Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
Encyclopedia
The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy is a non-profit organization
that is based in Palos Verdes, CA, whose mission is "Preserving land and restoring habitat for the enjoyment and education of all." Founded in 1988, the PVPLC has protected 1600 acres (6.5 km²) of open space as nature preserves on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
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(Polioptila californica), a small gray bird that is that is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
The Linden H. Chandler Preserve was created in 1993 through a sale and donation of property by the Chandler heirs, who wanted to see the land preserved in their father's name, who was the founder of Chandler's Palos Verdes Sand and Gravel in Rolling Hills Estates.
and Santa Catalina Island
. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes owns most of the land, which has been acquired over the past twenty years and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy manages the preserve. The preserve is made up of several properties including: Abalone Cove Ecological Reserve, Agua Amarga Reserve, Alta Vicente Reserve, Portuguese Bend Reserve, Forrestal Reserve, Three Sisters Reserve, San Ramon Reserve, Vicente Bluffs Reserve, and Vista Del Norte Reserve.
habitats, culminating in a view of the Los Angeles basin
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The George F Canyon Nature Center provides educational and recreational programs which invite the community to enjoy and learn more about the Canyon. The Nature Center provides a variety of changing exhibits so that visitors hopefully see something new with each visit. Exhibits focus on themes such as butterflies, birds of the canyon, insects, plant habitats, animals and wildflowers.
The 36 acres (145,687 m²) space was contributed to the city of Rolling Hills Estates by Robert and Roland Stein, Sandra Stein Haveson and Arthur Hale Sr. in Memory of David N. Stein, Francis H. Stein and Marie D. Hale.
The nature walk program consists of a four-part, in-class educational unit covering local ecology, native plants, geology, history, Native-American culture, mammals, reptiles and insects. Lessons are taught by Land Conservancy educators and trained docents, with assistance from classroom teachers. Samples of plant materials, rocks, animal specimens and other teaching aids help students gain a hands-on understanding of the concepts presented.
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
that is based in Palos Verdes, CA, whose mission is "Preserving land and restoring habitat for the enjoyment and education of all." Founded in 1988, the PVPLC has protected 1600 acres (6.5 km²) of open space as nature preserves on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
White Point Nature Preserve
The White Point Nature Preserve is located in San Pedro and features 102 acre (0.41277972 km²) of restored coastal sage scrub habitat, hiking and handicap access trails, and a new Nature Education Center overlooking the ocean and Santa Catalina IslandSanta Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
.
Defense Fuel Supply Point
The Defense Fuel Supply Point in San Pedro provides storage for military fuel reserves and is also home to the endangered Palos Verdes blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis), the “rarest butterfly on earth”. The DFSP mission is a restricted facility which receives, stores, and distributes diesel and jet fuels for military use in California, Arizona and Nevada. Coastal sage scrub is juxtaposed within pipelines and storage tanks, providing habitat for the Palos Verdes blue butterfly as well as the threatened California gnatcatcherCalifornia Gnatcatcher
The California Gnatcatcher, Polioptila californica, is a small 10.8 cm long insectivorous bird which frequents dense coastal sage scrub growth...
(Polioptila californica), a small gray bird that is that is listed as threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Linden H. Chandler Preserve
The Linden H. Chandler Preserve is a 28.5 acres (115,335.5 m²) property located in Rolling Hills Estates. Owned jointly by the City of Rolling Hills Estates and the Land Conservancy, intensive habitat restoration efforts have added native wildflowers and shrubs to the hillsides. Trails traverse its slopes and grasslands, passing by a recently restored wetland area.The Linden H. Chandler Preserve was created in 1993 through a sale and donation of property by the Chandler heirs, who wanted to see the land preserved in their father's name, who was the founder of Chandler's Palos Verdes Sand and Gravel in Rolling Hills Estates.
