The City of Lawndale is home to about 32,000 residents, the San Diego Freeway, and more recently a small patch of native habitat that City officials seem bent on destroying. As construction crews remove the most recognizable Lawndale landmark _ the expanse of faded and brittle plastic turf in the median of Hawthorne Boulevard _ the yard of a historic home is being returned to a more natural state. This yard, which has been planted to reflect historic plant communities of the South Bay, has been declared a public nuisance by the City.

Blessed with nearly an acre in a neighborhood of multiple-unit housing, our home is a symbol of an earlier time. Upon moving into our house in 1998, we began the process of landscaping the weedy and dusty property, which had been farmed by Brad's Grandfather but never landscaped. As biologists and members of Audubon, we have a love of nature and decided to enhance our home and neighborhood through habitat restoration.

Soon after the ground was prepared and planted in the winter of 1999-2000, native bees and butterflies visited native flowers, slender salamanders came out of the woodwork, western toads were hopping, and a kaleidoscope of birds and butterflies showed up in the newly created habitat. Three years later, our "yard list" continues to grow as new species show up. It is indeed gratifying to see migratory birds gleaning insects or splashing in the water, letting us know that our yard is an oasis in a biological desert of pavement and turf. The coastal sage scrub portion of the yard requires water only two times per year to keep the foliage looking good.

Our yard is certified as Backyard Wildlife Habitat Number 22816 by the National Wildlife Federation. Backyard Habitats are evaluated and certified based on their ability to provide food, water, cover, and places to raise young for wildlife. And this urban wildlife habitat is good for people too. The view of the yard and house from the street looks like a rural scene from old California. We placed signs along the fence announcing the Backyard Habitat certification to passers-by. Many people, intrigued by the beautiful landscape and the habitat signs, take a moment to pause or ask for a tour.

Brad and Amy Henderson's yard in Lawndale recreates part of the South Bay's not-so-distant past, much to the delight of birds and other creatures, and their watchers.

In October of last year, we received a notice from the City of Lawndale Municipal Services Department stating that we are in violation of the City's Public Health and Safety Code, due to the presence of "overgrown weeds and grass" with instructions to "cut overgrown weeds and grass." After mowing our grass, we received a "hearing notice" that stated that no work had been done and threatened criminal charges. At our hearing, City staff explained that the habitat is illegal and would need to be permitted through the Planning Department. A suggested remedy was construction of a block wall to shield the offensive view as native plants are considered a public nuisance in Lawndale.

Meanwhile, other agencies including the Metropolitan Water District are promoting the use of native plants. The MWD, which recently lost 25% of its total available water in a decision regarding Colorado River water,, has embarked on a campaign to educate cities and homeowners about the use of native and drought-tolerant plants. Fresh water is a limited resource that will only become scarcer as the population grows and water sources become contaminated. Mainstream garden references such as Sunsetmagazine consistently encourage gardeners to use native and drought-tolerant plants for their beauty, wildlife benefits, and low water needs.

As we anxiously await the outcome of this matter, we hope that City of Lawndale will dispense with the Astroturf mentality for good and will embrace the new native landscaping paradigm. The multiple benefits of our living habitat need to be encouraged rather than criminalized.

Maybe, just maybe, the new Hawthorne Boulevard median will have room for a sycamore, a toyon, or even some sagebrush. One can only dream.

For Audubon, certainly, time flies. To me, it seems not all that long ago that Eric Brooks, Bob Carr, Georgene Foster and I, along with a dozen other dedicated birders got together to create a new Audubon chapter. Yet, that was back in 1978—and a lot of birds ago! So it is that we enter the new year to celebrate Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon's 25th anniversary.

The first event of the year is the Great Backyard Bird Count, to be held over the weekend of February 14-17. I hope each of you will take this opportunity to record the birds of your neighborhood and add it to the national database, maintained by Audubon and Cornel University. If you want a hand, call Bob Shanman at 326-2473. Bob's Wild Birds Unlimited will be running an Audubon 25th Anniversary/GBBC weekend, with direct data entry possible at the store, located in Rolling Hills Plaza, 25416 Crenshaw Blvd. We'll have displays and folks on hand to greet you, so do drop by. And you will be able to see your data appear immediately on the GBBC on-line bird maps! It's very impressive.

