Ecology’s Local Branches : Trees are topmost at Coldwater Canyon Park, headquarters for TreePeople. Besides plenty of greenery, there are trails, picnic spots and displays on recycling.
Coldwater Canyon Park offers eucalyptus and pine-scented trails, panoramic San Fernando Valley views, and shady nooks and crannies perfect for picnicking. The park is also the headquarters of TreePeople, the environmental organization that promotes ecological awareness, recycling and tree-planting.
More than 30,000 schoolchildren take field trips to TreePeople every year, but on weekends, the park provides a quiet respite where college students study under the oaks, couples walk their dogs and families find a peaceful slice of wilderness just minutes from Ventura Boulevard bustle.
Before you set out on your TreePeople tour, pack a lunch, lace up your walking shoes--and bring some money. You may get inspired and decide to buy a tree.
11:30 to 11:45 a.m.: Park in the TreePeople lot on the east side of the intersection of Mulholland Drive and Coldwater Canyon Avenue. Your first stop is the information booth, which displays vintage photos of Coldwater Canyon Park, used in the 1920s by the Los Angeles Fire Department. Today, the firefighters’ old horse stables are potting sheds, and the Model T firetruck garages are used to store planting equipment.
If you find the 25-cent brochure titled “Guide to Coldwater Canyon Park,” buy it. While the guide is somewhat outdated, it still does a decent job of pointing out the park’s highlights, including the Magic Forest Nature Trail, which you’ll explore later.
11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.: Head to the Recycling Center. The displays in this building are geared to children, but we all can benefit from a little nudge. Photos show how recycled goods are converted into new items; for example, plastic soda bottles become fiberfill for pillows and sleeping bags, and recycled glass is made into new jars and bottles. For a graphic look at what waste does to the wilderness, examine the case housing a miniature pristine canyon. Turn the crank and the canyon becomes a trash-filled landfill.
12:15 to 12:45 p.m.: Exit the Recycling Center and turn left to the Education Center. Exhibit cases display animals, insects, bird nests (complete with eggs), seeds and cones. Posters show how trees transform urban alleys into inviting promenades or give a lush, outdoor feel to small patios.
12:45 to 1:30 p.m.: Take a hike on the Magic Forest Nature Trail. The trail head is at the information booth. It’s a cool and shady walk, with rustic benches and picnic tables scattered under trees. The stone walls and staircases lining the trail were built during the Depression by the Work Projects Administration. Unfortunately, much of the handsome stonework was badly damaged in the Jan. 17 earthquake.
1:30 to 2:15 p.m.: Picnic time. (You did remember to pack a lunch, didn’t you?) If you feel energetic after your meal and would like to enjoy sweeping vistas, take some time to explore the Dearing Mountain Trail (the wide fire road intersecting the Magic Forest Nature Trail) that links Coldwater Canyon Park with adjacent Wilacre Park and Fryman Overlook.
2:15 to 2:30 p.m.: Return to the TreePeople grounds. Stop in the nursery, open from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays and Saturdays. More than 30 tree species that grow well in urban areas are stocked and divided in sections labeled “Old World,” “New World” and “Australia,” depending on where they originated. Trees are available for a donation--pay what you think is fair. After you’ve selected a tree and helped yourself to some free mulch, head home to plant.
WHERE AND WHEN
* What: TreePeople at Coldwater Canyon Park.
* Location: From the Ventura Freeway, exit on Coldwater Canyon Avenue and go south. TreePeople is at Mulholland Drive and Coldwater.
* Hours: Sunrise to sunset; parking lot opens at 9 a.m.
* Price: Free guided tours of the TreePeople grounds, gardens and orchards given one Sunday a month. Call (818) 753-4647.
* Call: (818) 753-4600 for general information. To find out about weekend workshops, call (818) 753-4609.
