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Local Wonders: Nature Conservancy Names "Top Ten California Treasures"
Channel Islands National Park (Zach Behrens/LAist)
Today the Nature Conservancy has announced their picks for the "Top Ten California Treasures," naming some of our state's most beloved and well-known parks and recreation areas that "were funded by a federal program called the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), which is currently proposed to be cut by 90 percent in the House of Representatives' budget," according to Yahoo! News.
View Nature Conservancy's "Top Ten California Treasures," 2011 in a larger map
The 10 places include a handful in Southern California, among them local favorites like the Angeles National Forest, the Channel Islands, and the Santa Monica Mountains.
Mike Sweeney, Executive Director of the Nature Conservancy's California Chapter said that it wasn't easy making the choices: "We have so many amazing places all around that state, we had a hard time narrowing this list to just ten." He adds: "We hope this list inspires Californians to go out and visit these places, create their own top ten lists and to urge Congress to continue funding California's natural legacy."
Here's the complete list:
1. The Angeles National Forest
2. Channel Islands National Park
3. Golden Gate National Recreation Area
4. Mojave National Preserve
5. Point Reyes National Seashore
6. The Redwood National and State Parks
7. San Bernardino National Forest
8. San Diego National Wildlife Refuge
9. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
10. Sequoia National Forest
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