La Cañada City Council throws support behind wilderness conservation

The La Cañada Flintridge City Council voted unanimously Monday in favor of a resolution supporting wilderness and wild river designations for the San Gabriel Mountains. The resolution was authored and placed before the council by the San Gabriel Mountains Forever conservation group,  a consortium of local business owners, recreation groups and social service providers dedicated to preserving the local mountain ranges. The U.S. Forest Service has already recommended to Congress that 21,414 acres in the San Gabriel Mountains be designated as wilderness area, according to a report submitted to the council. The San Gabriel Mountains Forever group is asking Congress to designate an additional 9,100 acres as wilderness. Daniel Rossman, a representative for San Gabriel Mountains Forever, said the wilderness designation would protect values as well as many types of species. "It also provides an excellent recreational opportunity for quite and healthy recreation for the citizens of the foothill communities and the surrouding areas," Rossman said. "It helps protecet our drinking water. A third of L.A. County drinking water comes from the Angeles National Forest and by preserving these water sheds we keep water for all of the community."