Suburban Renewal: Attracting More Wildlife

Changes are afoot at the Sepulveda Basin, where a ground-breaking ceremony will be held Nov. 2 to mark the beginning of a dramatic face lift in the wildlife area. In a cooperative effort with the Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Los Angeles, some undeveloped land in the basin will be enhanced for wildlife by planting thousands of trees and shrubs and excavating an 11-acre pond. Improvements in the wildlife area, detailed in the map above, are intended to compensate for the loss of 160 acres of basin land being converted into Bull Creek Park, which will have a lake, theater and parking lots.

1. Wildlife Area. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will require farmer who leases this land to plant crops such as corn, which Canadian geese like to eat after it has been harvested.

2. Marsh Area. Water from the new 11-acre lake will feed into this area, which will create a marsh during the winter. Plans to divert water from lake to marshland are incomplete.

3. Mound Area. Silt excavated from the marsh will be piled in mounds 15 feet high. The mounds will be planted with live oak, coastal sage trees and wildflowers.

4. Lake. An 11-acre lake with a small island will be built to create a refuge for birds. Sycamores, cottonwoods, white alders, willows and other trees and ground cover will be planted. Two blinds will be constructed on the west shore to permit visitors to watch the birds. A hiking trail will connect the two blinds.

5. Closed Area. This part of the wildlife area will be closed to the public to protect the wildlife.