In March, we'll hold our 25th Anniversary Party at our regular chapter meeting. That's Tuesday evening, March 25, at the South Coast Botanic Garden. Though time passes, some things seem not to change: The Garden is where we held our very first program meeting on March 30th, 1978. We'll give special recognition to the old-timers and some of our youngest activists, celebrate with door prizes and a birthday cake for all. I'll see you there.

On April 26th, at the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, we'll continue with a super Earth Day & 25th Anniversary Celebration as we give out this year's Audubon YES! Awards in the John Olguin Auditorium. This event is free to all, so we expect a huge turnout. The young people will be showcasing their schools and activities as part of the program. In addition, there will be many display booths for local organizations, refreshments and the Audubon YES! Awards themselves. This will be a great opportunity for you to meet these young people who see so much to do in the world—and do it, as they actively pursue their dreams.

In April and May, we will be running our annual Birdathon. This year, we are going to aim very high. The programs we run, especially for education and Harbor Park, need funding to make them possible. In this, our 25th Anniversary year, we are going to ask you to be especially generous, because there is so much to do and the challenges to our environment are greater than ever before.

In the next issue of Hummin', I'll tell you more about our activities this year, and how you can take part in them. They include our Conservation Awards Banquet, bird and butterfly counts, and Perseid Meteor Shower and Star Party. And we have a full slate of bird classes, walks and interesting programs for our regular monthly meetings.

On February 14-17, the sixth annual Great Backyard Bird Count or GBBC will give everyone a chance to help monitor bird populations. In the GBBC, families, individuals, classes, and community groups count the numbers and kinds of birds that visit feeders, local parks, schoolyards, and other areas during any or all four days of the count. Participants then enter their observation on the Birdsource web page at www.birdsource.org. Results from around the country are updated hourly in the form of animated maps and colorful graphs. Findings from previous years are also available at the site, which was developed by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Instructions for participating in the GBBC can be found at the web site.

If you don't have ready access to the Web at home or at your local library, you can get details and drop off reports with our own Bob Shanman at Wild Birds Unlimited at 2575 Pacific Coast Highway, near the northeast corner of Crenshaw Boulevard and Pacific Coast Highway.

The UCLA Institute of the Environment recently released its fifth annual Southern California Environmental Report Card, which examines critical environmental problems facing the region. The report card also grades how well or how poorly agencies, the private sector and the public are addressing these problems. Faculty experts at UCLA prepared evaluations of several issues in the 2002 report card.

• Philip Rundel gave an overall grade of D for activities to preserve biodiversity over the past century, but a C+ for activities in the last decade.

• On reusing waters, Michael K. Stenstrom and Richard Berk rated agency activities as an A and the behavior of the rest of us as a D.

• Ann E. Carlson rated past efforts on solid waste as a B+.

• On sustainable building, Richard Schoen gave urban parks initiatives an A+, reclamation and rehabilitation projects a D, the Playa Vista development a C, and several building rehabilitation projects an A+.

For more information on the Institute of the Environment and the environmental report card, call 310-825-5008, email ioe@ucla.edu, or visit www.ioe.ucla.edu.

November and December are exciting months in which to bird. There are many possibilities to find late fall or early winter vagrants, and we begin to get a taste of what our bird winter will be like. The avifauna that each winter brings has its own unique character, compelling us to continue to course our local hotspots to discover which birds will be more or less commonly seen, and which surprise visitors will make our area their winter home.

The weather during November and December was varied. A very warm offshore pattern 11-21 Nov brought record high temperatures to the area on 15 and 20 Nov. Rainfall was above average for both Nov and Dec; record (for the date) rainfall was recorded in both Downtown L.A. and at LAX on 8 Nov and 16 Dec. The 37th annual Palos Verdes Peninsula Christmas Bird Count (CBC) held on 22 Dec tallied 165 species on count day, with 11 additional species for count week. The total was about average for recent years, but above average historically.

