Tujunga Gateway Park

In February 2017, California State Assembly District 39 Member and Majority Whip Raul Bocanegra’s office asked AFC for assistance in securing 111 privately owned acres of natural open space in Big Tujunga Canyon.

Community members wanted to save it from development. We had a head start: we have in depth biological studies on all the privately owned parcels in the Hahamongna to Tujunga Wildlife Corridor (“HTC”), including these. Our findings were favorable biologically and for wildlife passage. Once we did site visits we saw a compelling case for saving the Big Tujunga property.

The Assembly member asked us to enumerate our findings to the Joint Legislative Budget Committee in support of his request for $3,000,000 in funding toward a $3,940,000 purchase price. We were delighted to learn that the allocation was approved.

One of our biological studies was adopted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife for its work plan for the HTC. This opened the door to an additional $800,000 of funding. $140,000 from our County Supervisor Kathryn Barger rounded out the necessary funding, and MRCA purchased these 111 acres. Now they are preserved forever