Back in 2005, the National Park Service began the long and arduous process of trying to determine whether or not the Angeles National Forest / San Gabriel Mountains would be better managed with increased protection as a National Recreation Area. In 2009, the study was answered with an affirmative, and the NPS proposed four different ways to handle this new entity – from keeping jurisdiction solely with the Forest Service to a Santa Monica Mountains-style combination of public and private stewards. Now, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced that the NPS has released the study for public review in the surrounding SoCal communities.

The study area covers approximately 700,000 acres of land in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan region, including urban communities, local and regional parks and open space, and 415,000 acres of the Angeles National Forest. From now through December 16th, citizens are encouraged to attend one of several local meetings on the study, or share their thoughts with the Park Service via mail, email or phone call.

You can attend one of the following informational meetings to answer questions, learn more about the potential effects, and officially register your comments with the NPS. After the December deadline, the comments will be included with the study and a final recommended course of action from Secretary Salazar and submitted to Congress, who will determine whether or not the recommendations move forward.

El Monte (Kick-Off Meeting)
Saturday, October 29
1pm – 3 pm
City of El Monte Senior Center
3120 N. Tyler Avenue
El Monte, CA 91731

Palmdale
Monday, November 14
7pm – 9pm
Larry Chimbole Cultural Center,
Joshua Room
38350 Sierra Highway
Palmdale, CA 93550

Pomona
Tuesday, November 15th
7pm – 9pm
Agriscapes Center, California Polytechnic Institute Campus
4102 S. University Drive
(South of Temple Avenue/ (From Highway 57, Exit Temple Avenue and go West towards Cal Poly Pomona. Turn left on South Campus Drive, Agriscapes is the building adjacent to the Farm Store).
Pomona, CA 91768

Santa Clarita
Wednesday, November 16th
7pm – 9pm
George A. Caravalho Activities Center
Santa Clarita Room A
20880 Centre Point Parkway
Santa Clarita, CA 91351

Tujunga
Thursday, November 17th
7pm – 9pm
Northeast Valley City Hall Auditorium
7747 Foothill Blvd
Tujunga, CA 91042

For more information, including the full study and maps of the potentially affected areas, visit the National Park Service’s dedicated site for the San Gabriel Watershed and Mountains Special Resource Study.

Tags: Environmentalism, Hiking, Los Angeles, National Park Service, Politics, public comment period, san gabriel watershed and mountains national recreation area