Announcer: VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM... [CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION AND FRIENDS OF NCI] [HONKING] Huell: THE GEESE ARE ACTING UP, LINDSAY.

Lindsay Smith: THEY THINK THIS IS THEIR PARK AND WE'RE TRESPASSING, AS FAR AS THEY'RE CONCERNED.

Huell: THIS IS GREAT.

NOW, TELL EVERYBODY WHERE WE ARE.

BY THE WAY, THIS IS MY NEW BEST FRIEND LINDSAY SMITH, WHO I HAVE MET AND DONE A COUPLE OF STORIES WITH.

LINDSAY IS VERY ENVIRONMENTALLY-MINDED, AND HAS ACTUALLY DONE A LOT HERE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT, AND TODAY WHERE ARE WE EXACTLY, LINDSAY?

I KNOW WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUNCH OF PIGEONS AND GEESE.

Lindsay: OH, AND THEN LOTS OF BIRDS.

UM, THIS IS ALONDRA PARK.

ALONDRA PARK IS A VERY OLD, ESTABLISHED PARK.

BETWEEN 3 CITIES: GARDENA, TORRANCE, AND LAWNDALE.

IT'S ACTUALLY OWNED BY THE COUNTY, AND IT'S OWNED BY COUNTY PARKS AND REC.

AND IT'S BEEN HERE FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

Huell: LET'S WALK DOWN HERE AS YOU'RE TELLING THE STORY.

UH, HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE PARK?

Lindsay: MY INVOLVEMENT WITH THE PARK CAME IN ABOUT 1998.

EVEN THOUGH THE PARK-- HUSH!

HUSH!

HUSH!

Huell: OH, BOY.

Lindsay: YEAH.

GO ON!

Huell: WELL, THIS ADDS TO THE AMBIENCE.

Lindsay: WE HAVE A LOT OF MALLARDS.

Huell: WHAT WAS THE QUESTION?

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH THE PARK?

Lindsay: PRIOR TO 1998, I DIDN'T COME TO THE PARK TOO OFTEN, BECAUSE FOR SOME REASON, IT HAD BECOME A, UM, A REAL RESTING PLACE FOR A LOT OF HOMELESS, AND THE PARKING LOT WAS ALWAYS FILLED WITH, UM, VANS AND THINGS THAT WERE THE HOMELESS, AND IT WASN'T WORKING FOR THE COMMUNITY.

EL CAMINO VILLAGE OVER ON THE OTHER SIDE GOT TOGETHER AND THEY DECIDED THEY HAD TO GET RID OF THE HOMELESS, BECAUSE THEY WANTED THE CHILDREN BACK FOR THE PARK-- FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE KIDS PARTICULARLY.

SO THEY, UM...THEY--THEY SLOWLY BUT SURELY DISINVITED THEM, AND THE PARK BECAME A VERY SAFE AND WONDERFUL PLACE TO COME.

SO I STARTED TO STROLL THROUGH THE PARK, AND ONE DAY, I NOTICED THAT THIS ISLAND WHICH YOU SEE OUT THERE IS VERY BEAUTIFUL-- IT WASN'T VERY BEAUTIFUL.

IT WAS KIND OF A MESS, AND IT WAS LOCKED.

SO I THOUGHT, WELL-- Huell: WHAT DO YOU MEAN, "LOCKED"?

WELL, WHEN WE GO ON THE BRIDGE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE'S A GATE, AND THE GATE WAS LOCKED.

AND IT WAS VERY UN-TAKEN CARE OF, SO I CALLED THE COUNTY AND SAID, WHY IS THIS ISLAND LOOKING LIKE THIS?

WHY ISN'T IT THIS, THAT, AND THE OTHER THING?

AND, UM, THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS SOME TALK ABOUT CONVERTING THE ISLAND TO A CORPORATE PICNIC SITE, SO THAT COMPANIES COULD RENT IT OVER THE WEEKEND, AND THAT REALLY ANNOYED ME.

Huell: CORPORATE PICNIC?

A CORPORATE ISLAND?

Lindsay: YEAH, AND I THOUGHT, NO, NO, NO.

THIS IS A, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE PEOPLE'S PARK.

