Habitat, Parks, and Open Space

California Native Plant Society

Love their Beauty

↓

Native flowers bloom in colors that span the whole range of the rainbow. The foliage of native shrubs ranges in color from dark emerald greens to dusty mellow yellows and browns, reflecting the beauty of California’s unique seasons.

They Take Care of Themselves

↓

Native plants have evolved over thousands of years to survive in California’s unique climate conditions. After their first years in the ground, their deep root systems are able to tap water deep below ground. This is why native plants can be survive drought better than exotics. Minimal weeding is required, and fertilizer (which pollutes our waterways) is not needed at all!

Full Circle Ecosystem

↓

Certain specialized insects can only digest native plants, and these insects in turn become food for hungry birds. Native plants are preferred by many migratory birds passing through our cities, who need this critical energy to make it to their breeding grounds during a long migrations of thousands of miles.

Edible Landscapes
& Parkways

Edible landscapes have been with us ever since the beginning of the human species. Growing food ties us to our roots. Eating from the landscape might be the most visceral way to understand our own place on earth and our connection to the larger ecosystems we depend on.

In densely populated neighborhoods, finding available land for edible gardening can be a challenge. However, there are sometimes unexpected opportunities in underutilized spaces near and around our homes. Parkways—the unused sliver of grass between the street and the sidewalk—is one such opportunity.

In 2015, the City of Los Angeles made it legal to grow food in parkway strips without a permit.
Different cities may have their own ordinances or require specific permits. But residents can advocate for their city to embrace edible landscapes and make it easier for people to grow their own food whereever they can.

Community Gardens

Many neighborhoods in Los Angeles are considered 'food deserts' — where residents need to travel long distances to purchase affordable, healthy food. In dense regions like the Gateway Cities, communities have organized to grow their own food in otherwise vacant lots. Community gardens makes local production of healthy food a collective experience. These spaces provide a way for renters and other residents without access to land a place to grow their own food, learn gardening techniques from their neighbors, and share their bounty.

Mini-Parks, Linear Parks, & Expanded Parks

Mini-Parks (or 'pocket parks') are smallscale parks or gardens that provide green space for local residents, close to where they live or work. They can be created on a single vacant lot or on other small, irregular pieces of land. Mini-parks make it possible for people to experience natural spaces when there is not a lot of available land.

Linear Parks are long, narrow public green spaces created along parkways and urban river corridors, under utility lines, or in unused portions of rail corridors. They can be part of a greenway or a standalone interstitial space in a city.

Expanded Parks create additional green space in existing parks. These expanded spaces can offer more opportunities for native landscaping and habitat, stormwater features, and new public amenities and programming.