Where the deer and the gnatcatchers roam . . .

The roughly 488 acres of the Montebello hills are the last bit of "open space" left in the entire City of Montebello.  They are home to a whole host of critters such as hawks, squirrels, opossum, rabbits, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, mice and other small animals.  The hills also provide critical habitat for the California gnatcatcher (a small song bird listed as "threatened" under the Endangered Species Act) and many other types of birds, reptiles, and insects.  Nestled up close to the east side of the Montebello hills is the Rio Hondo River and the western edge of the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area.  Deer have been spotted in the natural parts of the Narrows along with the tracks of bobcats and even cougar!

The Montebello hills are covered in a type of natural vegetation called coastal sage scrub.  This type of "plant community" once covered most of California but now it can only be found in small patches here and there.  That's too bad because coastal sage scrub is essential to the survival of the California gnatcatcher and other species that live there. In the Montebello hills, enough of this natural, coastal sage scrub still exists to support a thriving population of gnatcatchers but this habitat is spread out in bits and pieces across the entire 488 acres.

If you drive up Montebello Blvd, you may have noticed the signs that say "Habitat Restoration by Cook Hill Properties."  Keep in mind that the Montebello hills have been used as an oil field for over 90 years.  That's a lot of habitat destruction due to drilling activities, laying down roadways and constructing oil field facilities.  If it wasn't for all the habitat "destruction" there wouldn't be a need for habitat "restoration."   A few years back, a crop of small, colored flags suddenly appeared all over the bare parts of the oil field property.  These were followed by a maze of white pvc piping.  I've been told the flags were markers to show workers where to place different types of plants that are a part of a coastal sage scrub community and the pipes were added to provide water to the seedlings. 

To my mind, the developer is trying to recreate what Mother Nature did best . . . but in a convenient, out of the way location better suited to the developer's needs!  If the Montebello Hills Specific Plan is approved, then any critters facing eviction by the bulldozers would be expected to move into this new, artificially "restored" habitat.  I suppose these same critters would be unwelcome in the new, "people-only" neighborhoods.

It's too bad critters can't read signs.


Daisy Mae

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