Tag: featured

7 de Noviembre: Introducción a Nature for All

Categories Events, featured, Parks and Open Spaces, Public Lands, san gabriel mountains forever, Water

Nature for All, con El Monte Promise Foundation presentan:
Naturaleza para Las Comunidades de El Monte

Las promotoras Lidia Aguilar y Ulmira Loza presentan la importancia del acceso y protección a la naturaleza, el trabajo de Nature for All, oportunidades locales para parques nuevos, las montañas de San Gabriel y cómo llevar a su familia al aire libre, saludable e involucrado. Bienvenidos padres de futuros naturalistas, científicos de alimentos, botánicos y conservacionistas!

Jueves, 7 de Noviembre, 2019, 6-7pm

Jeff Seymour Family Center, Cafeteria
10900 Mulhall St. 91731, proveera comida

Para registrar: E-mail Bryan@lanatureforall.org 626-246-8634

Nov. 7 Nature for All Orientation in Spanish

Our newly graduated Promotoras Lidia and Ulmira will present a 1-hour orientation on Nature for All’s work, in Spanish at the Jeff Seymour Family Center on Thursday, Nov. 7 from 6-7 pm.

Thanks to our partners, El Monte Promise and their Parent Advisory Committee for this collaboration! Please share and invite Spanish-speaking community members who are interested in learning more and may want to sign up for an upcoming community base-building or leadership development course en Español!

Nature for All applauds key House of Representatives hearing on historic San Gabriel Mountains legislation

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LOS ANGELES, CA — We are extremely pleased to announce the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act was considered in a key hearing in the United States House of Representatives. The historic legislation, introduced in April by Senator Kamala Harris and Representative Judy Chu, will protect wild lands, open space and rivers and improve recreation opportunities in Los Angeles County. Stretching from Santa Clarita to San Bernardino, these open space resources, particularly the San Gabriel Mountains, are the recreational “backyard” for more than 17 million Southern Californians.



“Since the designation of the National Monument, we’ve seen our rivers cleaned up, our picnic areas cleared of trash, increased access to trails that are safer and better marked, more rangers interacting with visitors, and most importantly, our entire community at the table developing the management plan for our San Gabriel Mountains,” said Congresswoman Chu. “Building on that success through the San Gabriel Mountains Foothill and Rivers Protection Act will mean more Angelenos – many of whom are among those with the least access to parks in the country – will be able to experience these rivers, forests, mountains, and trails in a safe and sustainable way that supports our entire area.”

This is a historic progress in the effort to protect and restore the best remaining parts of our public lands in the Los Angeles region. The legislation will:

  • Expands the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument by adding approximately 109,143 acres in the upper Los Angeles River watershed;
  • Establishes the San Gabriel Mountains National Recreation Area for the San Gabriel and San Jose Foothills and the Rio Hondo and San Gabriel Rivers comprised of over 51,000 acres;
  • Expands Wilderness area designations within the San Gabriel Mountains by 31,069 acres; and
  • Designates 45.5 miles of Wild and Scenic Rivers (WSR) in the San Gabriel Mountains

With the Committee Hearing, Representative Chu has put us one step closer to implementing our vision, which is that everyone in the Los Angeles area – no matter where they live – has equitable access to the wide range of benefits that nature can provide.

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About Nature for All

Nature for All, formerly known as San Gabriel Mountains Forever, is a coalition of 11 organizations working to build a diverse base of support for ensuring that Nature for All is best known as the leading community group that built support for the designation of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument in 2014. For more than a decade, Nature for All has been advocating for policies and programs to protect the mountains, rivers and parks in our area, create more natural spaces, and connect people to public lands. We bring together local, state and national organizations to develop leaders who advocate for policies and programs to positively impact our historically-underserved communities.

2018 Nature for All Impact Report

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Nature for All’s mission is to build a diverse base of support to ensure that everyone in the Los Angeles area has equitable access to the wide range of benefits which nature provides. We’re committed to building support to protect, create access to our forests, rivers, and parks, and developing a new diverse generation of environmental leaders and stewards who connect to and care for our public lands.

