Nature center rises like phoenix

Since its founding in 1975, Shipley Nature Center in Central Park has seen major changes. At first, oak, sycamore, alder, willow, redwood and pine trees were planted at the former county dumpsite. Shrubs grew, flowers bloomed and wildlife flourished. Then, due to neglect during the 1990s, the center went into decline. The entire east side became a jungle of nonnative castor bean, passion vine, giant reed and Brazilian pepper trees. Tamarisk and myoporum crowded out native plantings on the north side, and the pine forest on the west side was dying. Poison hemlock had spread everywhere.

Restoration of the nature center began in 1999 with removal of tamarisk and myoporum, funded by the Robert Mayer Corp. The following year, the city hired crews to fell and remove dozens of dead and diseased Monterey pines. They also began an assault on the passion vine that was smothering and killing native trees. In 2001, the city hired the Orange County Conservation Corps to begin removal of the forest of giant reed that had overtaken the eastern side.

The Friends of Shipley Nature Center formed in 2002 to keep the center open. With the help of the Huntington Beach Tree Society, the group began clearing ground and planting native trees in the fall of 2002. With continued support from the public, scout groups, church groups and the Conservation Corps, members have continued the work and have transformed the nature center. Like the mythical bird called the phoenix, the center has risen from the ashes of destruction into a beautiful, living thing.

While Vic was grading final exams the other day, I took a leisurely walk through Shipley Nature Center to check on the progress of restoration. I’m generally there only once a month now with an orientation crew from the Conservation Corps. We focus on a small area and I miss out on the big picture. It had been a long time since I had walked around the entire 18-acre center. I was amazed at the changes.

The most noticeable difference is the water. Blackbird Pond, which usually covers less than an acre, now covers half the center and is still rising. The trails on the east and north side are submerged, as are the trails in the center through the willow woodlands. The ducks love it and the weeds hate it. That water is doing a great job of killing off the remaining castor bean and passion vine. About the only things that can survive being submerged that long are desirable native plants like marsh fleabane, stinging nettle, bulrushes and cattails.

The plantings in 2002 of foot-tall coast live oaks have flourished. The oaks are now 12 to 20 feet tall and are starting to look like trees instead of shrubs. The new oak groves replace stands of nonnative trees. The sycamores and cottonwoods are growing even faster. Some have reached heights of over 25 feet. Several big-leafed maples, although still small, are showing off their spectacular red and yellow autumn leaves. Torrey pines are flourishing, as are numerous western redbuds, our city tree.

The area by the observation blind has been dubbed Sage Hill. The sages, coyote brush, coast bush sunflowers, cactuses, bladderpods, and matilija poppies that we planted in 2003 now cover the hill. This area was formerly a forlorn stand of giant reed and castor bean, devoid of wildlife. On my walk, I saw dragonflies, solitary bees, ground squirrels, cottontails and birds galore. The pond was filled with mallards and wigeons, with common yellowthroats, black phoebes, white-crowned sparrows and California towhees everywhere.

Since restoration began, the number of bird species using the nature center has doubled and the total number of individuals has increased as well. We know that because Lena Hayashi and Mabel Alazard conduct monthly bird censuses with the help of many volunteers. The nature center saw western bluebirds nest there for the first time in 2004, and green herons breed for the first time in 2005.

The Friends of Shipley Nature Center installed several demonstration gardens in October. The plants are settling in nicely, and some are already blooming. There is a wildflower meadow plus hummingbird, butterfly, coastal sage scrub and riparian woodland gardens. Decomposed granite pathways make the demonstration gardens handicapped accessible. A new boardwalk through the oak woodland keeps people from trampling the sensitive roots of the trees.

Thousands of schoolchildren are enjoying educational outings this year with Inside the Outdoors at Shipley. Many of the school groups participate in the Orange County Conservation Corps’ ongoing recycling and composting presentation at the center. An education crew from the corps maintains the trails and keeps the center open for the public from Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Docents keep the center open on Saturday during the same hours.

If you haven’t seen the magic of restoration at Shipley, go visit. It just keeps getting better month by month, as more weeds are removed and more natives are planted. If you’d like to get involved, the Friends of Shipley Nature Center still hold monthly restoration work parties on the first Saturday of each month. The next one is Jan. 7.

* VIC LEIPZIG and LOU MURRAY can be reached at [email protected].

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