YES, AND THE OTHER THING IS THE BIRDS HAVE BEEN MIGRATING FOR DECADES, AND THE BIRDS WERE STILL GOING TO COME TO THAT ISLAND, AND BE THERE NO MATTER WHO HAD PAID ANYTHING FOR IT TO BE PICNICKING.

SO IT WASN'T A GOOD IDEA.

Huell: BIRDS LIKE THIS AREA, DON'T THEY?

THIS IS A--THIS IS AN IMPORTANT BIRDING PLACE.

Lindsay: THERE ARE VERY FEW PLACES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA LEFT WITH REAL WATER SOURCES FOR BIRDS, SO THIS HAS BECOME A VERY IMPORTANT MIGRATORY BIRD SITE.

AND THEN THERE'S ALSO-- WE HAVE A VERY HIGH POPULATION OF MALLARDS.

THE--THE COOTS, CORMORANTS.

Huell: THERE ARE.

THESE ARE COOTS, MALLARDS, DUCKS, GEESE.

Lindsay: THERE'S RUDDYS AND CANVASBACKS.

THERE ARE OVER-- I THINK IT'S BEEN CALCULATED-- 250 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF BIRDS HAVE BEEN SIGHTED AT THIS ISLAND.

IT'S A VERY POPULAR PLACE FOR BIRDWATCHERS.

Huell: SO YOU GOT INVOLVED IN THE PARK BY TRYING TO RESTORE THIS ISLAND OUT HERE, AND MAKE IT SOMETHING OTHER THAN A PRIVATE ISLAND FOR CORPORATIONS TO HAVE PICNICS.

Lindsay: YEAH, AND WHAT HAPPENED THERE WAS JUST A PERFECT MARRIAGE, SO TO SPEAK, IS THAT AT THE SAME TIME, A MALLARD--A PAIR OF MALLARDS HAD NESTED OVER AT EL CAMINO CAMPUS, WHICH IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR--EL CAMINO COLLEGE.

AND SO THE TEACHERS AND THE STUDENTS WERE WATCHING THE MALLARDS AND THE DUCKS-- THE DUCKLINGS HATCHED, AND SHE STARTED TO WADDLE FROM THE CAMPUS, THROUGH THE PARKING LOTS OVER TO THE ISLAND.

EVERYONE HAD TO SORT OF ESCORT HER, SO THAT SHE DIDN'T GET KILLED BY ONE OF THE CARS.

AND IT MADE THE NEWSPAPER, SO SUDDENLY THERE WAS SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE INTERESTED IN THE ISLAND, AND INTERESTED IN THE LAKE AS WELL.

AND, UH, THE AUDUBON SOCIETY-- JESS MORTON--GOT ME TOGETHER WITH JEANNE BELLMAN, WHO'S AN ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY TEACHER AT EL CAMINO COLLEGE.

SHE'D BEEN INVOLVED WITH THE DUCK.

AND TOGETHER WE WENT TO THE COUNTY AND SAID, GIVE US THE ISLAND.

LET US CARETAKE THE ISLAND.

LET US DEVELOP IT INTO A CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT GARDEN.

Huell: AND THAT IS THE SUCCESS STORY THAT WE'RE GONNA GO LOOK AT THIS MORNING.

A SUCCESS STORY.

IT WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT WE STARTED OUR PROGRAM TODAY BY CONCENTRATING ON ONE OF THE BIRDS.

BUT IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR THAT MALLARD WALKING-- WADDLING OVER, AS YOU SAID, FROM EL CAMINO COLLEGE OVER TO THIS ISLAND, THIS WHOLE PROJECT WOULDN'T HAVE STARTED.

ISN'T THAT INTERESTING?

Lindsay: BECAUSE IT'S BEEN JEANNE AND HER CLASSES WHO HAVE DONE WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE OUT THERE, WHICH IS JUST REMARKABLE WHAT THEY HAVE DONE.

Huell: ON THE WAY TO THE ISLAND, YOU PULLED US OVER AND SAID WHAT?

Woman: WOW!

THAT'S A BIG CATFISH.

Huell: YOU WANTED TO SHOW US THIS CATFISH.

Woman: I DIDN'T KNOW THEY HAD CATFISH IN THIS-- Huell: WHO CAUGHT THIS?

Woman: NO.