Northern Fulmars were noted along the coast beginning with one on 9 Nov at Pt. Fermin (PtF) (Kevin Larson-KL); about a dozen were seen from the peninsula by Mitch Heindel (MH) on 23 Nov. Jess Morton had a booby while covering the L.A. Harbor breakwater by boat on the 22 Dec CBC that he described as a Masked Booby with an orange bill. The description seems to favor Nazca Booby, which is now taxonomically split from Masked. There are no accepted records of Nazca Booby in CA as of this writing. Uncommon at the coast, five White Pelicans were at Marina del Rey (MdR) 18-22 Nov (Todd McGrath-TMcG). A single White Pelican flew over Harbor Park (HP) on 8 Dec (Martin Byhower-MB). Brown Pelicans are very rarely seen inland from the coast; one died shortly after discovery at Alondra Park (AP) on 18 Nov (David Moody-DM). Never easy to find here, an American Bittern was at HP on 6 Nov (MH) and continued through at least 7 Dec. The only Cattle Egret reported was one at Earvin Magic Johnson Rec. Area (EMJRA) in Willowbrook on 30 Dec (KL); they are less often seen now than they were in the early 1990's. 76 Black-crowned Night Herons at HP on 20 Dec was a high count (MH). Turkey Vultures, declining as a winterer here, were at the Dominguez Channel (DC) on 1 Nov (KL) and at Ocean Trails (OT) on 22 Dec (Bob Beckler-BB and Charlie Walker-CW). An imm. Ross' Goose was found at HP on 8 Nov (MB); a second immature joined it on 7 Dec; another was at Del Rey Lagoon on 18 Nov (TMcG). Small Canada Geese of the race minima were at Madrona Marsh (MM) 10-11 Nov (DM), at AP 20 Nov-22 Dec (DM, KL) and at DC on 22 Dec (KL). A Canada Goose of a medium-sized race was at Cabrillo Beach on 25 Dec (MH, KL). There were four sightings of migrant large Canada Geese, numbering up to 23, between 26 Nov and 25 Dec. An imm. swan (Tundra/Trumpeter) at HP on 29 Nov, reported by Bob Reiling, was believed by the observer to be possibly a Trumpeter Swan. A White-winged Scoter at MdR on 17 Nov (Bob Shanman-BSh) was the only one reported. The only Black Scoter was an adult male that flew by Pt. Vicente (PtV) for Mike San Miguel (MSM) on 22 Dec. Long-tailed Ducks were seen at the mouth of the L.A. River 8-22 Dec (KL) and at PtV on 22 Dec (MSM). A male Common Goldeneye at AP on 28 Nov (DM) was the only one found.

An imm. Bald Eagle, never before recorded during our CBC period, was seen flying north over the PtV area on 25 Dec (KL). The only No. Harrier reported in the PV area during the period was found on the CBC, 22 Dec, by BB and CW. Specimen evidence of a hawk that hit a window at the Rolling Hills residence of Lucy Agid on 24 Sep 2002 was collected by BSh and given to Kimball Garrett, who determined it to be a juvenile Broad-winged Hawk. An imm. Ferruginous Hawk at the Navy Fuel Depot (NFD) found by MH and Barney Schlinger (BSc) on 22 Dec was certainly a CBC surprise. A Merlin of the dark race, suckleyi, was reported at Chadwick Canyon on 6 Dec (MB). A large, dark adult Peregrine Falcon that I studied at the L.A. River (LAR) on 2 Nov had markings indicating that it may have been of the race pealei. A few Red Phalaropes were seen near shore due to storms; three were at King Harbor on 17 Dec (DM), and singles were at PtV on 19 Dec (MH) and 21 Dec (KL). Outstanding was a first-winter Little Gull seen from PtV on 24 Nov by MSM. This species, which is rarely present, is suspected to feed offshore with Bonaparte's Gulls, thus making near shore sightings ephemeral in nature. Single Thayer's Gulls at PtF on 23 Nov (MH) and at HP on 23 Dec (MH) were the only ones reported. An exceptionally late Elegant Tern was at Torrance Beach on 19 Dec (DM). Common Murres were in evidence along the coast from late Nov through Dec, with sightings of up to 31 in the PtF area on 22 Dec (MH); on 21 Dec, 26 were seen from PtV (KL) and 20 from PtF (MH). Other alcid species were somewhat scarce. Burrowing Owls are no longer known to be a permanent resident in the area since the extirpation of the Cal State U. Dominguez Hills population a few years ago. Occurrences of Burrowing Owl at OT 5 Nov-22 Dec (Paul Johanson) and at NFD on 16 Nov (Travis Longcore) probably pertain to fall migrant or wintering individuals.

