Wild L.A.: A Celebration of the Natural Areas In and Around the City

by James Lawrence, Galen A. Rowell (Foreword)

Los Angeles – the ultimate icon of urban sprawl – is the last place on earth you’ll find miles of unspoiled open land and a wide range of wild creatures. Or is it? While the media portray L.A. as a showplace of cars, not wildlife, of highrises and strip malls, not sylvan meadows and canyons, in reality there are incredible natural treasures to be found within a mere 90-minute drive from downtown L.A.
Author James Lawrence’s intimate knowledge and love of the city where he grew up inform his engaging text, which is complemented by a gallery of nearly 150 full-color images by some of the West’s leading nature photographers.
Separate chapters explore the magnificent Santa Monica Mountains; the “Rim of the Valley,” including the lush Simi Hills; Griffith Park and other “wild in the city” retreats; the San Gabriel Range, including Antelope Valley and the western fringe of the Mojave; and the dramatic Santa Anas, including Orange County’s incomparable golden coast
This much is certain: no one who delves into this beautiful and surprising book will ever look at the City of Angels in quite the same way again.

192 pages, Paperback

First published November 13, 2001