The Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy (PVPLC) is a

non-profit organization A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

that is based on the

Palos Verdes Peninsula The Palos Verdes Peninsula (''Palos Verdes'', Spanish for "Green Sticks") is a landform and a geographic sub-region of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, within southwestern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. Located in the S ...

in southwestern Los Angeles County, California. Its mission is "Preserving land and restoring habitat for the education and enjoyment of all".Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy
/ref> The Conservancy is a

land trust Land trusts are nonprofit organizations which own and manage land, and sometimes waters. There are three common types of land trust, distinguished from one another by the ways in which they are legally structured and by the purposes for which th ...

and

environmental organization An environmental organization is an organization coming out of the conservation or environmental movements that seeks to protect, analyse or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation from human forces. In this sense the environmen ...

to protect natural areas in the

Palos Verdes Hills The Palos Verdes Hills are a low mountain range on the southwestern coast of Los Angeles County, California. They sit atop the Palos Verdes Peninsula, a sub-region of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Palos Verdes Hills are the landed end o ...

and adjacent coastal Palos Verdes Peninsula areas. Habitats protected include those of the California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion and its

Coastal sage scrub Coastal sage scrub, also known as coastal scrub, CSS, or soft chaparral, is a low scrubland plant community of the California coastal sage and chaparral subecoregion, found in coastal California and northwestern coastal Baja California. It is ...

and Southern coastal

grassland A grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by grasses ( Poaceae). However, sedge ( Cyperaceae) and rush ( Juncaceae) can also be found along with variable proportions of legumes, like clover, and other herbs. Grasslands occur na ...

s subregions.

Preserves

Founded in 1988, the Conservancy has protected of open space as nature preserves on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

White Point Nature Preserve

The White Point Nature Preserve is located in San Pedro and features of restored coastal sage scrub habitat, hiking and handicap access trails, and a Nature Education Center overlooking the ocean and Santa Catalina Island.

Defense Fuel Supply Point

The Defense Fuel Supply Point in San Pedro provides storage for military fuel reserves and is also home to the endangered Palos Verdes blue butterfly (Glaucopsyche lygdamus palosverdesensis), the “rarest butterfly on earth”. The DFSP mission is a restricted facility which receives, stores, and distributes diesel and jet fuels for military use in California, Arizona and Nevada. Coastal sage scrub is juxtaposed within pipelines and storage tanks, providing habitat for the Palos Verdes blue butterfly as well as the threatened

California gnatcatcher The California gnatcatcher (''Polioptila californica'') is a small long insectivorous bird which frequents dense coastal sage scrub growth. This species was recently split from the similar black-tailed gnatcatcher of the Sonoran and Chihuahuan ...

(Polioptila californica), a small gray bird that is listed as threatened by the

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

Linden H. Chandler Preserve

The Linden H. Chandler Preserve is a property located in Rolling Hills Estates. Owned jointly by the City of Rolling Hills Estates and the Land Conservancy, intensive habitat restoration efforts have added native wildflowers and shrubs to the hillsides. Trails traverse its slopes and grasslands, passing by a recently restored wetland area. The Linden H. Chandler Preserve was created in 1993 through a sale and donation of property by the Chandler heirs, who wanted to see the land preserved in their father's name, who was the founder of Chandler's Palos Verdes Sand and Gravel in Rolling Hills Estates.

Palos Verdes Nature Preserve

The Palos Verdes Nature Preserve is the largest of the Conservancy's preserves consisting of approximately of rolling hills, steep canyons and rock outcrops, with natural habitat and views of the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contin ...

and Santa Catalina Island. The City of

Rancho Palos Verdes Rancho Palos Verdes (Spanish for "Green Sticks Ranch") is a coastal city located in Los Angeles County, California atop the bluffs of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, neighboring other cities in the Palos Verdes Hills, including Palos Verdes Est ...

owns most of the land and the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy manages the preserve. The preserve is made up of 10 reserves: Abalone Cove Ecological Reserve, Agua Amarga Reserve, Alta Vicente Reserve, Portuguese Bend Reserve, Filiorum Reserve, Forrestal Reserve, Three Sisters Reserve, San Ramon Reserve, Vicente Bluffs Reserve, and Vista Del Norte Reserve.