THERE.

HE DID THAT.

Huell: LOOK AT THE SIZE-- Woman: I KNOW.

HE CAUGHT IT OVER THERE.

SO I WANTED TO SHOW YOU FOLKS THAT WE HAVE CATFISH IN HERE.

Huell: HAVE YOU EVER CAUGHT ANYTHING LIKE THAT HERE?

Woman: NOT ME.

MY HUSBAND DIDN'T, BUT THEY DID.

Huell: WELL, LET ME GO OVER AND MEET THE GUY.

WHO CAUGHT THIS?

YOU CAUGHT THE FISH?

WOW.

WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

Franklin: FRANKLIN.

Huell: BOY, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A MEAL AND A HALF WHEN YOU COOK THAT THING UP.

Franklin: I GIVE 'EM AWAY.

Huell: DO YOU REALLY?

Franklin: YEAH.

Huell: HAVE YOU EVER CAUGHT ANYTHING THAT BIG HERE?

Franklin: 9 1/2 POUNDS.

Huell: WOW.

THAT'S A BIG CATFISH.

Franklin: 7 POUNDS, 10 OUNCES.

Huell: WOW!

THAT'S--DID YOU KNOW THERE WERE FISH LIKE THIS IN THE LAKE?

Roy: YES, WE HAVE 5 KINDS OF FISH IN HERE, AND THAT'S ONE OF OUR 5.

Huell: WHAT ARE--WHAT ARE THE 5 THAT YOU HAVE?

COME ON OVER HERE.

Roy: WE HAVE BLUE GILL.

THAT'S A SMALL FISH WITH BLUE COLORING IN THE GILLS.

Huell: HE DOESN'T FOOL WITH THE SMALL FISH.

Roy: HE SOMETIMES CATCHES THOSE, MAYBE BY ACCIDENT.

Huell: WHAT ELSE YOU GOT?

Roy: WE HAVE RAINBOW TROUT THAT ARE STOCKED IN THE LAKE DURING THE FALL AND WINTER MONTHS BECAUSE THE LAKE TEMPERATURE COOLS OFF, SO THEY DO WELL HERE.

AND THAT'S ALL TO HELP PROMOTE THE COMMUNITY FOR FISHING IN THE LAKE.

AND WE HAVE A BLACK BASS-- LARGE-MOUTHED BASS FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER REGION THAT ARE IN HERE, AND PEOPLE ENJOY CATCH-AND-RELEASE FISHING WITH THAT.

Huell: WOW.

Franklin: LARGE CARP, TOO.

Huell: SIR?

Franklin: WE HAVE LARGE CARP FOR CATCH-AND-RELEASE.

Huell: REALLY?

CARP?

Franklin: UP TO 30 POUNDS.

Huell: WHA--30 POUNDS?!

Franklin: YEAH, FOR CATCH-AND-RELEASE.

Huell: GOODNESS GRACIOUS.

WELL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR FISH.

ACTUALLY, YOUR FRIEND OVER HERE IS THE ONE WHO PULLED US OVER.

YOUR NAME IS?

Woman: MRS. JUANITA VIGARO.

Huell: NICE TO MEET YOU.

AND YOUR NAME AGAIN?

Franklin: FRANKLIN STACY.

Huell: NICE TO MEET YOU, SIR.

CONGRATULATIONS ON CATCHING THAT BIG CATFISH.

LINDSAY IS UNLOCKING THE GATE TO GET ONTO THE ISLAND, AND, ROY, WHY DO WE HAVE A GATE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE?

Roy: WELL, THIS ISLAND IS A BIRD SANCTUARY AND A NATIVE PLANT GARDEN, AND WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO ABANDON THEIR ANIMALS HERE, CHICKENS OR RABBITS-- Huell: YOU MEAN--WHAT KIND OF-- WHAT DO YOU MEAN PEOPLE ABANDONING-- Roy: WELL, THEY'RE ENCOURAGED BY SEEING--IT KIND OF LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE A SAFE PLACE, OR A SAFE HAVEN, OR THEY SEE SOME OF OUR WILD BIRDS ON THE ISLAND, SO THEN THEY THINK, LET'S PUT SOME OTHER ANIMALS WITH THEM, CHICKENS OR RABBITS, AND THEY SNEAK THEM UNDER THE FENCE, OR THEY PUT THEM OVER THE TOP OF THE FENCE.

