Temescal Canyon Association Hosts Annual Meeting Virtually

By LILY TINOCO | Assistant Editor

Temescal Canyon Association hosted its annual meeting virtually on Tuesday evening, January 24, featuring two guest speakers and presentations.

TCA President James Alexakis began the meeting with welcoming remarks and provided updates about the association, including a treasury report.

The meeting called for an election of the board. Existing members decided to hold their positions for another year, and Alexakis shared three positions were open.

“We’re currently running as a board of … nine members,” Alexakis said. “We have the bandwidth to take on three more.”

Alexakis said he would get in contact with interested parties ahead of TCA’s next meeting, slated for Monday, February 13.

Ahead of the guest speakers, TCA Vice President Gil Dembo thanked Alexakis for his efforts the past year.

“I want to congratulate you,” Dembo said. “I think you’ve done a great job this last year under a lot of difficulty, and I think we’re on a good start for this year.”

The first guest speaker was Beth Pratt from the National Wildlife Federation and SaveLACougars. She was invited to provide updates on the Liberty Canyon wildlife crossing—which TCA donated $10,000 toward—and mountain lion P-22.

With P-22’s recent passing, Pratt began her presentation with a discussion of him.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area previously reported that P-22 was one of the oldest mountain lions in a study the National Park Service had been conducting since the early 2000s. He was captured and collared in March 2012, when he was about 2 years old.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s decided to “compassionately euthanize” P-22 after a comprehensive medical evaluation on December 17, 2022.

“It’s been a really hard time for those of us who have worked to protect him,” Pratt said. “He was a pretty remarkable animal that meant a lot to many people for different reasons … not just in the LA area … The world was mourning together.

“He really has fostered a lot of change, and I don’t know many other cats, or mountain lions, that have made Rolling Stone magazine.”

Pratt shared videos of last year’s P-22 Day Festival and assured attendees another festival will be held later this year.

In regard to the Liberty Canyon wildlife crossing, Pratt said the project has been “revolutionary” and recognized as one of the most influential global projects since breaking ground in April 2022.

The Liberty Canyon wildlife crossing’s purpose is to provide a “safe and sustainable” passage for wildlife across US-101 near Liberty Canyon Road in the city of Agoura Hills, which will reduce wildlife death and allow for the movement of animals. Pratt said the passage will not allow for human access and be one of the few places where wildlife has “primacy.”

Pratt said the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.

After Pratt spoke, former TCA board member Patt Healy spoke of native monarch butterfly gardens.

Healy shared that insect populations are declining at an “alarming” rate—alarming because these “creatures actually run the world.”

“They’re essential for the reproduction of most flowering plants, including many of our fruits and vegetables,” she said. “They clean up waste for many other plants and animals, and they help keep our rivers and streams clean.”

As a result, Healy suggested planting native pollinator gardens to attract these insects to our yards. Native gardens are most adapted to thrive locally, and will provide habitat for pollinators and other wildlife.

She recommended choosing plants that flower at different times of the year, planting during the fall and including some shaded areas, as well as a rock pile or wall for wildlife to lounge.

For monarch butterflies, one should note that milkweed is the only food the monarch will eat and the only plant monarchs will lay their eggs on.

Healy said milkweed should be planted in clumps with shade and near flowering plants for caterpillars to climb on.

“Thank you all for coming, this has been a great annual meeting,” Alexakis said. “We have several things planned for 2023.”