Lunada Canyon Reserve

The Lunada Canyon Reserve is a canyon that was given to the Conservancy by the E.K Zuckerman family in 1992. It makes up part of the Palos Verdes Nature Preserve.

George F Canyon Preserve

The George F Canyon Preserve and Nature Center is owned by the City of

Rolling Hills Estates Rolling Hills Estates is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. On the northern side of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, facing Torrance, Rolling Hills Estates is mostly residential. Incorporated in 1957, Rolling Hills Estates has ...

, and operated by the Conservancy. A nature trail passes through one of the largest canyons on the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Visitors walk or ride on horseback through willow-riparian and

coastal sage scrub Coastal sage scrub, also known as coastal scrub, CSS, or soft chaparral, is a low scrubland plant community of the California coastal sage and chaparral subecoregion, found in coastal California and northwestern coastal Baja California. It is ...

habitats, culminating in a view of the

Los Angeles Basin The Los Angeles Basin is a sedimentary Structural basin, basin located in Southern California, in a region known as the Peninsular Ranges. The basin is also connected to an wikt:anomalous, anomalous group of east-west trending chains of mountai ...

. The George F Canyon Nature Center provides educational and recreational programs.CREEC - George F Canyon Nature Center & Trail
/ref> Exhibits focus on themes such as butterflies, birds of the canyon, insects, plant habitats, animals and wildflowers.

Science and education

The Conservancy works to save the landscape from past degradation from urbanization, agriculture uses, and the introduction of invasive foreign species. The goals of the Conservancy's science program are to increase the scientific knowledge base of the Palos Verdes Peninsula through collaborative research. The scientific program focuses on understanding the basic ecosystem functions that define the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Research is conducted both by Conservancy staff and through partnerships with universities, colleges and local agencies. Research projects inform restoration, conservation, education, and stewardship programs and address the interface between the natural and urban environments. The Conservancy's research program was developed to involve collaborative researchers with the overall goal of increasing the scientific knowledge of the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

Local partnerships

The Conservancy has worked with numerous Eagle Scouts, Girl Scouts and local groups on projects for them to help them achieve their awards while benefiting the local environment. Additionally, the Conservancy fosters partnerships between various local high schools, community colleges, and universities for environmental science and geography-related activities.

Youth Education Program

Partnerships with local schools provide learning opportunities for many students. Youth Education programs include a third-grade nature walk program and projects with high school science classes and scout groups. Through these programs the Conservancy helps young students understand the significance of the Palos Verdes Peninsula's natural areas, empowering them to play a role in its preservation. Wood Elem 08' 011

Third-Grade Naturalist Program

The Naturalist program consists of a four-part, in-class educational unit covering local ecology, native plants, geology, history, Native-American culture, mammals, reptiles and insects. Lessons are taught by Conservancy educators and trained docents, with assistance from classroom teachers. Samples of plant materials, rocks, animal specimens and other teaching aids help students gain a hands-on understanding and instill an appreciation for nature.

Activities and fundraisers

Palos Verdes Pastoral

Every fall, the Conservancy hosts a dinner inspired by open space in conjunction with Terranea Resort. The event is served under a harvest moon with ocean views in the background, with over 200 guests in attendance annually. Pastoral raises critical funds while highlighting the important role of the community in protecting natural areas.

Nature walks

The Conservancy hosts a nature walks. Its walk leaders help visitors learn more about the Palos Verdes Peninsula such as the birds, wildlife, and plants that live in the canyons and undeveloped areas, and about the unique geology of the Peninsula.

References

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Palos Verdes Land trusts in California Palos Verdes Peninsula Organizations based in Los Angeles County, California Non-profit organizations based in California Nature reserves in California Parks in Los Angeles Protected areas of Los Angeles County, California San Pedro, Los Angeles South Bay, Los Angeles Environmental organizations established in 1988 1988 establishments in California California chaparral and woodlands Environment of Greater Los Angeles Environmental organizations based in Los Angeles