Nature center rises like phoenix

Since its founding in 1975, Shipley Nature Center in Central Park has seen major changes. At first, oak, sycamore, alder, willow, redwood and pine trees were planted at the former county dumpsite. Shrubs grew, flowers bloomed and wildlife flourished. Then, due to neglect during the 1990s, the center went into decline. The entire east side became a jungle of nonnative castor bean, passion vine, giant reed and Brazilian pepper trees. Tamarisk and myoporum crowded out native plantings on the north side, and the pine forest on the west side was dying. Poison hemlock had spread everywhere.

Restoration of the nature center began in 1999 with removal of tamarisk and myoporum, funded by the Robert Mayer Corp. The following year, the city hired crews to fell and remove dozens of dead and diseased Monterey pines. They also began an assault on the passion vine that was smothering and killing native trees. In 2001, the city hired the Orange County Conservation Corps to begin removal of the forest of giant reed that had overtaken the eastern side.

The Friends of Shipley Nature Center formed in 2002 to keep the center open. With the help of the Huntington Beach Tree Society, the group began clearing ground and planting native trees in the fall of 2002. With continued support from the public, scout groups, church groups and the Conservation Corps, members have continued the work and have transformed the nature center. Like the mythical bird called the phoenix, the center has risen from the ashes of destruction into a beautiful, living thing.

While Vic was grading final exams the other day, I took a leisurely walk through Shipley Nature Center to check on the progress of restoration. I'm generally there only once a month now with an orientation crew from the Conservation Corps. We focus on a small area and I miss out on the big picture. It had been a long time since I had walked around the entire 18-acre center. I was amazed at the changes.