As you’ll see throughout our report, 2018 has been a banner year for Nature for All. We celebrated numerous achievements and milestones, including tremendous policy wins, such as the Safe Clean Water Program and the development of equitable grant guidelines for Measure A; finalized the SGM Mountains Monument Plan; completed the Metro Transit to Parks Plan; established a new office in a central SGV location; filed Articles of Incorporation with four committed advisory board members; and launched our Community Leadership Development Program.

With more than a decade of experience, Nature for All has coordinated efforts among a diverse array of organizations and constituencies to restore and protect the San Gabriel Mountains and watershed. We partner with local, state, and national agencies to fund and coordinate policy initiatives, ongoing sustainability programming, and on-the-ground community projects that recognize the region’s diverse and rich natural, historical, and cultural heritage.

Because of your continued support, all of this has been possible for Nature for All. As we work with tireless passion over the next year, we invite you to join us!

Belinda Faustinos

Executive Director

Roberto Morales

Chair, Nature for All Coalition

2018 NFA Impact Report WebDownload

Introducing Nature For All

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nature for all twitter icon logoWe’re excited to announce the San Gabriel Mountains Forever (SGMF) coalition is relaunching today with a new name: Nature For All!

Today’s relaunch represents a sign of growth. In 2016, we embarked on a path to become a non-profit organization. As we took on more projects to connect Angelenos to nature, we realized we needed a new identity to better reflect our larger vision.

Since 2008, San Gabriel Mountains Forever has worked with local communities on protecting the San Gabriel Mountains and rivers. This work has included building support for protection of, and increased access to, our forests, rivers and parks, and developing a new, diverse generation of environmental stewards to care for our public lands.

We achieved a tremendous victory in 2014, when President Barack Obama designated the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. Since then, we’ve worked on making sure the Monument Plan serves our communities and we will continue this work as a program of Nature For All. In addition to protecting the mountains and rivers in our area, we are now working on creating more natural spaces, such as parks and bike paths, in our historically underserved neighborhoods, and connecting people and public lands — through more trails and other outdoor recreational opportunities. With this broader scope of work, we needed a new identity to better represent what we do.

The Nature For All mission: “To work to build a diverse base of support for ensuring that everyone in the Los Angeles area —no matter where they live—has equitable access to the wide range of benefits that nature can provide.”

Read more about us and what we do.

Leadership Academy Spotlight: Maricela Rosales

Categories Leadership Academy, Leadership Academy Interviews, San Gabriel Mountains National MonumentLeave a Comment on Leadership Academy Spotlight: Maricela Rosales

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How did you hear about the Leadership Academy and what inspired you to apply for the program?

I found out about the Leadership Academy when I first began volunteering with Latino Outdoors in Los Angeles. I went to a mixer in Pasadena and met some amazing folks from SGMF who were doing great things for the San Gabriel National Monument and furthering the expansion of the National Monument. I was inspired to apply to learn more about community engagement and seeking better recreation and access for underserved communities in Los Angeles.

What is your project?

The Abilities Project is a civic outdoor education access project though the Leadership Academy — connecting individuals with disabilities to green and open spaces and providing an interactive and educational hike in the San Gabriel Mountains. Disabled people will learn about the history, wildlife, environmental justice, and the importance of civic engagement in protecting access to the San Gabriel Mountain National Monument for their community and beyond.

The first event will take place during the month of October during Disability Awareness Month. October is also the same month that President Obama designated the San Gabriel Mountains a national monument. I wanted to make this first event important and memorable. There’s still as lot of work to be done.

The Abilities Project’s long term goal is to develop and launch a website and app to help Disabled People connect to green and open spaces in the city or outdoors and to connect to programs and organizations that provide resources and services. The app will create a platform for Disabled People, families, service workers/providers, and transform the way communities come together and advocate for access and recreation through technology.

What’s the best thing you learned?

While in the Leadership Academy, I learned many things. I can’t really pin point the best thing I learned because every class was different and in my opinion very important. I highly recommend applying to the SGMF Leadership Academy. It will change your life.

What surprised you about the program or your work on the project?

I was surprised about how much I had to learn about community engagement, fundraising, and storytelling. It made an impact on my life in a short amount of time. It helped nurture a passion of mine that was kept in my head for such a long time. And now I am slowly but surely working on making it a reality.

