Tomorrow, on Friday, June 4th, the National Park Service and Representative Adam Schiff will host a press conference at 10AM at the Eaton Canyon Nature Center to kick off the Rim of the Valley Corridor Special Resource Study.

This study will help determine whether or not any areas of the western San Gabriels are eligible for inclusion in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, as well as determining the feasibility of a new system of trails and wildlife corridors that would connect areas from Ventura County to the Angeles National Forest and downtown L.A.

The original plan (PDF) was proposed all the way back in 1990, and called for areas as far east as Santa Anita Canyon and as far north as Placerita Canyon to be included in a new system of connected trails and campgrounds. Most of the areas suggested by the Rim of the Valley Corridor plan in the San Gabriels are already in the potential San Gabriel Mountains NRA Study Area, but the proposed extended boundaries include a substantial area of currently unprotected areas:

from landrights.org. Click for full view.

While at first glance this looks like a pretty massive land grab, the National Park Service is quick to note that private landowners within the boundaries would be free to continue using their land as they see fit. After all, the entire city of Malibu is technically within the boundaries of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and it seems to be doing alright.

Tags: National Park Service, Politics, rim of the valley corridor, santa monica mountains national recreation area, studies