Diario de ericandersen

During spring break, I hiked through Hahamongna Watershed Park, which is located in the north side of Los Angeles County near Caltech and the Rose Bowl. I saw and identified more than 25 taxa. During my hike, I was surprised by how many plants and animals could live in the park despite its poisoned groundwater. Hahamongna Park is a NASA superfund site and is located adjacent to a NASA-Caltech facility, from which dangerously high quantities of poorly-contained perchlorate and volatile organic compounds seeped into the groundwater. Despite the high concentrations of toxic chemicals in the water, the area flourishes with native Californian plants and animals. In fact, because of the site's superfund status, development projects are prohibited within the park's boundaries. Perhaps this reason is why such biodiversity exists: a lack of suburban and urban development provides a safe haven for plant and animals species that would otherwise be pushed out by human encroachment. For the time being, the park serves as a wash for the nearby Devil's Gate Dam which, although mostly unused and archaic in comparison to the alternative plans to channelize the area, provides a primary function to the human communities downstream.

Coast Redwood

French Broom

Common Vetch

Greater Periwinkle

Common Dandelion

Daisy

Coast Live Oak

I took my a few hikes over a number of different days. I took what I think are some really cool microscopic photos of organisms living in water runoff from a horse stable in a park near my house. I had difficult identifying them, and I think it would be really useful if iNaturalist had a platform for identifying microscopic organisms. The rest of my pictures I took in between classes on the UC Berkeley campus. It's crazy how much wild biodiversity exists in a place as heavily trafficked as the Cal campus. I think the campus' biodiversity is a testament to how much the administration and students care to not disturb and/or displace wild plants and animals around campus.