Significant Ecological Areas

#SEAwednesday is always humpday, but every day is humpday for a Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae)! Significant Ecological Areas (SEAs) aren’t just on land – two SEAs, the Malibu Coastline SEA and the Palos Verdes Peninsula and Coastline SEA, extend out into the ocean. These SEAs help protect the marine life that lives in and migrates […]

Today’s #SEAwednesday post is about an invasive species that is hurting our SEA native trees. The Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer Beetle (PSHB) was in the news today – and it was not good news. The Los Angeles Times reported that PSHB beetles are damaging our trees at an alarming rate. PSHB kill both our native

The iconic Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia) is the treasure of the Southern California high desert. The Joshua Tree is found in the Mojave Desert, which stretches from southeast California into parts of Arizona, Nevada, and Utah. Joshua Trees were named by the Mormons settlers in the early 1800s. The outstretched branches of the trees reminded

What gives the Kangaroo Rats (Genus: Dipodomys) their name? One look at their strong hind legs will tell you why they share the same name as the down under marsupials. These interesting small rodents are highly efficient, athletic, and well-adapted. Kangaroo rats are the size of a small fist and use their long hind legs to

If you see a butterfly, you might want to look again. It might be a Mariposa Lily! Mariposa Lilies get their name from the Spanish word for butterfly, “mariposa”. The flowers look like butterflies when they wave in the wind. The scientific genus name “Calochortus” means “beautiful grass”. Since 17 types of Mariposa Lilies can

The Oak Tree (Quercus) is an iconic tree of the LA County landscape. The Oak tree is a keystone species in a complex ecosystem, providing habitat for 5,000 insects, 80 species of reptiles and amphibians, 100 species of birds, and over 60 mammals! Oak woodlands are protected state-wide and LA County developed one of the first Oak

Have you spotted the ocellated Humboldt lily lately? Ocellated Humboldt lily is a rare plant that is native to Southern California, ranging from Santa Barbara County to the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange County. It loves to grow in shady areas along intermittent streams, canyons, and riparian oak woodlands. It is a tall and stout