The Mendocino National Forest of Northern California offers marvelous vistas and numerous opportunities for recreation. The Mendocino boasts that it is the only National Forest in California without a major paved road winding through it, which allows for a distinct feeling of solitude and peace. Among this massive and majestic landscape, there is a balance of different activities available for people with myriad interests. From boating and fishing to hiking and cross-country skiing,... (Read more…)

On a recent spring morning, more than 100 volunteers from the Alcoa Fastening Systems Carson Operations arrived at Vogel Flat Picnic Area on the Angeles National Forest for a Friends of the Forest day. Alcoa adopted the picnic area last fall and employees were eager to continue their work. Damaged in the 2009 Station Fire and subsequent debris flows, the picnic area required a variety of improvements and repairs. Despite the presence of half a dozen or so large and... (Read more…)

Less than an hour from downtown L.A., Angeles National Forest is truly a “backyard forest.” Within the San Gabriel Mountains, the forest includes nearly 700 miles of trails traversing mountains, canyons, forests and more. Much of the forest’s landscape is chaparral, shaped by a Mediterranean climate of mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers filled with hardy, drought tolerant species. Five wilderness areas offer visitors the chance to escape the congestion of the greater Los... (Read more…)

Vance Russell, the NFF Director of the California Program recently gave introductory remarks before a screening of the 2011 documentary film Green Fire at the University of California-Davis. The father of the National Wilderness System, wildlife management and ecological restoration, Aldo Leopold and his ideas still apply today in landscapes across the country. Below are Vance’s remarks before the film. I have a quote above my desk by Aldo Leopold that is relatively unknown:... (Read more…)

Hundreds of thousands of families enjoy the Angeles National Forest each year, escaping the hustle and bustle of nearby metropolitan Los Angeles even if just for a few hours. The 2009 Station Fire swept through Big Tujunga Canyon, damaging several recreation sites that were popular destinations for weekend family picnics. Vegetation that held the loose, rocky soils in place was burned and during the winter heavy rains sent massive debris flows down into the Canyon, burying... (Read more…)

To celebrate National Public Lands Day , the National Forest Foundation teamed up with REI to bring the Forest Service and community together to help restore Big Tujunga Creek at Angeles National Forest. Volunteers from all across Southern California, including several employees from Northrop Grumman, convened at the Wildwood Picnic Area to start the Friends of the Forest day. Forest Service employees from the Los Angeles River Ranger District described the site and... (Read more…)

Bob Hope Airport in Burbank California is remarkably simple. Deplaning outside, a rarity these days, unless traveling to developing countries, one is immediately struck by the presence of the San Gabriel mountains. Chaparral and talus cover the slopes and those in the know understand that condor, mountain lions and bears roam in the hills right in Los Angeles’ backyard. Los Angeles’ backyard, whether you have one at home or not, is bigger than you think in the Angeles National Forest.... (Read more…)

When we talk about urban forests, we’re talking about the trees that shade our sidewalks and local parks, but when we talk about urban National Forests, we’re talking about the public lands that make up our extended backyards. And there is no National Forest more urban than the Angeles. Every year, millions of visitors flock to the Forest to find respite from the hustle and bustle of the city below. And as one of the few remaining open spaces in southern California, the over 650,000 acres... (Read more…)