Program Topic

Cristhian Mace, Natural Areas Biologist with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation, will be our speaker.

The 2025 Eaton Fire and subsequent winter storm surges dramatically reshaped Eaton Canyon Natural Area, altering more than 190 acres of habitat at the wild land urban interface. 

Mace will share how fire and flooding, long-standing ecological forces in the San Gabriel Mountains, are unfolding under modern pressures such as climate change, invasive species, and heavy recreational use. 

Drawing on post fire baseline studies using vegetation assessments, iNaturalist, and eBird, the presentation will highlight early signs of native plant and wildlife recovery alongside areas heavily impacted by sedimentation , channel migration, and erosion. These findings are guiding restoration priorities, invasive species management, and long term monitoring efforts that incorporate traditional ecological knowledge and community science, offering lessons for protecting bird habitat and biodiversity across Southern California fire adapted landscapes.

The presentation will be given in person.

Program Format

Hybrid meeting - It is your preference: Join in person or online.  

In person: NEW LOCATION! This year our meeting location has changed.

• Address: First Friends Church, 13205 Philadelphia St., Whittier.

• Entrance: The entrance is on Washington Ave.

• Parking: Parking is available in the parking area behind the church and along Washington Ave.

Online: please RSVP here and we will send you a link to the meeting.

The program is free and open to the public.