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Category: News

Conservancy Gears Up for Planting Season

As summer’s heat fades with the arrival of cooler days (and even some rain), the Conservancy is busily preparing for planting season! During this exciting time, meticulous planning efforts and preparations literally take root in fresh plantings that will soon become new homes to native wildlife. This winter, staff and volunteers will plant 26,500 native shrubs and wildflowers, all started as seeds in our own native plant nursery. We will plant 10,000 native plants at Alta Vicente Reserve (bordering Palos Verdes Drive South in the terrace below RPV City Hall) on five additional acres and continue caring for previously restored areas in the Portuguese Bend Reserve. Beginning in January, Outdoor Volunteer Days will welcome people to join the planting effort while enjoying an ocean view and a good chance of whale sightings. Both areas increase available plants for use by rare cactus wren and threatened California gnatcatchers. With student volunteers for the Adopt-a-Plot program, the Conservancy will continue to support the recovery of endangered Palos Verdes blue butterfly. We invite individuals, families and groups to adopt a piece of land and help plant and maintain native locoweed and deerweed, the butterfly’s vitally important host plants. In San Pedro this fall, volunteers, interns, garden apprentices and docents will plant trees and native shrubs in White Point Nature Preserve’s demonstration garden. Thanks to generous support from the Harbor Community Benefit Foundation and the California Native Plant Society, we will continue to offer enriching public programs that engage the community in the beautification and care of this preserve. Support native wildlife and conserve water by planting endemic species around your home garden. Several fragrant and showy native plant species are available for sale the fourth Saturday of each month, from noon to 2 p.m. at White Point Nature Center. Naturalists and docents are always available to answer questions and provide tips on selection and planting.

As summer’s heat fades with the arrival of cooler days (and even some rain), the Conservancy is busily preparing for planting season! During this exciting time, meticulous planning efforts and preparations literally take root in fresh plantings that will soon become new homes to native wildlife. This winter, staff and volunteers will plant 26,500 native […]

Conservancy Recognizes Outstanding Volunteers

In July, Conservancy supporters gathered to recognize outstanding volunteers for their leadership roles and dedication to education, trail monitoring and citizen science.  Barb Ailor, Dorie Chadwick, Eva Cicoria, Tricia Rapaport, Connie Lao, Peter Niemiec, Evi Meyer and Noel Park were honored for a variety of accomplishments: •     Dorie Chadwick has been teaching as a Third […]

Nursery Becomes Test Lab for Solar-Powered Planting Pot Sterilization

While interning under the Conservancy’s Stewardship Manager Cris Sarabia and in partnership with the California Native Plant Society, I helped develop and implement a sustainable solution to nursery pot sterilization. Disinfecting nursery pots has traditionally taken a lot of time, water and chemicals. Yet sterilization is necessary to prevent pathogens like Phytophthora, a microscopic water […]

Citizen Science Project Informs Cactus Wren Habitat Restoration

The coastal cactus wren represents one of the most threatened wildlife species within the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve and is endemic to our native coastal sage scrub plant community. Historic losses of habitat across southern California have led to various protections,  including California Fish and Wildlife Service recognition as a “species of special concern” and […]

New Land Acquisition

The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy has the unique opportunity to purchase a 15-acre parcel of undeveloped land immediately adjacent to the George F Canyon Nature Preserve. In default for back-taxes, the property has a sale price established by L.A. County at 70% of its assessed value. The land’s beautiful native vegetation remains well-preserved because […]

Spring on the Preserves

Spring has arrived. Fluttering birds gather berries and bugs, butterflies float on the cool ocean breeze and flowers paint the hills with color. New life is emerging, and it’s an exciting time to experience nature on the preserves. Bees are not the only ones busy buzzing around the plants. Helping hands are hard at work […]

2016 Beauty of Nature

The 2016 Beauty of Nature film series will begin Sunday April 17, with a screening of Out of Africa (1985) on the silver screen at the historic Warner Grand Theatre in San Pedro. The 2016 Beauty of Nature series features five personal adventures in five feature films by individuals who love the world outdoors. Each […]

Volunteer Spotlight: Evi Meyer

Surrounded by restored beautiful, biodiverse and threatened coastal sage scrub habitat, the Conservancy works hard to protect the land and the wildlife on the Preserves. The Conservancy’s volunteer citizen scientists are valuable members of the community who, after training, contribute their time to help monitor our wildlife and plant species and report on their findings. […]