Spring blooming California native wildflowers at the entrance to Arroyo Seco Woodland and Wildlife Park crafted from local river rock. Photo: Barbara Eisenstein
City officials love to cut ribbons at park openings. However, what happens after the ribbon cutting determines the success or failure of urban parks. Without proper care, even beautifully designed and installed landscapes will fail. Maintaining a habitat park presents unique challenges. After opening the nature park in South Pasadena—Arroyo Seco Woodland and Wildlife Park—the city was confronted with this task, and the weeds were getting the upper hand.
The challenges of caring for habitat
Habitat parks are different from most city parks, which usually consist of ornamental shrubs and trees growing in expanses of turf grass. City crews mow and edge weekly, control weeds as needed, and occasionally prune. Irrigation schedules keep the grass green and the shrubs and trees alive.
Our nature park is a different story. For one thing, there is no lawn; for another, there is no automatic irrigation system. Most importantly, the maintenance crew is ...
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