Vaux's Swift sightings continued into Nov with 175 at LAR 2 Nov (KL), and 7 at AP on 5 Nov (DM). About 15 Vaux's Swifts were over EMJRA 30-31 Dec (KL), and one was at AP on 31 Dec (DM). A male Black-chinned Hummingbird was reported on the 22 Dec CBC at a feeder in RPV by BB and CW. A Costa's Hummingbird was at MB's feeder in Torrance for roughly the first half of Nov. Nuttall's Woodpeckers were at Entradero Park on 1 Nov (KL) and one continued at AP until at least 21 Nov (DM). A "clean" male "Yellow-shafted" Flicker was at HP on 19 Nov (MH). An Empidonax sp. was briefly seen by MH on 14 Dec along Malaga Cr. at the end of Via Tejon (VTe); the bird was not seen again until the last day of the CBC period, 25 Dec, when MH identified it as a Hammond's Flycatcher. Rusty Scalf (RS) found an Eastern Phoebe on the 22 Dec CBC (the second count day record in the history of the CBC) in the canyon below Peck Park. This was probably a returning bird, as MH and I found one at the same location on 25 Dec of the previous year. At least 9 Loggerhead Shrikes were noted in the area covered by this article during the period, a number of which were likely non-resident winterers or transients. One Plumbeous Vireo was found: 23 Dec at HP (MH). A Cassin's Vireo at HP on 7 Dec (MH) was probably a returning winterer. A Hutton's Vireo was at Sand Dune Park (SDP) on 18 Nov (TMcG, MSM). Six Hutton's Vireos were found in the PV count circle 21-22 Dec. Exceptionally late or wintering swallows included a Northern Rough-winged at HP on 7 Dec (MH); one Barn Swallow was at HP on 7 Dec (MH) and three were at DC on 22 Dec (KL). A Red-breasted Nuthatch was at Deforest Park 2O Oct-24 Nov (KL), another was in Miraleste at Via Subida on 22 Dec (RS). The White-breasted Nuthatch invasion of the fall continued with one at MH's house in Torrance on 24 Nov, one in the oaks at Via Alcance in PVE on 14 Dec (MH) and one in Portuguese Bend on 22 Dec (Dave Roelen); this brings the total to seven seen in our area since 22 Aug. Irregular in occurrence, a Golden-crowned Kinglet was at SDP on 16 Nov (KL). Three Mountain Bluebirds, rarely encountered along the coast in So. Cal., were at MM on 22 Nov (Dan Gould, DM); only recorded once before on the CBC, four were at NFD on 22 Dec (MH, BSc). Varied Thrush sightings continued at SDP into Nov; two were there from 23 Nov to at least 25 Dec.

Nashville Warblers were found at HP on 17 Nov (MB), at South Coast Botanic Garden (SCBG) on 7 Dec (KL) and at Banning Park on count day, 22 Dec (MH). A Townsend's X Hermit Warbler hybrid was at HP 7-26 Dec (MH). Very late or wintering Hermit Warblers were at Wilderness Park 19 Nov-10 Dec (DM) and at AP on 21 Nov (DM). To go out and find two Palm Warblers in one day is not easy; to have two Palm Warblers find you seems quite a bit more improbable. The latter seemed to be the case on 12 Nov, when MH saw one in a grocery store parking lot in Carson after shopping, then later in the day he saw another at his house in Torrance! The one in MH's neighborhood remained through at least 25 Dec. A Palm Warbler at HP 16-17 Nov (MH, MB) may have been a different bird than the one MH found there on 26 Oct. A Black-and-white Warbler at the El Segundo Library that Richard Barth first found on 17 Oct was still present when he checked back on 21 Dec. MH found a female Black-and-white Warbler at VTe on the last day of the CBC period, 25 Dec. Remarkably, on 7 Dec, MH found that a male Am. Redstart had returned to HP for a fifth winter. Wilson's Warblers were wintering in higher than expected numbers; at least 12 were found in the area during the period. A Yellow-breasted Chat at SDP 12 Nov-26 Dec (KL) was probably attempting to overwinter. Records of this species overwintering in CA are undoubtedly very few at most; there is one recent record from Santa Barbara County: San Jose Creek, Goleta 11 Dec 2000-2 Feb 2001 (fide Dave Compton).

