255 San Fidel Ave, Bassett, CA 91746

Los Angeles County has a new county park. It’s such a rarity these days to hear that a new county park has been established and even more heart tugging to know that it has taken nearly 30 years for this to happen. As an area resident, this was the old duck farm off the 605 freeway and it was joyous news when I first heard that the farm was going to be turned into a natural space.

This area encompasses 30 acres in totality and its first phase includes parking and green space on one side of the 605 and an underpass crossing to the main green space which overlooks into the San Gabriel River.

The connection to the San Gabriel River is a large expansive project that connects to the Emerald Necklace Trail, which is a 17-mile long trail of parks, bike paths, and multi-use trails along the Rio Hondo River and San Gabriel River. This trail begins at El Monte at the North and ends at Whittier to the South. It is a significant greening of the San Gabriel Valley area.

To convert the park from a duck farm to a more suitable environment for planting, the park used phytoremediation techniques, mostly planting sunflowers which alleviates soil compaction. You can see a few of these sunflowers within the park.

Most other plants throughout the park are native plants including native sunflowers, buckwheat, purple sage, hummingbird sage, penstemons, yarrow, wild rose, manzanita, and coastal sage scrub.

While it is a newish park, some of these larger shrubs have already established themselves and the wildlife have begun claiming their habitats. I saw an egret, a hawk, and many birds flitting in and out of the shrubs.

Butterflies were also present. It’s never ceases to surprise how quickly wildlife establish themselves once a space has been rewilded.

The San Gabriel River Park is a much needed green space for the community and its expansion is eagerly anticipated. A Nature Center which will be located at the old main house and more walking trails is in the works for the future.

Note about safety: this park is located in a more disadvantaged area and the park was safe with couples and people and their dogs exercising. Because of its proximity to the river bed, there were a few loiters and they were capable of hopping the fence—their objective was to take a short cut and cut to the other side.