Palos Verdes Nature Preserve
The Palos Verdes Nature Preserve is the largest of the PVPLC's preserves consisting of approximately 1400 acres (5.7 km²) of rolling hills, steep canyons and rock outcrops, with natural habitat and views of the Pacific OceanPacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
and Santa Catalina Island
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
. The City of Rancho Palos Verdes owns most of the land, which has been acquired over the past twenty years and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy manages the preserve. The preserve is made up of several properties including: Abalone Cove Ecological Reserve, Agua Amarga Reserve, Alta Vicente Reserve, Portuguese Bend Reserve, Forrestal Reserve, Three Sisters Reserve, San Ramon Reserve, Vicente Bluffs Reserve, and Vista Del Norte Reserve.
Lunada Canyon Reserve
The Lunada Canyon Reserve is a 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) canyon that was given to the Conservancy by the E.K Zuckerman family in 1992. It makes up part of the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.George F. Canyon
The 36 acres (145,687 m²) George F. Canyon Nature Center is owned by the City of Rolling Hills Estates and operated by the Conservancy. A nature trail passes through one of the largest canyons on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Visitors walk or ride on horseback through willow-riparian and coastal sage scrubCoastal sage scrub
Coastal sage scrub is a low scrubland plant community found in the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion of coastal California and northern Baja California. It is characterized by low-growing aromatic, and drought-deciduous shrubs adapted to the semi-arid Mediterranean climate of the...
habitats, culminating in a view of the Los Angeles basin
Los Angeles Basin
The Los Angeles Basin is the coastal sediment-filled plain located between the Peninsular and Transverse ranges in southern California in the United States containing the central part of the city of Los Angeles as well as its southern and southeastern suburbs...
.
The George F Canyon Nature Center provides educational and recreational programs which invite the community to enjoy and learn more about the Canyon. The Nature Center provides a variety of changing exhibits so that visitors hopefully see something new with each visit. Exhibits focus on themes such as butterflies, birds of the canyon, insects, plant habitats, animals and wildflowers.
The 36 acres (145,687 m²) space was contributed to the city of Rolling Hills Estates by Robert and Roland Stein, Sandra Stein Haveson and Arthur Hale Sr. in Memory of David N. Stein, Francis H. Stein and Marie D. Hale.
Science and education
The Conservancy is strong in its effort to save the landscape from past degradation from urbanization, agriculture uses, and the introduction of invasive foreign species. Through their Nursery and Education programs they hope to effectively restore the habitat.Local partnerships
Partnerships with local schools provide learning opportunities for many students. The PVPLC has developed an exciting partnership with the Palos Verdes Peninsula High School Environmental Science AP class. In 2009, local students helped plant several acres in the Lunada Canyon preserve and then returned to weed their plantings. The PVPLC has worked with numerous Eagle Scouts, Girl Scouts and local groups such as the Lions Club to develop projects for them to help them achieve their awards while benefiting the local environment.Youth Education Program
Youth Education programs include a third-grade nature walk program and partnerships with local schools and groups. They have developed a partnership with the Palos Verdes Peninsula High School AP Environmental Science class. This year, students helped plant several acres in the Lunada Canyon preserve and then returned to weed their plantings. The PVPLC has worked with numerous Eagle Scouts, Girl Scouts and local groups such as the Lions Club to develop projects for them. These collaborations help them achieve their awards while benefiting the local environment.Third-Grade Nature Walk Program
This annual program adapts California's third grade science standards to the local ecology. Every third grade student in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, one private school in Palos Verdes, four San Pedro schools and one Lomita elementary school are part the program. Last year, over 1300 schoolchildren were served directly by this program.The nature walk program consists of a four-part, in-class educational unit covering local ecology, native plants, geology, history, Native-American culture, mammals, reptiles and insects. Lessons are taught by Land Conservancy educators and trained docents, with assistance from classroom teachers. Samples of plant materials, rocks, animal specimens and other teaching aids help students gain a hands-on understanding of the concepts presented.