Headwaters Nature Center

Siting and site programming for a visitor center including gathering spaces and rural connections. Selected as one of the pilot projects for the Sustainable Sites Initiative and located at the headwaters of the Los Angeles River, the site provides a gateway to the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Connecting people to the wildlands and demonstrating sustainable principals is accomplished through traditional interpretative displays as well as more passive and open ended methods. The visitor center has three main messages: historic elements; conservation and natural environment; and demonstrating sustainability. The sustainable features include rain water harvesting, rain gardens, water re-use and a series of demonstration gardens to display various restored, naturalized, and cultivated landscapes that utilize plants which are native or adapted to the region.