A female Summer Tanager at SDP 16 Nov-26 Dec (KL) did not appear to be the same female that was there in Oct. Chipping Sparrow flocks are not commonly found in the PV area in winter; 17 were at the PV Landfill on 22 Dec (Eric and Ann Brooks). A Clay-colored Sparrow was at OT on 1 Nov (KL). A Lark Sparrow was at MM on 22 Dec (DM). A "Large-billed" Savannah Sparrow at MdR continued through the period (first found on 2 Sep-Irwin Woldman). A Grasshopper Sparrow at OT on 1 Nov was a late fall transient (KL). A "Red" Fox Sparrow was at VTe on 14 Dec (MH). MH found a White-throated Sparrow at HP on 1 Nov which stayed to be tallied on the CBC. Rusty Blackbird is a very rare late fall/winter vagrant in coastal So. Cal.; one came in to roost with the blackbird flock for the night at HP on 16 Nov (MH). The bird was seen later by other observers on 21 Nov (BB) and also on 28 Nov (unknown observer, fide Jerry Johnson). Up to three Common Grackles, associating with Great-tailed Grackles, were at EMJRA 30 Dec-1 Jan (KL). There have been a few records of Common Grackle in L.A. County (e.g., El Dorado Park and Balboa Lake) since MH found the first one for the county in Torrance 3-24 Mar 1997. 175 Great-tailed Grackles at HP on 2 Dec (MH) was a high count for this invasive and unwelcome species. A female or imm. Orchard Oriole was at SDP 16-18 Nov (KL). Purple Finches have been fairly scarce in recent winters; singles were at SDP and SCBG on 7 Dec (KL), at VTe on 14 Dec (MH) and at George F. Canyon on 28 Dec (MH). I saw or heard single Pine Siskins four times between 1 Nov and 17 Nov, but none were reported thereafter.

Following are the first arrival dates of selected species: Canvasback—3 Nov AP (DM); Lesser Scaup—1 Nov HP (MH); Bufflehead—1 Nov HP (MH); Bonaparte's Gull—1 Nov HP (MH); "Slate-colored" Junco—1 Nov Entradero Park (KL).

Following are late dates for selected migrants: Elegant Tern—19 Dec Torrance Beach (DM); Pacific-slope Flycatcher—1 Nov Banning Park (MH); Warbling Vireo—1 Nov AP (DM); Grasshopper Sparrow—1 Nov OT (KL); Yellow-breasted Chat—12 Nov-26 Dec SDP (KL).

Thanks to all who reported sightings and to those who participated in the CBC. Please send your sightings to (cbirdr@attbi.com) for the Palos Verdes/South Bay area and east to the L.A. River, north to about the 105 fwy, and the coast up to Marina del Rey.

Errata: In the previous article of Sep and Oct 2002 sightings, Mitch Heindel should have been credited as the initial finding observer of the Least Flycatcher at Sur La Brea Park 3-5 Oct.

This year, it will be more important than ever to urge members of Congress to fight environmental rollbacks and to protect America's wildlife and natural treasures from partisan attacks. A good place to start is to demand protection for the "River of Grass" made famous by Marjory Stoneman Douglas. Douglas once wrote, "The Everglades is a Test. If we pass, we get to keep the planet."

Everglades water and wildlife are being threatened by pressure from commercial interests and the lack of independent scientific review. In 2000, a $7.8 billion plan to restore the South Florida ecosystem was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. The goals of this largest environmental project in American history included purchasing and protecting additional acres of wetlands and restoring a more natural water flow to the Everglades.

Last April, the Army Corps of Engineers—the agency in charge of the restoration—approved deep-pit limestone mining on more than 5,000 acres of Everglades wetlands, the first phase of a proposal to allow rock mining on 21,000 more acres.

Although the Corps claims that the rock pits will aid the restoration, government scientists and engineers are concerned that the 80-foot deep mining pits could "suck water out of the Everglades, implode, or taint Miami's drinking water with deadly cryptosporidium," according to an article in the Washington Post. A lawsuit by the Natural Resources Defense Council, the National Parks Conservation Association, and the Sierra Club claims that the mining decision violates the Endangered Species Act, the Clean Water Act, and the National Environmental Policy Act. The suit also targets the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for failing to protect the endangered Wood Stork, since 1,400 of the park's 1,600 wood storks nest within 5 miles of the proposed mining area. In addition to the Wood Stork, 13 species that depend on the Everglades for survival are endangered—including the Florida Panther, and the American Crocodile. Ninety percent of the park's wading birds have disappeared.

