The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy’s (Conservancy), executive director, Adrienne Mohan, and the city of Rancho Palos Verdes (RPV) Mayor, David Bradley, announced their decades-long partnership has made way for the successful launch of an initiative to create a 96-acre wildlife corridor extending from the coastal preserve at Abalone Cove to the Palos Verdes Nature preserve above Palos Verdes Drive South.

***Mayor David Bailey, City of Rancho Palos Verdes***

***Adrienne Mohan, Executive Director Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy***

Originally, York Point View Properties, LLC slated the entire parcel of land above Palos Verdes Drive South for residential development. But, RPV city officials, Conservancy staff, and natural resource agencies were interested in protecting this land as an ideal location to create a habitat aimed at restoring endangered species populations like the Palos Verdes Blue Butterflies and other creatures who depend on native vegetation for maintaining their life cycles.

***Christina Angeles, LA County Regional Park & Open Space District***

To make this vision a reality, the Conservancy estimated that the acquisition of the property and restoring it to a wildlife corridor would cost approximately $30 million. Over the past 35 years, previous joint projects undertaken by the Conservancy and the city of RPV have led to the acquisition and restoration of what is now nearly 1,500 acres. The Conservancy’s and city of RPV’s latest effort along with the adoption of the RPV Natural Community Conservation Plan were the keys to securing additional funding for this project from other local, state and federal agencies.

***Ed Pert, CA Department of Fish and Wildlife***

The city of RPV contributed $1.3 million towards the project. To further underscore the significance of this land, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) awarded a $12.6 million grant, the largest award in the nation, from its Endangered Species Land Acquisition program. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and the California Conservation Board (CCB) awarded a $4.8 million matching grant. The Los Angeles County Regional Park and Open Space District (LACRPOSD) awarded the Conservancy a competitive grant for $1 million from Measure A.

***Jonathan Snyder, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service***

Regarding the $4.8 million match grants fund, California Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi states, “I am gratified to see how this project is helping to make the goals of the state’s 30x30 initiative a reality. The partnership between nonprofits, local government, and resource agencies are all working together to achieve environmental wins that will benefit everyone.”

Despite funding from a variety of sources, the ownership of the land will remain with the city of RPV and the Conservancy will hold a conservation easement in perpetuity as Habitat Manager.

***Rob Kautz, President Board of Directors, Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy***

Reflecting on the history of the Conservancy, its Founder and a current Board member, Bill Ailor recalls, “Since 1988, with the generous support from volunteers and donors, and working closely with local and state governments, and the new 96-acre addition, the Land Conservancy has now protected more than 1,700 acres on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, which includes the White Point Nature Preserve in San Pedro, and portions of the George F. Canyon and Linden H. Chandler Preserves in Rolling Hills Estates.”

***Christina Angeles, LACRPOSD, John Donnelly, Wildlife Conservation Board, Adrienne Mohan, PVPLC, Mayor David Bailey, RPV, Ed Pert, CADFW, and Jonathan Synder, USFWS***

Mayor Bradley declares, “The protection of this 96-acre parcel will further protect the scenic landscape and provide a coastal wildlife corridor connecting the coast to the lands above. This is a dream fulfilled for the founders of Rancho Palos Verdes and residents throughout the Peninsula. This success is the product of a long and strong partnership between the City and the Land Conservancy.”

Mohan explains, “We have a once-in-a-lifetime chance to protect and restore undeveloped coastal California land on the Peninsula. Precious coastal natural lands have all but disappeared beneath bulldozers and concrete, but this initiative, “Go Wild for the Peninsula”, will benefit our communities, support threatened and endangered species, reduce fire risk, and contribute to California’s 30x30 goal of conserving 30% of our lands and coastal waters by 2030.”

The $19.7 million of public money from the city of RPV and federal, state, and county agencies represents a substantial amount of funding for the project, but it leaves a $10.3 million balance for the Conservancy to make this dream a reality. In order to make-up the difference, the Conservancy is turning its eyes towards community sources and individuals to support the “Go Wild for the Peninsula” initiative.

