We are walking up a trail in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation area, near Paramount Ranch. As we enter a meadow, everything is green. But, that wasn’t the case a few years ago. The nearly 100,000 acre Woolsey Wildfire in 2018 ravaged the mountains
Joey Algiers, a Restoration Ecologist with the National Park Service, said out of the devastation came a wild idea: With the help of a small army of volunteers, to plant 100,000 plants, including 10,000 trees in the National Recreation Area.
Now, the project is on track to plant its 100,000th tree Saturday.
The big winter has helped the restoration effort, but it’s also brought some problems. It took away the need to water the young plants. But, it also fueled the growth of non-native species, which can inhibit the growth of native plants.
The meadow where Algiers is standing is full of knee high grass. It’s green, and lush, but it also illustrates the problem.
The Santa Monica Mountains Fund, Snap Incorporated, and the conservation group Re: Wild helped fund the two year planting project.
Anna Beatriz Cholo, with the National Park Service, says more than 3,000 volunteers provided much of the labor. On Saturday, volunteers will be able to help get the project to the 100,000 plant finish line. People can still show up to help.
Algiers says with the two year long restoration effort almost complete, weeding the non-native species will be the next priority. There are also plans to grow and native plant seeds. But, he said this weekend, they’ll be celebrating reaching a huge milestone.
