“What kind of beast is your salamander?” asked the Prince. “It is hard to tell their kind, your Honor,” said Golg. “For they are too…
Trails like this one in Topanga State Park attract visitors from all over the county, but rural areas like the Santa Monica Mountains have been left out of recent park funding measures. A new needs assessment seeks to remedy that.
The Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation is conducting a comprehensive study to understand and document park needs of the rural parts of the County, including Topanga and the Santa Monica Mountains.
The study includes an online survey open to all residents. That survey will help determine future funding allocations. The needs assessment is intended to correct a major oversight built into Proposition A, a parks funding measure that prioritizes grants based on population density, while failing to recognize the recreation value of beaches and mountains for the greater Los Angeles County population.
The county’s commitment to the statewide 30 x 30 initiative signed into law by Governor Gavin Newson in a special executive order, adds urgency to the push for new parkland that has been almost completely absent in recent years. Executive Order N-82-20 committed the state to conserving at least 30 percent of its undeveloped land and coastal waters by 2030.
For local conservationists frustrated by the lack of support for open space acquisitions, and the county’s history of missed opportunities, the study is a step in the right direction.
To learn more and participate in the survey, visit https://lacountyparkneeds.org/rre-home/