Half of the Everglades has already been paved for development or drained for agriculture, and the rest is being targeted by commercial interests. Newspapers have reported more than $800,000 in political contributions by mining companies and their executives in the last 5 years. There is also pressure to expand the water supply for South Florida's businesses and residents.

With all this political pressure, independent scientific review of the project is needed. Several U.S. senators have signed a letter demanding that such a review be included in the Corps restoration plan (called programmatic regulations). Each one of us can help by urging our senators to contact the Army Corps of Engineers and their colleagues on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Our senators should insist that the Corps include an independent scientific review panel in the programmatic regulations for the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan. Without independent oversight, pressure from mining companies and other commercial interests will jeopardize the restoration project. Tell our senators that the $7.8 billion Everglades restoration plan cannot succeed if the Corps succumbs to commercial pressures.

The National Wildlife Federation reports more disturbing news about poorly planned development in the Western Everglades near Naples that is threatening the survival of the Florida Panther and other wildlife. It says that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has delayed formal action on the Southwest Florida Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and, instead, has allowed the annual development of more than 900 acres of wetlands in the EIS area.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the USFWS are agreeing to the Corps' permits even where the resulting development is polluting waters and destroying endangered habitats. The Florida Panther is one of the most endangered large mammals in the world, with only 60 to 80 adult animals remaining; yet, the USFWS has agreed with permits that have destroyed more than 60,000 acres of habitat essential to the survival of this rare mammal.

Send a message to the Fish and Wildlife Service urging it to enforce the law, to finalize the Florida Panther habitat map, and to follow the MERIT conservation plan.

Besides serving on chapter committees and the Board of Directors over the years, Joseph Slap also has contributed articles and quiz questions to Hummin'. Here is a selection from 1988.

1. How does the fishing technique of most White Pelicans differ from that of most Brown Pelicans?

   ANSWER: A group of typical White Pelicans will fish by arranging themselves either in a circle or in a semi-circle, and herding the fish by splashing and other motions. Most Brown Pelicans will fly at a low height above the water and dive straight down when they see a suitable fish.

2. In the Serengeti, all vultures hunt by sight. In South American rain forests, where sight is restricted by the trees and undergrowth, how do the Turkey Vultures, Black Vultures, and King Vultures locate their food?

   ANSWER: Turkey Vultures have a highly developed olfactory sense and are able to locate carcasses by their odor. Black and King Vultures follow Turkey Vultures to the food.

After several years of groundwork, the White Point Nature Preserve at the end of Western Avenue in San Pedro is on the verge of some big changes. The preserve, which is being developed in an innovative collaboration between the City of Los Angeles and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy, relies heavily on community volunteers. Audubon YES! Students have been a vital source of support.

Although the 102-acre site was designated by the city to be a park preserve a couple of years ago, it has taken considerable time and energy to develop detailed plans, resolve the disposition of historical structures, obtain necessary permits, and line up funding.

In the mean time, volunteers have spent thousands of hours in planning and fundraising, hauling out trash and debris, removing fennel, ice plant, and other non-native plants, and establishing a strip of demonstration plants along Paseo del Mar.

With the good rains of late December, and predictions of a moderate El Nino weather pattern for the winter, the demonstration plants should provide an attractive front for visitors in the coming months. Already, there are significant numbers of birds, butterflies, and other creatures enjoying the new habitat.

The first major change on the site this winter will be removal of the "Ready Room," the structure near the corner of Paseo del Mar and Weymouth. A temporary fence will be erected around the two larger structures nearer the center of the site (the warhead and assembly rooms), and part of the Nike missile launch facility. A new wood fence will be constructed around the property, so that the rusty old chain link fence can be removed.

After an irrigation system is installed, planting will begin. Over a hundred thousand site-appropriate native plants, including coastal sage scrub, native grassland, and riparian species, will be planted over the next four winters. With luck, 40,000 plants will be planted this winter, beginning in February. This effort will depend largely on volunteers, who will be needed in even greater numbers now that the project has the administrative "green light" and the funding to go forward at full speed!

Anyone interested in more information, or wishing to volunteer, can check the website or contact the office of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (www.pvplc.org; info@pvplc.org; (310) 541-7613).

Andrea Vona, who attended White Point Elementary School and the Marine Science Magnet Program at San Pedro High, has recently assumed the position of White Point Project Manager. Andrea earned a bachelor's degree in environmental science at UC Santa Barbara (go Gauchos!). Andrea is now completing a master's degree in environmental science at CSU Fullerton. Andrea previously worked for the prominent environmental consulting firm Jones and Stokes. Andrea replaces Barbara Dye, who moved to the position of Executive Director of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy.

