Following heavy rains during the Fall 2023, the waterfall at the bottom of Newton Canyon sprays a plume of water. Constant sources of water are vital to local amphibians such as frogs, said Allison Sacerdote-Velat, curator of herpetology at the Chicago Academy of Sciences. The trail to Newton Canyon is uneven and unkempt; a stony vein, narrow and devoid of vegetation. It … [Read more...] about All That Moves: Native Wildlife Struggles to Survive in Malibu
drought
Rain Brings L.A. County Out of Drought
Yellow wildflowers bloom along Seaver Drive on April 13. After heavy rain this year in Malibu, the city's hills were covered in wildflowers. Rainy day after rainy day has characterized Malibu this year, Amy Rocha, manager of communications with the West Basin Municipal Water District. The onslaught of rain is bringing L.A. County out of its drought, Rocha said.Despite the … [Read more...] about Rain Brings L.A. County Out of Drought
Las Virgenes Area Manages Water Restrictions from Low State Allocation
A drought emergency banner hangs on a fence post at the intersection of Lost Hills Road and Malibu Canyon Road in Calabasas, Calif., on Feb. 4. After the State Water Resources Control Board allocated 5% to the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, the LVMWD enacted a water restriction that restricted their residents to water one day a week. Photos by Ali LevensWith native … [Read more...] about Las Virgenes Area Manages Water Restrictions from Low State Allocation
Forged by Fire: Extreme Weather Events Threaten Malibu
An edited photo of the Santa Monica Mountains. Photo by Lucian Himes. Photo illustration by Ali Levens Interactives by Zack Born Drought. Heat waves. Wildfires. People who don't experience extreme weather events might view them as abstract and otherworldly. But the lines between abstract threat and immediate danger have repeatedly blurred for Pepperdine University and the … [Read more...] about Forged by Fire: Extreme Weather Events Threaten Malibu
Woolsey Scars Show Ecological Recovery, Even as Fire Frequency Rises
While fire may be a natural cycle of the Santa Monica Mountains, short-term plant life recovery is not. “If you’re interested in Mediterranean ecosystems, you’re interested in fire,” said Marti Witter, a fire ecologist with the National Park Service. The Santa Monica Mountains are part of California’s natural chaparral environment. Shrubs with large leaves dominate the … [Read more...] about Woolsey Scars Show Ecological Recovery, Even as Fire Frequency Rises
