Gabriels Projects: "Reconnecting the San Gabriel Valley"

Toward a regional "sense of place"
When envisioning habitat restoration and preservation, few people imagine the intense grid of the San Gabriel Valley.Indeed, even most lifelong residents of the valley are at a loss to describe any natural features in the Valley at all, much less any worth preserving or enhancing.And yet, numerous natural [areas], some quite large defy the choking constraints of intense urbanization and thrive here.A number of these [areas] still boast greater biodiversity than many pristine habitats in other less developed areas of the country.

Introduction
Reconnecting the San Gabriel Valley
June 2000

The full title of the study, sponsored by SGMRC and funded in partnership with Southern California Edison, is Reconnecting the San Gabriel Valley:A Planning Approach for the Creation of Interconnected urban Wildlife Corridor Networks.The landmark study, first of its kind in land use study and recommendations since the 1930s, received both County and State American Planning Association Awards. Reconnecting has led the way for the San Gabriel Valley, becoming the first of the regional land use studies for the new millennium.

Reconnecting is the exemplary work and outstanding endeavor of four gifted graduate students and their faculty advisors from the Graduate Landscape Architecture Program of California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP).All four of the graduate study authors have gone on in making a difference in land use planning, design, and implementation in Southern California.Special Congratulations to:Jeff Stevens, Kibum Sung, Jay Brown, and Douglas Delgado!

Reconnecting is the baseline document for the new, multi-stakeholder, multi-year Watershed Management Plan Project for the Upper San Gabriel River, led by SGMRC.Reconnecting has already contributed in generating more than several million in grant dollars coming to the San Gabriel Valley.Reconnecting has proven to be a major return on a small and prudent investment, setting new standards and successes for multi-purpose performance in environmental and watershed economics.

Reconnecting has also set the pace in cultural, watershed, and visioning connections through the special commissioning by SGMRC of an original painting by acclaimed Wildland Images Artist Fariad, winner of numerous awards for his wildlife paintings."The River," a renaissance vision of the San Gabriel River may be observed as the introductory and ending pieces in Reconnecting. Lest we forget, Artist Fariad renews our hope for what still can be a healthy and promising future for the San Gabriel Valley!

Both Reconnecting (bound document) and "The River" (fine art print) are available for purchase through the SGMRC Online Store, and the Nature Center. All purchases and donations will go toward Gabriels Projects.

Ask us more about Reconnecting copies, workshops, and adding your name to the e-mailing list.

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