In response to more than 5,000 public comments, including 3,500 letters from Audubon members, the Environmental Protection Agency reversed itself in late July and denied the use of the potent pesticide carbofuran on rice fields in southwest Louisiana. Use of the pesticide posed a grave threat to hundreds of bird species, especially wading birds and neotropical migrant shorebirds such as the Buff-breasted Sandpiper and the Short-billed Dowitcher.

Early in December, the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the legality of the Roadless Area Conservation Rule issued by the Clinton Administration in January 2001. The Bush Administration did not defend the rule against challenge by the Boise Cascade Company and the state of Idaho. The rule protects 58.5 million acres of pristine, wild forest in 39 states from roadbuilding, commercial logging and mining, while continuing to allow public access for recreational activities.

Congress largely rejected a Bush Administration request to exempt many Department of Defense activities from the Endangered Species Act, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and other environmental laws. Congress did allow the Defense Department to conduct training activities that impact migratory birds but required oversight by the Department of the Interior and efforts by the Department of Defense to avoid impacts.

Finally, under citizen pressure, the Administration released $34 million in funds for the United Nations Family Planning program that had been appropriated by Congress for fiscal year 2002.

Last summer, Machado Lake suffered through its most recent bout with avian botulism, triggered by high temperatures and high levels of nutrients. The outbreak was a symptom of chronic problems caused by pollution carried from surrounding streets, parking lots, and other developments into the storm channels that feed the lake. Some visible pollutants such as trash make the lake less attractive and sometimes harm wildlife. Other pollutants, such as nutrients, bacteria, oil, and toxic chemicals, are more insidious and threaten the health of wildlife and people.

Nationwide, efforts to stem the flow of pollution from the land go back decades. In 1971,for instance, President Nixon's Secretary of the Interior joined others in bewailing the degradation of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters by pollution. "There has been too little resistance to prevailing and threatened pollution when payrolls are involved," Secretary Hickel said. A year later, Congress passed the Clean Water Act.

The Clean Water Act quickly led to great reductions in the discharge of raw sewage and industrial pollutants into waterways. Efforts to reduce polluted runoff from the land were far less successful. Repeated attempts to blunt the flow of pollution from land were themselves blunted by promises from local governments to pursue voluntary measures. But years of promises produced littleprogress.

In the last several years, regional water quality control boards and the courts have begun insisting on an end to the delays.

After extensive analyses and discussions, our local water board adopted a plan that requires cities and the county to take concrete steps toward reducing the flow of pollution. The regional board also recently set a timetable for reducing and eliminating trash from streams, lakes, and coastal waters over the next 14 years. The timetable allows reconsideration of the goal after trash in waterways is cut in half. This is hardly an unreasonable timetable.

Rather than getting serious, at last, about stemming the flow of runoff pollution, many cities and the County of Los Angeles have decided to use taxpayer's money to bankroll the Coalition for Practical Regulation. The Coalition, which has its headquarters in the government offices of the City of Bellflower, now is engaging in one of the most blatant campaigns of misinformation in memory.

Most recently, the Board of Supervisors of Los Angeles County joined dozens of local cities, including Rancho Palos Verdes, Palos Verdes Estates, Gardena, Hawthorne, and Lawndale, in challenging the new rules.

In "educating" the public about their position, the coalition of cities has indulged in gross scare tactics. For instance, using inflated economic projections, the Coalition claims that cities will have to lay off hundreds of policemen and firemen.

This cynical appeal to citizens' concerns about public safety is matched in audacity by the Coalition's claim that the stormwater rules will create a "feeding frenzy for trial lawyers." According to the Coalition, cities will face lawsuits over a bubble gum wrapper that ends up in a waterway within their boundaries. That argument ignores the ten million pounds of trash that already have to be carted away from our beaches.

That just about runs the gamut red-meat rhetoric, doesn't it? Crime and trial lawyers.

Spokesmen such as County Supervisor Don Knabe appeal for a common sense approach, but they offer no alternatives, except business as usual. Indeed, the Coalition's web page (www.citiessavejobs.com) quotes the Legislative Analyst for the City of Los Angeles as saying that the City already has a proactive program.