Describe what being in the great outdoors means to you.

Being in the great outdoors is a way to connect and heal with oneself. To breathe in fresh air. To get lost in the sounds, smells, vibrations mother nature gives. For me it’s about hitting the trail or rock climbing. It’s about protecting the wildlife that call the great outdoors their home. I find peace when I enter this space and I want others to experience it in their own way.

What’s your favorite way to spend your day in the San Gabriel Mountains?

I have so much to learn about the National Monument and its different terrain. I will say my favorite is rock climbing at Horse Flats Campground. I just started trial running again and I am looking forward to running on trails in the San Gabriel Mountains.

What has post-academy life been like?

It has been exciting and exceptionally busy! Doors are opening for the right reasons. I’ve got a world to change and it’s very humbling and exciting process! My role in Latino Outdoors is changing and there’s room for opportunity if anyone in the Los Angeles area is interested. I recently was picked to be a part of the SHIFTjh Emerging Leaders Program and slowly making moves for the Abilities Project. While at the 2017 Summer Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City, UT, I marched on behalf of protecting public lands. I support and help in any way I can to provide volunteer time for organizations like Access Fund, Wilderness Society, and SGMF who are doing great work to get the word out to their communities on how important our National Monuments are to all of us. I hope that more people join the movement and become lifelong constituents. Being pulled in many directions is hard, but at the same time I’m hoping that the long hours and dedication pays off.

Monument Defense Event Recap

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IMG_2391What a great event today, with supporters rallying to protect the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, along with other public lands being threatened by the Trump administration.

Daniel Rossman (The Wilderness Society, SGMF) served as emcee for the event, and speakers included Congressmember Judy Chu, Congressmember Adam Schiff, Congressmember Jimmy Gomez, Congressmember Brad Sherman, El Monte Mayor Andre Quintero, Scott Ammons (REI), and San Gabriel Mountains Forever Leadership Academy graduate Karen Gutierrez.

“These fights are not won overnight,” said Congressmember Jimmy Gomez of the hard work to get the national monument designated. “But now President Trump wants to roll back that designation. And it is a shame because this area is home to so much wildlife, to waterfalls to natural habitat that people get to enjoy. And this hard-fought fight that you all won, we have to continue it. We have make sure that President Trump and his administration know that there is no lack of public involvement in this area. That you guys had those meetings time and time again. We had those champions of this area making sure that everyone’s voice was heard….”

“We are here because our beloved San Gabriel Mountains national monument is being threatened,” said Congressmember Judy Chu, who pointed to the benefits of having national monument status, as well as the progress that’s been made since its designation in 2014. “Now Angelenos, especially minorities, will have more opportunities to experience this wonderful piece of nature. It’s easier to get to the mountains, rivers, and forests, with safer trails and more signs in more languages so everybody can benefit from this monument.”

Congressmember Adam Schiff stressed that “we need bipartisan support in Congress to protect this area even more,” adding “the urgency now is protection of our monuments, of our open space.”

“This is the direction in which must move — forward, not backward, protecting our public lands not exploiting them,” said Schiff. “Being good stewards of nature, not putting it at further risk…. This is a proud legacy of so many presidents. But like so many other actions, this current president would tear down what others have done, offering nothing constructive in its place. But we are gathered here in these numbers to say, ‘This, like everything else, we will resist.’ ”

San Gabriel Mountains Forever Leadership Academy graduate Karen Gutierrez shared her experience growing up in a park-poor community, adding that the national monument provides “the best option to experience fresh air, flowing rivers, and open spaces all in one area.”

“We cannot afford to lose the San Gabriel Mountains national monument,” she said. “Rather, we need to expand it and improve access… so that park-poor communities like my own can enjoy all the health and recreational benefits it has to offer.”

More Photos:

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Coverage of the event:

ABC7 News: Lawmakers fight to keep San Gabriel Mountains a national monument

Los Angeles Daily News: 100 supporters, 4 local members of Congress blast Trump’s review of national monuments

Los Angeles Daily News: Interior Department won’t eliminate national monuments but some may shrink

Patch: Trump May Shrink San Gabriel Mountains National Monument