SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS FUND

This is a place where people, animals and plants are co-existing in a fragile and beautiful environment. It is a place of wild landscapes, ancient habitation and modern development. At over 150,000 acres the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is the largest urban national park in the United States. Over 17 million people live within a one hour drive of the mountains yet the landscape is wild and feels a million miles from the urban core of Los Angeles. It is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, housing developments and 10 lane freeways which serve to trap animals in a comparatively small area. Despite these challenges the landscape is second only in bio-diversity to the Amazon basin and is one of only five Mediterranean environments in the world. Mountain lions, bobcats, Monarch butterflies, coyotes, racoons and an array of wildflowers and plants such as California poppies and many species of sage call this place home. Three thousand feet peaks rise up from the beaches at Malibu and winding, narrow roads criss cross the hills. The Backbone Trail challenges hikers to walk the 67 miles from Pt Mugu along the crest of the mountains to the Hollywood Hills as they enjoy views of the ocean, valleys and the city. Mountain lions need more space than they can hope to have here. They are trapped in the mountains and several have been killed on the freeways trying to escape. We are raising money to build a wildlife corridor over the 101 freeway that will connect two areas of open land and give access to the huge Los Padres National Forest. Your donations will also go towards scientific research that helps us understand the behaviors and movements of mountain lions and other animals such as bobcats and coyotes in the Santa Monicas. This research has helped us realize that a wildlife crossing is necessary to ensure the longterm sustainability of the mountain lions here. We want to invest in trails so that more people can enjoy the health and fitness benefits of outdoor recreation and escape from the pressures of modern urban living. We need funds for buses so urban kids can visit the Santa Monica Mountains and get a taste of outdoor fun while learning about nature, plants and animals in their own environment. We want to invest in an emerging technology called COCOON that acts as an incubator for native plants in an arid climate - it's very promising! www.landlifecompany.com We are fundraising to be able to continue to print Outdoors - the only publication that lists exhibitions, hikes, concerts, wildlife talks, bonfire evenings for kids and festivals organized by 30 different partners in the mountains. So we are constantly looking for ways to preserve this extraordinary landscape's flora and fauna, help people understand and appreciate its environmental importance and engage in its conservation.