Deep Pocketsfor Nature

When California cities or counties need money to create or improve parks and recreation areas, they often go hat in hand to Sacramento in search of “park barrel” doled out by senators and Assembly members in their districts.

The city of Monrovia is doing it differently and deserves to be commended for its bootstrap approach.

In July 2000, Monrovia residents voted by a three-quarters margin in a special election to assess a $10-million property tax to buy hillside land abutting the Angeles National Forest for a wilderness preserve. Monrovia justly prides itself for being a “beautiful backdrop of the pristine foothills to the north.”

The planned purchase area, 600 acres of San Gabriel Mountains wilderness, is threatened by private development. The property, just 20 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, includes wildlife corridors for bear, mountain lions, bobcats, gray foxes, coyotes and deer.

With its $10 million in hand, Monrovia needs $11 million more to make the purchase. The city is submitting an application to the state Wildlife Conservation Board for an $11-million grant. Action on the bid is expected by August.

The board is certain to receive many other worthy requests for available grant funds. The chief reason for helping Monrovia is the need to preserve every possible patch of wild mountain land near the city as development and sprawl chip away at what remains of it. But Monrovia deserves special consideration for its willingness to put up its own share of funds before going to Sacramento for help.