S VER LO D A E P S Land Conservancy P E A PEN PACES N L O S I N S U Volume 13, Number 3 Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy Third Quarter, 2001 $1.8 Million in Upgrades Planned for White Point Nature Preserve rants totaling nearly $1.8 mil- www.pvplc.org). The committee has Council, the funding will be made lion that will substantially im- representatives from LA Department available for the Conservancy-led res- Gprove the environmental and of Recreation and Parks and Council- toration of the property. “Our goal is visitor-serving aspects of the new woman Janice Hahn’s office, as well to begin a 3.5 year habitat restoration White Point Nature Preserve are as several homeowner’s associations effort in January 2002,” said DeRoy. working their way through the ap- adjacent to the property, San Pedro “We expect to complete restoration of proval process. The first major up- residents, and local environmental 90 acres by June 2005.” grades are scheduled to begin early groups. The committee will remain The restoration will be accom- next year. active throughout the restoration pro- plished using a combination of PVPLC At its August 30 meeting, the State cess. crews, Conservation Corps labor, and Wildlife Conservation volunteers. Individuals Board approved an interested in volunteer- $810,000 grant to the ing should attend one of Conservancy for native our monthly cleanup ac- plant restoration on the tivities at the site (see 102 acre White Point our web page for par- Nature Preserve. The ticulars). Los Angeles City Coun- Other funding in the cil approved the com- works include: mitment on September • A $445,000 7, leaving approval of state grant to enhance the final plan for the the educational aspects property and the Envi- of the Preserve (Sena- ronmental Impact Re- tor Betty Karnette has port (EIR) as the last nominated the Conser- hurdles before initiation vancy). These include of major work on the a demonstration garden, property. interpretive signage, This is the first large grant ap- “Working with so many high-level and bathroom facilities (required to proved for the restoration of coastal agencies has been quite a challenge,” accommodate school groups at the sage habitat anywhere in the State, said DeRoy, “but I have been im- site). and we are most pleased that the work pressed with the support of the • $260,000 in discretionary fund- will be done here on the Peninsula. “I community’s vision for this prop- ing for public access improvements think that these actions show that the erty.” set aside by LA City Councilwoman plan developed by the community In her statement before the vote by Janice Hahn. and the Conservancy is held in high the LA City Council, Councilwoman • A grant for $301,000 from the regard by these agencies,” noted Janice Hahn stated that “This grant Metropolitan Transit Authority for White Point project leader Loren … provides for the restoration and installation of a parking area at the DeRoy. preservation of beautiful (coastal) site. The Master Plan for the White Point land in Los Angeles, and is critical for All of this funding and initiation of Nature Preserve was prepared by the the vitality of this project.” The coun- the specified activities await final ap- Conservancy-led White Point Steer- cil unanimously supported the project. proval of the EIR and Master Plan, ing Committee (the plan draft is avail- Once the EIR and Master Plan have which is scheduled to occur before the able on the Conservancy’s web site, received final approval by the City end of October. Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy Third Quarter 2001, Page 2 Preservation of Conservancy, Community Reach Preservation Crossroad Open Spaces-- By Keith Lenard, Executive Director hirteen years ago, a group of far- day strategic retreat to map out our A Statement of Tsighted citizens led by Bill Ailor future. On the top of our list are key Purpose assembled for the purpose of saving questions that address our capacity to open space—a simple proposition, achieve mission success. but one that came in complex times. • How can we make our work more The Palos Verdes Pen- A few donations and a little legal visible and valuable to the community insula Land Conservancy work later and our board of directors we serve? is a nonprofit, non-politi- convened as the Palos Verdes Penin- • How can we assure the success of cal, public-benefit corpo- sula Land Conservancy. our efforts to raise $6 million in private ration formed to preserve In that first year, we had an operat- donations as part of the effort to save undeveloped land in per- ing budget of less than $30,000 and Portuguese Bend? petuity as open space for high hopes. We started our nature • What kind of board and staff do