Huell: WOW.

WAIT A MINUTE.

LOOK WHO'S HERE TO GREET US.

THAT'S A WATCH--A WATCH GOOSE THERE, ISN'T IT?

Roy: YEAH, YOU COULD SAY THAT.

Huell: IS IT SAFE TO COME IN HERE?

Roy: IT'S SAFE.

Huell: ALL RIGHT.

WE ARE ON THE ISLAND.

NOW, FIRST OFF, HOW BIG IS THIS ISLAND?

Roy: IT'S ABOUT AN ACRE IN SIZE, AND JUST, MAYBE, 50 YARDS ACROSS AND 50 YARDS BOTH DIMENSIONS.

YEAH, IT'S VERY FRIENDLY.

Huell: THIS IS GREAT.

WHO'S THIS COMING OUT HERE TO GREET US?

HOWDY, I'M HUELL HOWSER.

Jeanne: I'M HAPPY TO SEE YOU.

Huell: ARE YOU THE TEACHER WE'VE HEARD ABOUT?

YOUR NAME?

Jeanne: JEANNE BELLMAN.

Huell: LINDSAY WAS TELLING US ABOUT YOU.

YOU'RE OVER AT EL CAMINO COLLEGE.

Jeanne: IT'S RIGHT BEHIND THE FENCE OVER THERE.

Huell: AND WE HEARD ABOUT THE MALLARD THAT WAS WALKING ACROSS HERE WITH ITS BABIES-- Jeanne: DAISY DUCK.

Huell: THAT STARTED ALL OF THIS.

NOW, TELL US WHAT'S GOING ON OVER HERE NOW.

Jeanne: WELL, I HAVE SOME STUDENTS FROM MY ENVIRONMENTAL BIOLOGY CLASS AND THEY'RE PLANTING CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS HERE.

THIS IS A CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT GARDEN, AND, UM, I STARTED THE GARDEN ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO SO THAT MY ENVIRONMENTAL STUDENTS WOULD HAVE A PLACE TO WORK ON THEIR PROJECT.

Huell: SO THIS IS LIKE AN ACTUAL WORKSHOP.

THIS IS A LIVING, REAL DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT YOU TEACH IN THE CLASSROOM.

Jeanne: YES, AND THEY COME, AND LEARN HOW TO PLANT, LEARN THE I.D.

OF A LOT OF OUR CALIFORNIA NATIVES, AND SO MY GOAL IS REALLY THREE-FOLD.

TO--TO HAVE THEM WORK OUT AND IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENT, AND TO, UM, SHOW THE PUBLIC HOW BEAUTIFUL CALIFORNIA NATIVES CAN BE.

Huell: WELL, LET'S WALK OVER HERE.

WE'LL COME BACK TO THE STUDENTS IN A MINUTE.

THESE ARE ALL CALIFORNIA NATIVES YOU HAVE PLANTED OUT HERE.

Jeanne: YES.

Huell: AND YOU'VE GOT THE DRIP IRRIGATION SET UP.

Jeanne: I PUT IN THE DRIP IRRIGATION.

Huell: WHAT IS THIS OVER HERE?

Jeanne: OH, THAT'S MY COMPOST HEAP.

AND--AND IN A WAY IT JUST BACKFIRED, BECAUSE WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH RABBITS ON THE ISLAND, AND WE JUST FOUND THAT A RABBIT IS NESTING IN THE COMPOST HEAP.

Huell: WELL, BUT, ACTUALLY, THAT'S MAKING A HOME FOR THE RABBIT.

Jeanne: YES, THAT'S TRUE.

Huell: ARE THERE RABBITS OUT HERE, ROY?

Roy: THERE ARE SOME RABBITS ON THE ISLAND, AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A HOME FOR THEM AND HAVE THEM ADOPTED.

IT'LL BE BETTER FOR THE ISLAND.

THEY'RE OVEREATING THE PLANTS, AND YOU CAN SEE JEANNE AND HER STUDENTS HAVE HAD TO PUT A CAGE AROUND EACH PLANT, OTHERWISE THE NATIVE PLANTS WOULD BE EATEN AWAY.

