The Adventure Continues… Madrona Marsh

This is another one of those episodes I had passed over several times until the topic  was suddenly brought to my attention by Facebook a few days ago. Huell actually visited the Madrona Marsh Preserve a couple of different times for separate shows aired in 1995 and in 2003. Today I’m featuring the latter, California’s Golden Parks, which highlights the progress of this very special natural area and the opening of the Visitors Center; but to compare the change since the mid 1990s, you can check out the earlier episode of Visiting. Vernal pools are such an important and precious resource, and the fact that the city of Torrance chose to set this land aside — right across the street from a huge shopping mall — is just amazing. Much of the credit goes to the Friends of the Madrona Marsh, local citizens who donate their time and energy to keeping non-native plants from taking over.  And that Facebook item I mentioned? It was a short episode of Pat Pattison’s Best of California, providing a right-up-to-date look at Madrona Marsh today! Rescued from future development and a history of oil drilling, the 42-acre Madrona Marsh Nature Preserve in Torrance is one of the last remaining vernal marshes in Southern California. The non-profit, volunteer organization Friends of the Madrona Marsh fought vigorously throughout the ’70s and ’80s to save this delicate natural habitat. Although Huell’s visit shows us a great success […]

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The Adventure Continues… Kelso Depot

After 2 weeks away from home (plus one week to recover!), I guess it’s time to jump back into my regularly scheduled blog posts. I’m starting out this Wednesday with an episode of California’s Golden Parks which originally aired May 10, 2006, featuring a place we passed by on our way home. The town of Kelso lies a bit north […]

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The Adventure Continues… Chautauqua

When I think of Southern California, the sprawling urban centers around Los Angeles and San Diego usually spring to mind. Of course, there’s a wide variety of landscapes found in the southern half of the state — including some very beautiful parks and natural areas, like the one in today’s episode. Originally aired in 2003 as part of both Visiting […]

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The Adventure Continues… Zzyzx

The Mojave Desert doesn’t seem like an especially welcoming place to be — especially in the summertime — but it would be a mistake to think there’s nothing to be found there but dirt or sand and cactus plants. As a rule, California’s desert regions are home to some very colorful history, and this remote spot is no exception. Since […]

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