What is Elephant Hill Test Plot? LA-32 took a visit recently to the site of our Garden of the Month recipient to find out more of what happens and how we all can get involved in land stewardship. William Hourigan, one of the leads at Elephant Hill Test Plot walked us through the history and goals of the space, and how the organization is working with the community to help invite nature into our lives and neighborhood.
Nestled at the end of Lathrop St. in El Sereno, the space is always free and open to the public. Need a staycation with sun, flora, and fauna? Take a little walk up the hill and enjoy the views and the smells of spring. Need a little physical activity? Show up to a volunteer day and get busy pulling weeds and trimming plants. Want a place for the kids? Wander in the sunflowers and show them the magic of butterflies frolicing in the flowers.
If you know any exceptional gardens in LA-32 - nominate them for Garden of the Month. It is easy - visit bit.ly/4kpdhiK and fill out the form. Watch LA-32 Grow!
#LandStewardship #ElSereno #90032 #Gardening #LANeighborhoodCouncil #NativePlants
ÚNETE A NOSOTROS PARA LOS DÍAS DE TRABAJO DE PRIMAVERA EN JEFFERSON TEST PLOT
¡Ayúdanos a regar, quitar la maleza y poner mulch en el nuevo terreno Jefferson Test para prepararlo para el verano!
Habrá herramientas, guantes y algo para tomar. No necesitas experiencia.
Escanea el código QR para confirmar o visita: testplot.info/volunteer
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JOIN US FOR SPRING WORKDAYS AT
JEFFERSON TEST PLOT
Help us water, weed, and mulch the new Jefferson Test Plot in preparation for summer!
Tools, gloves, and refreshments provided, no experience necessary!
Scan QR code to RSVP or
Visit testplot.info/volunteer
Están invitados a unirse al Taller de Resiliencia ante Incendios en el Cañón del Arcoíris, en colaboración con Community Nature Connection. Durante la primera hora, compartiremos breves lecciones sobre el endurecimiento de viviendas, la ecología de los incendios y realizaremos un recorrido botánico para conocer especies nativas de combustión lenta. En la segunda hora, implementaremos diversas estrategias de gestión del terreno en el Cañón del Arcoíris. Este espacio sirve como modelo de un paisaje gestionado públicamente con conciencia ante los incendios. Los participantes se llevarán a casa un cartel ilustrado a mano por la artista local Sarah Smiley. Habrá comida y un ambiente festivo, ya que este será nuestro último taller del año. Esperamos verles allí.
Si necesita traducción en Español, para el taller, favor de llamar (323)371-4072 o mandar un correo a [email protected]
Please join us for the Rainbow Canyon Fire Resiliency Workshop with Community Nature Connection. In the first hour, we'll be sharing quick lessons on home hardening, fire ecology, and a plant tour of slower burning native species. In the second hour we'll be implementing some land management strategies for Rainbow Canyon as a model for publicly managed fire conscious landscape. Participants will take home a hand drawn poster by local artist Sarah Smiley. There will be food and celebration as our final workshop for the year. We hope to see you there.
If you would like Spanish translation provided at the workshop, please call (323)371-4072 or email [email protected]
This past week, Rubble Rousers @rubble.rousers visited the Jefferson Test Plot to launch their first field session, performing 7 DIY, in the field soil health assessments.
Tests looked at soil composition, color, stability, texture, particulate matter, organic matter, and infiltration.
Rubble Rousers Nina, Daisy, Lynn, and Maggie @l_fang@ninaraj@dr.daisyrosasv@maggie__mayhem led the Youth Fellows through each test in each of the petals. As we've worked this plot, we've recognized the long and crucial task of rebuilding good soil health. These initial tests will be an important baseline to understand the effectiveness of our different interventions.
@justacraigularguy4@bz.studio@greenhouse.sla@redeemercp@neighborhoodlandtrust
Hi everyone! Happy spring!
Join us for our next volunteer day: Sunday April 26th 3-6pm. Bring your basic garden tools like weeding tools, pruners, and gloves. We will mostly be clearing weeds.
