WiserEarth Area of Focus Suggestions

View of Oat Mt., Santa Susana Mountains--upper Brown's Canyon


I currently reside in a densely populated suburban neighborhood along lower Brown's Canyon creek (which flows south upon concrete), a tributary of the upper Los Angeles River (which flows east, also locked in concrete) in the western San Fernando Valley surrounded by the Santa Susana Mountains to the north, Simi Hills to the west, and Santa Monica Mountains to the south.  The headwaters of the LA River is only a few miles from here in Canoga Park.

I recently worked for the Los Angeles San Gabriel Rivers Watershed Council collecting "invasive" plant data mostly along stretches of these watersheds and their sub-watersheds.  Due to my exposure to Permaculture and a re-thinking of the concept of "invasion," my bellicose attitude regarding these plants is turning to wonder as I'm beginning to understand their underlying functions in the ecosystem, in the soil in particular.  Also, many of these plants have splendid foods and medicines to offer.

View of the Chontayacu River-upper Huallaga River watershed, Peru S.A.

Currently, I am establishing a land-base connection in Peru, the home of some of my ancestors, and am embarking on a new tropical agroforestry adventure.  I will be working on regenerative forestry, agro-forestry systems, biodiversity conservation, and ethnobotanical projects in the high montane rainforests of the upper Huallaga River valley.  More to come soon...

For some of my diverse interests, see "Areas of Focus" above.