historical, educational, walk program to raise awareness of we need to help us attract the necessary ecological, recreational Peninsula open space and began print- level of support? and scenic purposes. ing this newsletter to keep you in- • What will our organization look A diverse group of vol- formed. like in five years? unteers from the South Bay At that time, few would have fore- But the Land Conservancy is not the makes up the PVPLC's seen that saving land would evolve only group at a crossroad. Our commu- managing Board of Direc- into running an education program nity faces its last significant land use tors and its adjunct advi- for our third-grade children so that decisions (see related article), decisions sory board. These private new families would have a connec- that will forever mark our Peninsula citizens have been drawn tion to open space. Or that it would and determine our land legacy. together by their belief that include hiring science and steward- It is clear is that the interests of open open space is crucial to ship staff charged with restoring lost space and the interests of our commu- the well-being of our com- wildlife habitat. Or that we would nity are joined at this crossroad. The munity. one day be communicating with 1,200 Land Conservancy has arrived here af- Land acquisition by the members annually. At our October ter 13 years of mounting successes and PVPLC is through pur- meeting, the Board approved an an- now faces questions that will define our chase and gift. In addition nual operating budget of just over organization into the future to the good will engen- $800,000 in order to sustain this re- The community, too, has arrived here dered by gift giving, land- markable array of activities. for exactly the same reason: Our Penin- owners and others who do- This impressive increase over our sula is a special place and has remained nate land or funds to the history is not unique. The Nature so because of the skill and leadership PVPLC may realize sig- Conservancy (TNC), a national land that precedes us. But it also is con- nificant tax benefits. trust that started almost 50 years ago, fronted with choices that will perma- raised over $750,000,000 last year, nently determine its future character. making it the 12th largest charity in These challenges are blessings and our country. Observing an organiza- speak to the special qualities that define tion like TNC confirms that saving this community. But let’s not allow our Open Spaces land is limited only by the funds one good fortune to make us complacent. In A Newsletter Published by the can raise. this time of national trouble, let us not Palos Verdes Peninsula With our growth has also come be distracted from the obligation to take Land Conservancy some soul searching. This Novem- decisive and farsighted action in prepa- PO Box 3427 ber, our Board will gather for a two- ration for the future. Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA 90274 Office Telephone: (310) 541-7613 Conservancy Receives Largest Individual Donation Office Fax: (310) 541-7623 E-mail: [email protected] Michael and Virginia Cicoria of Rancho Palos Verdes have donated $50,000 Home Page: www.pvplc.org to the Conservancy, our largest donation from an individual or family. We sincerely thank the Cicorias for their generosity. Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy Third Quarter 2001, Page 3 Nell Mirels Retires from Board eteran Conservancy member Nell Mirels has retired Vfrom the Board after serving for more than eleven years, ten of those as Treasurer. Mirels joined the Board when she retired from the Rolling Hills Estates City Council in 1990, and has played an important role in the development of the organization. As treasurer, she shepherded our finances as they grew from a yearly budget of less than $30,000 in 1990 to over $800,000 today. Throughout those years, Nell’s husband Hal has pro- vided technical assistance, managing the organization's books on his home computer. We are extremely grateful that Nell and Hal have donated eleven years to our organization. Those eleven years were critical to the evolution of the Conservancy and their able and dedicated support helped make us what we are today. Please join us in thanking them for their service Bill Ailor thanks retiring Board member and treasurer to our community. Nell Mirels and her husband and assistant treasurer, Hal. Board Elects Scharffenberger, Selects Officers for 2002 ong-time Peninsula resident Dr. Jim man of the Medical Staff, Committee LScharffenberger was elected to the for Campaign 2000 for Little Com- Conservancy’s Board at our October meet- pany. ing. The Board also selected a slate of Jim and his wife Tracy live in Roll- officers for the 2002 fiscal year.