98 Acres Of Wildlife Corridor To Be Preserved In Liberty Canyon

AGOURA HILLS, CA – The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority has acquired 98 acres of prime open land in the Liberty Canyon Wildlife Corridor in Agoura Hills neighboring open space owned by that city and the Conservation Authority, it was announced Monday.

The purchase permanently protects viewshed that will continue to be enjoyed by thousands of motorists on the 101 Freeway every day, according to an Authority statement.

"This acquisition will create a block of 2,430 acres of contiguous public open space that is not bisected by a single paved road, including 537 acres of parkland currently owned and managed by the MRCA," said Paul Edelman, Chief of Natural Resources and Planning of the MRCA. "The new 98 acres of open space includes the junction of the greater Malibu Creek State Park core habitat and the Liberty Canyon intermountain range wildlife corridor."

The MRCA purchased the property with a grant of Proposition One funds from the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, mitigation funds, and Los Angeles County Proposition A funds granted by L.A. County Third District Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.

"I enthusiastically support this significant expansion of open space in the Santa Monica Mountains in order to make sure that this wild and beautiful habitat will be available in perpetuity for the people and animals of L.A. County to enjoy for generations to come," Kuehl said.

The new parkland permanently protects core Santa Monica Mountains habitat with prime coastal sage scrub and chaparral. The parkland provides critical linkages for wildlife and people and has good public hiking access from several locations.

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA) is a local government public entity dedicated to the preservation and management of open space and parkland, watershed lands, trails, and wildlife habitat. The MRCA works in cooperation with other government partners to acquire parkland, participate in vital planning processes, provide natural resources and scientific expertise, and complete major park improvement projects.

The MRCA manages and provides ranger services and fire protection for almost 75,000 acres of parkland that it owns and that are owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy or other agencies and provides comprehensive education and interpretation and leadership programs for youth. It is one of the lead agencies providing for the revitalization of the Los Angeles River.

City News Service contributed to this post; Image via Renee Schiavone/Patch