Emerald Necklace Mountains to Sea Program
The Emerald Necklace Mountains to Sea Program includes activity days in the community and trips to natural areas during four years of programming. Our area of focus is the community of El Monte. This program was made possible by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.
Outdoor Equity Events and Nature Trips Interest Form
Outdoor Equity Internship Program
As part of the Outdoor Equity Program, Amigos de Los Rios has launched an internship program for youth of the El Monte area. These interns have been selected as future environmental leaders, to receive training on community leadership and environmental stewardship. These mentees will learn about urban development, natural infrastructure, and urban forestry to support their academic and professional environmental pursuits.
Emerald Necklace Volunteer Stewardship Program
As a part of our Emerald Necklace Mountains to Sea Program, we host community events that invite volunteers throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area to participate in the vital work of urban forestry and natural infrastructure development while exposing them to teachable moments in sustainability and environmental science. We host a series of events that incorporate tree indexing and forest health assessment activities. Stewards will be multi-generational volunteers of all ages.
Activities in the community will include Tree Indexing, Heat Island and Biodiversity Assessment; Urban Forestry and Natural Infrastructure Volunteer Stewardship; Community Hiking and Bicycling; Natural Infrastructure Curriculum; and Safety Education and Skills Practice.
Nature Trips
In addition to the community events, our program includes regular nature trips to the San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountains. In these hiking events participants are offered curated environmental science knowledge about L.A.’s natural and cultural history—in particular, topics such as fire ecology in L.A.’s chaparral, sage scrub, and forest ecosystems, and how safe use practices can help protect these sensitive ecosystems. We hope to make these events both entertaining and enlightening, helping community members connect in a genuine way with urban L.A.’s natural and wild character.
Trips to natural areas outside of the community include Trailhead Service Days in Angeles National Forest; Visitor Center Day in Angeles National Forest; Visually Impaired Trips to Angeles National Forest; Hiking, Bicycling, Picnicking in Santa Monica Mountains; Hiking, Bicycling, Picnicking in Angeles National Forest; STEM Discovery Trip to Mount Wilson Observatory; Ziplining at Mount Baldy; Kayaking in the Los Angeles River; Hiking along the San Gabriel River; Kayaking and Paddle Boarding at Castaic Lake; Birding at Malibu Lagoon; Beach, Paddle Boarding, Kayaking at Marina Del Day; Beach, Sailing at Marina Del Rey; and Athletes’ Altitude Training in the Angeles National Forest, Big Bear, and Mammoth Mountain.
Transportation, bilingual interpretation, and snacks are included!
Community of Focus
We chose the Dorris Dann Kids Campus as our Community Home Base because we believe that youth centers and schools serve as critical hubs within underserved communities for both youth, families and local residents. The Dorris Dann Kids Campus is located in the disadvantaged community of El Monte, CA, part of eastern Los Angeles County’s urban sprawl that faces many challenges. The community immediately surrounding the Dorris Dann Kids Campus–in the top 90-95 percentile of most burdened communities in California, with particularly high Ozone, Particulate Matter, Toxic Releases, Drinking Water, and Impaired Water Environmental Challenges, as well as Community Challenges including Asthma, Education, Linguistic Isolation, Poverty, Unemployment, and Housing Burdens.
This program is funded by the Outdoor Equity Grants Program, created through AB 209 and administered by California State Parks, Office of Grants and Local Services.
