ADOPT A SALTBUSH!
Do you need a Salt Bush seedling planted in front of your home?
As part of the City of Los Angeles’ goal to maintain a safety barrier along the Venice Canals, the Venice Canals Association, with Mariposa Landscaping, is planting Salt Bush (Atriplex) seedlings in gaps along the Venice Canals.
These plantings will be at no cost to residents/homeowners!
We’re looking for 200 homes where these seedlings can be planted to fill in gaps along the canals.
Homeowners are asked to help plants establish by watering new plants twice a week for the next few months, particularly during the hot summer months
If you’d like Salt Bush planted near your home, please email us with your name and address at:
contact@venicecanals.org
Please include “Salt Bush” in the subject line.
Salt Bush (Atriplex) Maintenance
If you notice any issues with existing plants or have a concern about the Salt Bush in front of your home,
please contact contact@venicecanals.
Background
When the Venice Canals Rehabilitation (Improvement) Project was completed in 1993, residents and the City chose a living safety barrier made of Brewer’s Salt Bush (Atriplex), instead of chain-link fencing.
The natural safety barrier solution was more attractive, environmentally friendly, and in keeping with the neighborhood’s natural aesthetic.
Mariposa Landscaping, under contract with the City, manages regular maintenance, including trimming, weeding, and debris removal. However, their contract does not include a watering schedule, so ongoing homeowner watering is vital for healthy growth, especially during dry months.
Over the past 33 years, hundreds of plants have been replaced, but age, trimming, and drought have created many gaps. The lifespan of Salt Bush is approximately 10 years, and plants that are not deeply watered often decline more quickly.
Plant Theft — Community Awareness
Unfortunately, several newly planted Salt Bush seedlings have been stolen. Of the 150 planted a couple of years ago, more than 92 were removed.
LAPD is investigating these thefts. Penalties for removing or damaging plants can include up to 3 years in jail and fines of up to $300,000.
Please keep an eye out for anyone tampering with or removing plants along the canals, and report any suspicious activity immediately.
Thank you to all neighbors who help protect and support our community’s living Salt Bush barrier. With your help, we can keep the canals both safe and beautiful.
Warm regards,
Venice Canals Association contact@venicecanals.org
Please keep your eye out for anyone damaging or removing the new Saltbush plants.
We appreciate all our neighbors’ support and protection of the Saltbush Safety Barrier.
Algae Blooms & Health Advisory
While there has been no definitive link to toxic algae blooms in the recent dog illnesses in the canal area, “out of an abundance of caution”, the County Health Department will be reposting signage regarding hazardous algae blooms in the canals.
Not all algae blooms are harmful, however. Some algae provide benefits to fish and wildlife. The challenge is distinguishing between healthy growth and harmful blooms, which can occur more frequently with changing climate conditions.
Once the city and county share their results or determinations with the VCA, we will then forward that information to our members.
Long-Term Goals
The Venice Canals Association is committed to exploring solutions that would clean or filter water entering Ballona Lagoon and the North Venice canals, ultimately reducing or preventing hazardous algae blooms.
We are currently pursuing a County Prop W grant with the Los Angeles City Sanitation to study the feasibility of capturing runoff, cleaning it, and potentially storing the treated water for greening projects. Councilwoman Traci Park and Staff have been supportive of the grant and the effort to clean the canal’s water.