Apparently, these folks have never visited the lower LA River, Machado Lake, Ballona Creek, or any other downstream area in the South Bay after a rainstorm has collected debris for miles around and deposited the refuse along shorelines in the South Bay. Otherwise, they wouldn't be talking about "proactive" programs.

In the end, the county and cities simply don't want to be held accountable for managing activities within their boundaries. LA County and local governments have had decades to practice basic housekeeping and to stop using our streams, lakes, and beaches as convenient ways of collecting and disposing of trash and other pollutants.

By embracing and funding the campaign of the Coalition for Practical Regulation, government officials are simply writing the latest chapter in a sad history of environmental irresponsibility.

And the wildlife and visitors at Harbor Park and other recreation areas will continue to be the victims.

As reported recently in the Daily Breeze, the Los Angeles City Council recently voted 11-0 to close the northern end of Ken Malloy Harbor Regional Park between 4 p.m. and 10 a.m. each day—the most restrictive hours of any park in Los Angeles. Other areas in the park will remain open from 6 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.

The purpose of the restrictions is to enable police to remove homeless who stay overnight in the park's willow riparian forest. The Council acted in response to a request by Councilwoman Janice Hahn, the City Attorney's Office and park advocacy groups.

Homeless encampments in the willows have frightened parkgoers, led to massive illegal dumping, and damaged the willow forest. Wastes from the encampments have contributed to water quality problems in Machado Lake.

On December 5, the Daily Breeze reported that state and federal agents raided Zacher's Automotive Recylcers in Harbor City after complaints that toxics were flowing from the property into the Wilmington Drain leading to Machado Lake. Agents took soil samples to determine whether toxic chemicals have leaked from fuel tanks and hundreds of batteries into the ground. If so, the owner could face criminal charges and requirements to clean up the contamination.

Owner Joe Zacher claims that the raid was a political vendetta. Councilwoman Janice Hahn told the Daily Breeze that the City Attorney's Office has tried to shut the operation down for years because of community blight. The raid was spurred by concerns about the impacts of toxics on Machado Lake and the people who use the lake.

At its December meeting, the Water Subcommittee of the Harbor Park Task Force made several recommendations to the full task force:

• By accident and after a 12-hour delay, City Recreation and Parks staff recently learned of a sewage spill into Machado Lake. The Subcommittee recommended that an alert system be implemented for problems caused by non-city agencies.

• A wet-weather water sampling project has begun to gather information that can be used for setting pollution limits in Machado Lake.

• The Subcommittee suggested that funding proposals be grouped into water quality, siltation control, and permanent water-flow projects. Since Montrose produced all of its DDT in the Dominguez Watershed, Machado Lake projects should be eligible for part of the $30 million settlement between Montrose and government agencies.

• The Subcommittee also suggested that a public education program be developed to provide the public with accurate information about West Nile Virus, which will inevitably appear in the area.

For more information, contact Jess Morton at 832-5601 or jmorton@igc.org.

The Predatory Bird Research Group (PBRG) at UC Santa Cruz is seeking the help of people who know of Peregrine Falcon nest sites, and who are willing to make at least two visits to the sites this spring.

Beginning in 2003, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will coordinate surveys of Peregrine Falcons nationwide. In California, surveys will be spearheaded by the PBRG. Since there has not been a comprehensive statewide survey since 1992, the PBRG is asking for help in identifying and monitoring nesting sites. (All nest territory locations will be kept confidential.)

If you wish to participate, you may contact the PBRG at falconet@cats.ucsc.edu. Or go to www.scpbrg.org.

Restoration of South Bay Habitats: We can use your energy and some more equipment! If you are prepared to dig and pull and plant, join PV/SB Audubon's restoration of PV Blue Habitat (every first or second Sunday, 9-noon, at the Defense fuel Support Point, 3171 N. Gaffey, San Pedro). See Calendar for details. We also need shovels, rakes, hand trowels, and clippers. For more information, call Debbie, 722-7777.

Audubon YES!: If you are already active with a school or youth group in the area, consider becoming a chapter liaison with Audubon Yes! Audubon Yes! students are the backbone of local restoration projects, and assist with Sharing Nature with Children. They attend Audubon field trips and walks. Students with 50 hours of service receive an Audubon Yes! award. Volunteers encourage participation in Audubon's youth-oriented programs.

This page is part of the Palos Verdes/South Bay Audubon Society website.