On August 3, 2004, The California Performance Review (CPR) released its report on reforming California's state government, including its recommendation to ax the Baldwin Hills Conservancy.

CPR is comprised of an independent auditing firm, retained by the Governor's office to audit and make recommendations about issues such as cutting costs. The CPR report makes recommendations to "devolve" the Baldwin Hills Conservancy (BHC).

We immediately activated our grass-roots communication network to put everyone in the community on notice that our park plan may be in jeopardy.

I will never forget seeing the exact language of Proposition 40 in the 2002 voters' handbook where it stated that, if Prop 40 passed, $40 million would go directly to the "Baldwin Hills Conservancy" (and the other conservancies named on the list). Evidently the answer is we may never see it because under CPR's proposal we will have to go to the back of the line and apply for the money to realize small pieces of our dream. I think Sacramento has underestimated our endurance, our resolve, and our passion to see this park through to completion. 

Call to Action: We must immediately act to let everyone know that we won't stand for this injustice. Please forward this message to friends, neighbors, and colleagues; and come testify with us at the upcoming public hearings. The first public hearing was this morning (see information below). CPR made last minute changes to the meeting which hindered our ability to respond and act accordingly this time. It won't happen again.

Your support as a leader in your community or professional will be important as CPR Commission begins its public hearings on August 13th at U.C. Riverside. For further information on who to write or how to attend, call the CPR office at: (916) 322-8888 or visit the CPR website at www.CPR.CA.GOV. Also, please reply back if you want to help organize, or participate in rallies and/or ride sharing for the upcoming public hearings.

Here are some important points to include in your correspondence to the CPR Commission:

The Baldwin Hills Conservancy is responsible for acquiring and developing land in the Baldwin Hills to create a two-square mile park

The Baldwin Hills area is threaten by undesirable developments like power plants, garbage facilities, storage lots and high density buildings on a regular basis. (continued, next column))...

As a land conservation priority for California, the Baldwin Hills represent the last large open space in the Ballona Creek Watershed with hundreds of native species of flora and fauna minutes away from five major municipalities.

The nearly 3 million California taxpayers living with a five-mile radius of the park fall well below the national average of 6-10 acres of park space per thousand residents. With less than one acre per thousand residents, the Baldwin Hills area is unjustifiably park poor.

Prior to the inception of the Conservancy, nearly 20 years had lapsed with little or no State investment in delivering the 1400 acre park envisioned in the 1970's. If the Conservancy is eliminated, the Baldwin Hills will no longer be a State priority and the improvement funds will disappear along with the vision for a 1400-acre world class park.

The CPR recommendation RES12 proposes the State vacate its leadership role in projects like the Baldwin Hills Park and abandon its commitment to underserved urban taxpayers. Sacramento can't leave our region out of its statewide environmental priorities and expect millions of voters to support continued spending in regions with less need.

We are a powerful voter base for California statewide environmental policies, and our priorities  are to have an intact, growing and thriving Baldwin Hills Conservancy.  


UPDATED CPR COMMISSION HEARING SCHEDULE (AS OF 8/5/04)


Riverside, August 13th at UCR, 10:00 to 3:00p.m. 
Infrastructure - At this hearing the topics to be discussed will include: Transportation; Hospital, Housing and School Construction; Water and Energy. Due to overwhelming interest other Resource and Environmental Protection issues will be the focus of a Commission hearing to be held on September 17, 2004 in Fresno. 

San Diego, August 20th at UCSD, 10:00 to 4:00p.m.
Health and Human Services and Education, Training and Volunteerism

San Jose, August 27th at SJSU, 10:00 to 4:00 p.m.
General Government; Information Technology, Performance-based Management, Procurement and Personnel 

Los Angeles, September 9, 2004, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Natural History Museum (of LA County) Protest and Rally!!

Long Beach, September 10th at Cal State Long Beach, 10:00 to 4:00p.m.
Corrections Reform (IRP) and Public Safety

Fresno, September 17th at Cal State Fresno, 10:00 to 4:00 p.m. (Important! Please attend)
Resource Conservation and Environmental Protection

Location TBD, September 24th at TBD, 
10:00 to 4:00 p.m. 
Government Reorganization

NOTE: While each hearing will focus on a specific topic or topics within CPR, the Commission will take public testimony at the end of each day on any issues contained in the report.  

Environmental Interpretation Initiative Underway

The Baldwin Hills Conservancy has a mission to acquire open space and to provide recreation, restoration and protection of wildlife habitat within the territory for the public's enjoyment and educational experience. The Baldwin Hills Environmental Interpretation Initiative (Initiative) is funded by a $400,000 grant from the Conservancy’s Proposition 40 park improvement appropriation. Through the Initiative, the Conservancy seeks to
foster environmental stewardship and inspire action in local school age youth and families. The natural areas of the Baldwin Hills are preserves for members of the community to explore and experience the wonders of nature while gaining an appreciation for the environment.

The Initiative represents an unprecedented commitment to preparing a generation of stewards, in one of the most densely populated urban areas in the country, for the responsibility of managing California's natural resources. Participants will be given an opportunity to learn about the interplay of physical, biological and environmental processes firsthand as they collaborate to restore, preserve and make use of outdoor resources in the Conservancy territory, including Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, Oil Fields and Ballona
Creek.

In 2004 the Baldwin Hills Conservancy awarded
$31,000 of its Proposition 40 park improvement appropriation to the community based non-profit, Friends of Baldwin Hills Inc., for the creation and maintenance of a sustainable Native Plant Walk and Wildlife Garden in Kenneth Hahn Recreation Area KHSRA. The development will provide an educational, recreational and experiential link to the enhancement of the native habitat in the Baldwin Hills. Along the quarter mile walk, visitors will experience a California native plant garden that entertains the senses with colors, smells and natural wildlife.

Thanks to a coalition of non-profits and agencies with an interest in native habitat restoration and wildlife, the project will provide an opportunity to recruit local volunteers and communicate with neigh-boring communities about the fragile eco-systems that exist at the park. Seasonal events including planting, soil preparation and an annual spring celebration will be staged in cooperation with the non-profits and agencies. On site interpretive programs and materials will be developed in association with:

• Los Angeles Audubon Society

• California Native Plant Society

• National Wildlife Federation

• Museum of Natural History Foundation
  
   

  Friends of Baldwin Hills Inc.

  6709 La Tijera Blvd. #323
  Los Angeles, CA. 90045
  Phone.: (310) 641-7821
  Fax.:  (323) 815-0098
  Website.: www.fotbh.org
  Email.: info@fotbh.org

Copyright © 2004-2005 Friends of Baldwin Hills. All rights reserved
To Unsubscribe, please reply back with please remove in the subject heading. Thank you.