Wednesday April 23, 2025
CBS News —
A new movement is happening to revitalize the Los Angeles River with life, but the recent wildfires have put the progress at risk.
Amid the concrete flood channels are rare green pockets within the LA River are proving essential not just for the wildlife but for the city’s resilience. The natural spaces are helping LA adapt to a hotter, drier and more unpredictable future.
Long before the freeways and skyscrapers, the LA River sustained the Tongva people and Spanish settlers. Currently, it faces threats from pollution and climate change.
“It’s really critical for us to understand that the river is LA’s origin story,” said Candice Dickens-Russell, the CEO of Friends of the LA River. “LA is where it is because the river is where it is and all roads lead to the river when it rains, everything finds its way here.”
Dickens-Russell and her organization are helping advocate for nature, the climate and equity on the LA River. They are committed to protecting the river’s ecosystem and the communities it impacts.