Learn more about the Resource Conservation District which promotes land stewardship and resource conservation in the mountains through habitat restoration, planning, research, and education.
While many may have heard of the Santa Monica Mountains and appreciate their uniqueness, few probably know about the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains (RCDSMM). The mission of the RCDSMM is to promote land stewardship and resource conservation through ecological research, conservation planning and design, habitat restoration and environmental education. The RCDSMM encompasses the Santa Monica Mountains from Point Mugu to Topanga State Park and includes the Simi Hills, Santa Catalina Island, Pierce College, Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Area, and Chatsworth Reservoir.
As explained in this article by Jimy Tallal, even the COVID-19 pandemic has not slowed down the work of the RCDSMM. Highlights of RCDSMM's work in 2020 include (but are not limited to):
- Adding new distance-learning content to their environmental education offerings;
- Engaging community stakeholders in shaping the future of Topanga Lagoon;
- Completing the website on wildfire resilience and design phases for the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Crossing Project;
- Working with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to analyze areas of the Santa Monica Mountains that would be best for oak tree survival as the climate changes;
- Conducting ongoing monitoring to track the health of mature oak trees;
- Enlisting volunteer hikers to “adopt” and water newly planted oak seedlings on public lands until they become established;
- Starting an innovative program to use volunteers to teach community members how to recognize and report evidence of the beetles in native trees in neighborhoods, parks and wild areas;
- Continuing to conduct amphibian and turtle surveys throughout the Santa Monica Mountains; and
- Completing the architectural design and construction of a demonstration “house” that allows homeowners to see best management practices for hardening their structures against wildfire.
To learn more, please read the source article and visit RCDSMM's website.
FULL STORY: Resource Conservation District Doing Good Things in the Santa Monica Mountains
Wildfire Recovery for the Nation's Largest Urban Park
The National Park Service is seeking public comments on the redevelopment of sites within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area that were burned in the 2018 Woolsey Fire.
A Political Victory to Protect Wild Coastal Land
Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky discusses how the approval of new plans will preserve a stretch of unincorporated Southern California coastline.
A Park Reborn: Resilience and Renewal in Fire-Stricken Altadena
Rebuilt in just two months after the devastating Eaton Fire, Loma Alta Park now stands as a symbol of community resilience and renewal, even as some residents hope recovery efforts will continue to support housing stability and long-term equity.
Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie