Friends Of The Los Angeles River

Programs: Folar was founded on the belief that effective advocacy, education, collaboration and imagination can accomplish great things. We know first-hand that urban restoration requires creativity, technical knowledge and tenacity - but also that our goals, while vast and visionary, are also undeniably attainable:1. Restoring the l. A. River's natural habitat. 2. Developing recreational and commuter bikeways, pedestrian paths and horse trails on the riverbanks; as well as places for canoeing and kayaking in the river. 3. Applying flood-protection technologies that emphasize the restoration of a healthy ecosystem. 4. Reforesting and re-vegetating the river's watershed to control seasonal flooding and debris flow. 5. Creating educational programs which bring students to celebrate and study the river and to explain the importance of the river, its tributaries and its watershed. 6. Fostering efforts to monitor and improve water quality in the river and its tributaries, and to control toxic pollution from dumping and storm drains. 7. Coordinating community-based clean-ups and graffiti removal along the river in cooperation with other groups and agencies. 8. Creating an l. A. River conservancy to coordinate public management of the river, to enact land-use ordinances and zoning laws and to manage development in the riparian corridor. 9. Placing the l. A. River bridges on the national historic registry, thus protecting and enhancing their historic and aesthetic value. 10. Encouraging appropriate uses of reclaimed water for irrigation and recharge of aquifers, thus promoting sustainable development.