City Folk Getting Back to Nature as Preserve Reopens

Almost a year after closing its doors because of budget cuts, the Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Beach reopened its 18-acre preserve to the public Sunday to the delight of bird lovers and fans of native vegetation.

“You can hear the wind, feel the breeze, and listen to the birds,” said John Dinnyes of Fountain Valley. “That’s really the life for us city people.”

The arboretum, which closed last October, is slowly being nursed back to health by a team of volunteers who hope to restore the 29-year-old reserve by re-creating the historic habitat of the area.

Since its closing, the center became overrun with acres of 10-foot high weeds and nonnative plants. But conservationists and dozens of volunteers have spent hours removing problem plants and planting native vegetation.

“This place turned into a lot of weeds instead of a lot of nature,” said Stephanie Pacheco, president of Friends of Shipley Nature Center. “We had a lot of exotic plants that were taking away habitat.”

Before the center closed, it hosted about 40,000 visitors each year. A full-time park ranger gave free tours to 9,000 schoolchildren a year. Beginning this fall, school tours will resume, but now they will be hosted by volunteers. When funds were cut, the park ranger was reassigned.

Tucked in the western section of Huntington Beach’s Central Park, off Slater Avenue and Golden West Street, the center is part of the greater Bolsa Chica wetlands. The preserve and its freshwater pond are home to about 290 bird species, the Western pond turtle, and plant life that includes willows, redwoods, sycamores, oaks and Torrey pines.

“There aren’t too many places around Orange County that are smog-free, where you don’t have to worry about trucks and cars and freeways, or noise from the neighbors,” said Dinnyes, 73. “I grew up in Hungary, where it was flat with a lot of forests. So I got used to being in this type of environment.”

Tony Esparza of Huntington Beach said children are the biggest winners in the Shipley center’s rebirth.

“It gives kids a different perspective,” he said.

The center’s long-range plan calls for a $670,000-restoration project. So far, $30,000 has been raised in donations and an additional $32,000 has been allocated in grants. For now, the center will be open monthly, on the third Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are being taken for school and group tours.