Completing the wildlife corridor will not be an easy undertaking for the Conservancy. Years of land use have seen the removal of the native plants and shrubs only to be replaced by a variety of invasive plant species. Not only do these plants increase the possibility of wildfire spreading across the hillsides and canyons, but they do not provide a conducive environment to nurture and support the many forms of native wildlife.

The first step in creating this wildlife habitat will involve utilizing the goats from Fire Grazers, Inc. to clear the inaccessible or hard to reach portions of the preserve. Conservancy crews and Conservation Corps youth through job-training programs, will help clear other portions of the preserve. Once the land has been prepared, the Conservancy staff members and volunteers will begin planting and seeding native drought-tolerant plants that will attract and sustain varieties butterflies, birds, and other animals. Among the creatures expected to be inhabiting the newly created wildlife corridor are the Palos Verdes Blue butterfly, the El Segundo Blue butterfly, the Monarch butterfly, a variety of birds including the Coastal California gnatcatcher, the cactus wren, raptors and owls. The habitat will also be able to support the gray fox and other land mammals.

Rob Kautz, President of the Board of Directors for the Land Conservancy, states, “We have a historic opportunity in this journey across generations to achieve the Land Conservancy’s vision of a restored natural environment where one may enjoy the peaceful solitude and health benefits of communing with nature, where children and adults can learn about the natural environment, and animals can thrive.”

The “Go Wild for the Peninsula” Campaign

According to Mohan, “The $19.7 million raised through the city of RPV funding and various federal, state and local grants is a significant amount of money and represents nearly two-thirds of the $30 million need to complete the project. the “Go Wild for the Peninsula” initiative is well on its way, but requires community support in order to realize the benefits of the campaign’s work.”

Ailor stresses, “The community has shown its support for the land conservation time and time again. The community support is how we’ve been able to protect so much open space across the Peninsula. So now we again invite community members and businesses to “Go Wild for the Peninsula” and contribute to this urgent and critical work to help us restore the natural environment of this iconic coastline.”

Kautz concludes, “We urge residents throughout the Peninsula and South Bay to join us and contribute to this extraordinary vision of a wildlife corridor, and help us carry it over the finish line.”

For more information about the “Go Wild for the Peninsula” campaign visit GOWILDPV.org.

The 30x30 Initiative

Through Executive Order N-82-20 signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom focuses slowing effects of climate change and conserve biodiversity by removing carbon emissions from our environment and creating climate resilience in our environments ranging from urban greenspaces, wetlands, forests, and soil conservation.

After dividing the Golden State in regions, the California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) conducted regional meetings to seek public input regarding regional priorities, challenges, and opportunities for increasing conservation of lands and coastal waters in each of the regions of California.

The Los Angeles region includes Los Angeles County, Orange County and portions of both Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Among the challenges facing the Los Angeles region were the high cost of land acquisition, the development and urban expansion including population shifts to inland regions, and the need for additional resource conservation district and land trust support.

Areas identified for conservation efforts included coastal areas and beaches, inland wetland habitats and riparian areas, and coastal sage scrub. Species highlighted in preservation efforts included El Segundo blue and Palos Verdes blue butterflies, Santa Catalina Island fox, and black sage, white sage, and buckwheats.

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Steve Tabor Bio

This South Bay native’s photographic journey began after receiving his first 35 mm film camera upon earning his Bachelor of Arts degree. Steve began with photographing coastal landscapes and marine life. As a classroom teacher he used photography to share the world and his experiences with his students. Steve has expanded his photographic talents to include portraits and group photography, special event photography as well as live performance and athletics. Steve serves as a volunteer ranger for the Catalina Island Conservancy and uses this opportunity to document the flora and fauna of the island’s interior as well as photograph special events and activities.

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