News: The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Trail Restoration Efforts Along the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail!

One of the on-going restoration programs we have here at the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains is SHRUBs (Students Helping Restore Unique Biomes)! SHRUBs goal is to aid students in understanding that restoration of habitat promotes the health of our local ecosystem. Our unique Mediterranean Ecosystem has over 12 different vegetation communities, however they have all been impacted by human activities.

As SHRUBs these students are helping to restore our park through restoration of our natural habitat through planting native plants. By doing this they are not only helping out the native plant community but also helping the animal community as well. Within the Santa Monica Mountains we have more than 450 vertebrate species that depend on these native plants! From housing to food to cover, these animals rely on vegetation to survive.

Below is a testimonial from Elyse Huff, one of the 5th grade teachers at EARTHS (Environmental Academy of Research Technology & EartH Sciences) Magnet School that has been a long term partner involved with the SHRUBS program. EARTHS Magnet School for K-5 students, offers each student a challenging curriculum that is interwoven with environmental science and technology. Elyse is just one of the many teachers who have participated in the SHRUBs program.

“First and foremost, THANK YOU for being willing to work with us this year and keep our SHRUBS program alive. It was good for my teacher-soul to be out at sunny Satwiwa again with students experiencing planting. So many parents and students were excited, happy, and grateful for this opportunity.”

Ranger giving students and parents safety and introduction talk about the site.

Restoration volunteer planting native lupine along the trail.

Through this continued partnership with local schools we’ve been able to preserve and uphold the native species within the Santa Monica Mountains at the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. We hope the expand this program and those we impact!

Information on our native plants: Plants – Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)

Information on our wildflowers: Wildflowers, NPS, SAMO NRA – Home (smmflowers.org)