Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area protects a vast landscape in the greater Los Angeles area, linking parks, beaches, preserves, and conservation lands through cooperation among federal, state, and local agencies. Established in 1978 after decades of advocacy, it is noted for its Mediterranean climate ecosystem, its concentration of natural and cultural resources beside a major metropolis, and evidence of more than 10,000 years of human presence, including many Chumash sites. The area also serves as an important center for wildlife research on how U.S. 101 affects animal movement, work that helped inspire the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, while the park continues to grow and recover from major fires.

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain

Photo: Wikipedia · Public domain