Altadena Nonprofit Seeks to Open Goss Canyon in La Crescenta

An Altadena land trust hopes to build public support for a new 7.75-acre , at the mouth of Goss Canyon in La Crescenta.

An exclusive, right-to-buy agreement is in place for the Arroyos and Foothills Conservancy, according to the Glendale News-Press.

The organziation has until December to put together $450,000 needed to purchase the chaparral slopes, Executive Director John Howell said last week at the Crescenta Valley Town Council meeting.

On Oct. 13 the discussion with neighbors will continue at special land use meeting at 6 p.m. at the .

Justin Whalin said his family--owners and operators of La Cañada Preparatory and The Learning Castle in La Cañada Flintridge--owns the land proposed for the preserve.

Whalin bought the acres in 2005 for $1.5 million with the plan of building a school there until the community's response prompted him to nix the idea, the News-Press reported.

The southern portion of the property has thick sediment deposits from a nearby stream and California walnut and western sycamores shading the region. The northern area was but now shows recovery and growth.

Several plants grow in the area, including Laurel sumac, Western ragweed, California sagebrush, Field mustard, Coast live oak and California sycamore, according to a preliminary biological survey of the area from AFC.

The organization reports there are 31 species of birds, including five separate speices of hummingbirds, according to the report. Birds were the only animals surveyed so far.

.

AFC works to conserve open space in the foothill communities, including .