LA River Expeditions Marks 10 Years of LA River Revolution
LOS ANGELES (PRWEB) May 30, 2018 -- This summer LA River Expeditions celebrates a decade of being on the cutting edge of river activism. It was back in 2008 that the river was considered “un-navigable” and deemed permanently off-limits by local authorities and most people in Los Angeles.
That’s when LA River Expeditions—a ragtag group of two dozen boaters—launched its historic kayak expedition down the full 51 miles of the river. The event, and the group’s detailed report to the Environmental Protection Agency, helped win federal Clean Water Act protections in 2010 on behalf of the watershed, its wildlife and residents of Los Angeles.
“The EPA ruling totally changed the conversation and what was possible on the river,” says Joel Shapiro, the non-profit’s Fiscal Director and one of the original expedition planners. “In 2011 we worked with the City plus various agencies and organizations to create the popular summer kayaking tours. It went from no one wanting to go near the LA River with a 10-foot pole to putting more than 7,000 kayakers on our hometown river.”
LA River Expeditions’ 2018 kayaking tours begin June 2nd and continue through September 3rd. Tickets for this novel urban recreation sell out quickly. “This year participants can enjoy a number of new discounts to suit individual or large-group budgets,” says Rudy Secundino, General Manager of Sepulveda Basin tours. “Plus, we’re the only group to offer tours of both recreation zones, which are managed by the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority.”
Although the kayak tours are lots of fun, LA River Expeditions is unique in that it also brings educators from the community onto most of its tours. “Our Educators are professionals in their field who enrich the tours by sharing their passions and answering questions,” says Scott Cher, Director of Education. “It could be birding, fishing, ecology, landscape architecture, urban planning or water resource management. You never know who might be your special guest.”
River stewardship is another commitment. The organization’s Kayaking Cleanup Brigade is the first and only in-kayak volunteer cleanup effort, removing trash in a non-invasive way. Director of Stewardship, David Salper, admits “there’s literally a ton of work to be done when it comes to combating trash, especially plastics, and other pollution. If we can’t stop it at the river, then it ends up in our oceans. People are just beginning to realize that our oceans have their limits, too.” Additionally, the group’s stewardship extends to its support of the Owens River revitalization hundreds of miles north, because LA is indebted to that community for all the water we use from there.
Improved water quality monitoring systems are a new feature in 2018. Due to high-bacteria levels typically caused by occasional summer rains, the river is more likely to be closed if poor water quality spikes. General Manager of Glendale Narrows tours, Anthea Raymond, will be keeping an eye on this and other safety issues in her seventh summer on the river. "We're already at work on the 5th annual LA River Boat Race, along with its Float Parade, which will kick off the 2019 Season along with the opening of the new riverside Taylor Yard Park.”
And finally, to mark LA River Expeditions’ 10th year, the organization’s founder, George Wolfe, is committed to doing the first official expedition down the entire 51 miles of the LA River—via unicycle, along the riverside bike path. And he’ll do it along with his son, Zaha, who has also worked as a river kayaking guide. “We hope to pay homage to all the people who stuck out their necks back in 2008 and paddled their hearts out to make Los Angeles a stronger and more vibrant river community.” The unicycle expedition is scheduled for three days in September, and will double as a fundraiser to benefit the nonprofit’s mission.
CONTACT INFORMATION:
• Los Angeles River guided kayaking tours, including info on discounts and promo codes. Tickets on Eventbrite at https://bit.ly/2widlgD
• Other information about program activities, or use of photos: (323) 392-4247 or lariverexpeditionsonline(at)gmail(dot)com
LA River Expeditions was established in 2008 and is the original boating organization on the Los Angeles River. It has been a progressive force that’s defined recreation on the river. The grassroots kayaking organization is known for its popular, one-of-a-kind tours on the Los Angeles River. An award-winning nonprofit organization on the forefront of social activism, it advocates for a comprehensive public river access policy, improved safety along the river and innovative river stewardship.
The Electric Lodge is LA River Expeditions’ 501(c)(3) nonprofit sponsor and has been committed to creative community solutions and environmental education since 1996.
CONTACT: Rudy Secundino, General Manager of Sepulveda Basin tours, lariverexpeditionsonline(at)gmail(dot)com, (323) 392-4247, http://www.lariverexpeditions.org
George Wolfe, Founder/President, LA River Expeditions, http://lariverexpeditions.org, +1 (310) 804-0354, [email protected]
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