to more bird species than any county in the U.S. – more than 500, according to the L.A. County Natural History Museum
We’re known for our iconic mountain lions and our vast “super blooms” of poppies and lupines. But you don’t actually have to find a wild place to enjoy L.A.’s amazing biodiversity. Our urban parks, our backyards, even a few potted wildflowers on a balcony, can attract visitors like butterflies, native bees and other wildlife.
What makes our biodiversity unique amongst major metropolises?
There are two things that make L.A. special – our natural inhabitants and our human ones. Our region is incredibly rich in plant and animal species, some of which are found nowhere else on Earth. In fact, we’re considered one of just 36 global biodiversity hotspots in the whole world – along with places like the tropical Andes and the island of Madagascar.
But the other side of the equation is our enormous population. That makes our experience of nature different from almost anywhere else – so many diverse people living side by side with some of the richest habitats and ecosystems in the world. That’s a lot of opportunities for conflict with the natural world. For example, L.A. used to be home to 50 different species of butterflies, but we’ve lost nearly a dozen of them to growing urban development and more intense wildfires. But that interaction also presents a lot of opportunities for meaningful connection.
Why is biodiversity so important amongst all the other civic challenges we grapple with? How does it make our lives better?
Biodiversity is a resource, and a valuable one. Plants and animals provide known benefits – called ecosystem services – such as purifying our air and water, controlling waste and pests, and pollinating crops. They also provide other well-established benefits that are harder to quantify but no less valuable – things like fostering a sense of connection or well-being that can support our mental and physical health.
But the value of biodiversity is also very much about the things that we don’t know – yet. For example, many technological and medical advances are enabled or inspired by discoveries of amazing properties of plants and animals, and we’ve really only scratched the surface of that potential so far. If we don’t prioritize biodiversity, there’s a real danger that some of these plants and animals could already be gone before we’ve had a chance to learn what makes them unique.
What are the biggest threats right now? Climate change is obviously huge, but what are the other pressures?
Climate change is definitely a huge one. But a lot of the pressure on biodiversity is actually local – which means we as a County can take action and have a meaningful impact. It’s all about habitat – habitat loss, habitat fragmentation, and habitat degradation. We need to preserve the wild spaces that we still have – which means limiting new developments in those places. We need to provide connections between habitats that have been fragmented, or broken up. That can be huge infrastructure projects like wildlife crossings over freeways, but it can also be as simple as planting native plants in backyards and gardens so wildlife like birds and bugs can “hopscotch” their way across the region. And, we need to take steps towards clean air, water, and soil. Just like us, plants and animals need healthy environments to thrive.