SPECIAL GUESTS (a new film release!):
Come pick up a hard copy of the film MORE BEAUTIFUL PERVERSIONS, made in collaboration with Northeastern land stewards, artists, and old growth forests. Join filmmaker and environmental educator Pavli Serenetsky for a day of community land care to launch the Video Store•Age release.
Presented in partnership with Video Store.Age, Purpose Repair Shop collective, and FOFIF.
Address: 5009 Lathrop St, Los Angeles, CA 90032
Lathrop St. is a dead end street with ample street parking. Walk up the dirt path 20’ and the plot is directly in front of you.
REMINDER to sign volunteer waiver if you haven't already. We would also appreciate RSVP's as we will have snacks and drinks! Pls visit our volunteer calendar for the link. /volunteer/elephanthill
We look forward to seeing you!
-Will and Naomi @willseehourigan@gnome_mii
At a recent visit to the Green Ravine Test Plot at the Wrigley Marine Science Center, volunteers and @uscmlau students came together to tend the space. They checked in on plantings installed during the fall season, prepped the site for annual brush clearance, and improved irrigation systems to support long-term growth. 🌱
Part of @test_plot , a community land-care initiative developed in partnership with USC’s Department of Landscape Architecture and Urbanism, the project is led by professor and landscape architect Alexander Robinson. Through his ARCH 546 course, students return to WMSC each year to help build and maintain the landscape as a living experiment. Students, staff, and volunteers from WMSC, the Catalina Island Conservancy, and the Environmental Studies Program are also helping to maintain the plot and track its health.
Now in its third year, the Green Ravine Test Plot aims to restore biodiversity on campus and help manage rainwater runoff flowing into the marine protected area at Big Fisherman Cove on Catalina Island.
Starr King Test Plot workday this Saturday April 18th 9am-noon
Starr King Open Space annex in San Francisco
Join us for weeding, seed collection, and wildflower appreciation. The transition from spring to summer is here. That means it’s seed season! Annual weedy grasses have already flowered, formed seeds, and now are shedding their seeds. Our main focus this week will be to remove a weed we call Sixweeks Fescue. We’ll also collect Purple Needlegrass seed to grow in trays this December for planting out on site next year. We’ll do some scouting to see if there are any other fun seeds to collect and grow. And of course we’ll check in on our lovely Mariposa lilies ❤
Pls RSVP on our Volunteer Calendar
Los Angeles!!
Come watch MORE BEAUTIFUL PERVERSIONS w/ us on the big screen on April 22! 🌎
Q&A w/ @tuneinlogout , @zzzahara.wav , @sua___yoo & @bubalala
moderated by @sandyhonig
& then on April 26 (Sunday) join us for sum community land care at Elephant Hill with the stewards of @test_plot
(+++pick up a hard copy of the film w/ bonus features thru Video Store.Age
link in bio for tix 🫎
Bay Area plotters, join us Friday May 1st for a reunion under the eucalyptus. We’ll be reviewing lessons learned, filling in with species that have done well and scheming what to do in the areas that have been cleared. VIP appearance by Yoni!
RSVP with Mountainwatch.
/upcomingevents/2026/5/1
Poster @grandfathergreen@ulap.ko@sanbrunomountainwatch
Last week LA-32 presented our April Garden of the Month award to Test Plot - Elephant Hill.
At the end of Lathrop you can find a space open to the public that features plants such as CA Buckwheat, CA sagebrush, Black and White Sage, Coyote Brush and so much more. The site, which started in 2022, has stewarded 10,000 sq ft of new habitat and 20,000 sq ft of invasive species removal.
To maintain a site so large requires many hands, and this space has four team leads, and many volunteers. Joseph Farewell (and family), William Hourigan, and Francisco Ruiz, who are the point people for the site, were on hand at our LA-32 meeting to receive the award and to provide new insights into the space.
The Test Plot team noted that spring is the moment where the space is at its most lush and flowers bloom at every corner, so if you are looking for a way to spend an afternoon, it is free and open to the public.
If you know any exceptional gardens in LA-32 - nominate them for Garden of the Month. It is easy - visit bit.ly/4kpdhiK and fill out the form.
🌱Watch LA-32 Grow! 🌱
#elsereno #90032 #CAnativegarden #laneighborhoodcouncil #neighborhoodgardens #CAnativeplants