Huell: BOY, THOSE PESKY RABBITS.

THEY CAN GET OUT ON THE ISLAND, CAN'T THEY?

Jeanne: AND THE SQUIRRELS.

THE SQUIRRELS ARE A PROBLEM BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH I CAN FENCE THE RABBITS OUT-- WELL, NOT THERE-- BUT THE SQUIRRELS COME IN FROM THE TOP, AND THEY--LIKE THIS OAK TREE HERE.

YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S BEEN DAMAGED BECAUSE THE SQUIRRELS COME AND CHEW ALL THE BARK OFF.

Huell: WOW.

Jeanne: YOU KNOW, THIS IS A CALIFORNIA NATIVE OAK: QUERCUS AGRIFOLIA, AND IT SHOULD BE DOING JUST BEAUTIFULLY HERE, BUT YOU CAN SEE HOW IT'S BEEN GNAWED.

Huell: WELL, THIS IS PART OF THE CHALLENGE.

NOBODY SAID THIS WAS GONNA BE EASY.

AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS?

BECAUSE YOU GOT A NICE SETUP HERE.

Jeanne: OH, ABOUT 5 YEARS.

Huell: AND HOW HAS THE ISLAND CHANGED FROM WHEN YOU FIRST CAME OUT HERE?

Jeanne: WE HAVE MORE BIRDS HERE.

WE HAVE HUMMINGBIRDS.

THEY WERE NEVER HERE BEFORE, BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ANYTHING FOR THEM TO FEED ON.

I CAN SHOW YOU THE PLANT THEY LIKE.

THEY LIKE THIS ORANGE FLOWERING PLANT HERE, BECAUSE THEY LIKE RED TUBULAR FLOWERS.

Huell: AND THIS WAS ALL PROBABLY A MESS OUT HERE, TOO?

Jeanne: WEEDS, WEEDS, AND REALLY HARD SOIL.

THE SOIL IS REALLY HARD TO DIG IN, SO I'M REALLY GLAD I HAVE A TEAM OF STUDENTS WHO WILL HELP ME.

Huell: BOY, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL RIGHT HERE.

AND EVEN THOUGH PEOPLE CAN'T AUTOMATICALLY GET ON THE ISLAND, THEY CAN CERTAINLY SEE ALL THIS WHEN THEY'RE STANDING OUT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LAKE.

Jeanne: WELL, WE PLAN TO HAVE NATIVE WALKS--PLANT WALKS, AND MAYBE BIRD WALKS, TOO, BECAUSE THIS HAS BEEN CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC FOR A LONG TIME, AND NOW THAT THEY HAVE SOMETHING TO SEE, AND MORE WILDLIFE HERE, I THINK IT'LL BE REALLY BENEFICIAL FOR THE PUBLIC.

Huell: BOY, THIS IS BEAUTIFUL RIGHT OVER HERE, LOOKING OUT OVER THE LAKE, AND LOOKING OUT AT THE SCENERY OUT THERE.

IT'S REALLY--THIS IS SPECTACULAR.

YOU'VE DONE A GREAT JOB HERE.

Jeanne: THANK YOU.

I'M VERY PROUD OF IT.

I'M VERY PROUD OF MY STUDENTS, AND I THINK THEY'RE VERY PROUD OF THEMSELVES, BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THEN YOU CAN SAY, I--I WORKED ON THAT ISLAND.

I PLANTED THAT PLANT.

I IMPROVED THE ENVIRONMENT.

Huell: WE'RE DIGGING AROUND THE NATIVE PLANTS, AND WHAT IS IT WE'RE DIGGING AROUND?

Jeanne: THE CATALINA IRONWOOD.

Huell: THE IRONWOOD?

NOW IS THIS SOMETHING THAT YOU ALL-- Y'ALL GET CREDIT FOR THIS.

THIS IS PART OF YOUR CLASS.

Student: YES.

YES, IT IS.

Huell: SO HAD YOU EVER HAD ANY HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE LIKE THIS BEFORE?

Student: NO.

I MEAN, HOME-- DOING GARDENING AT HOME, BUT NOTHING LIKE THIS.

Huell: YEAH.

HOW DO THE STUDENTS FEEL ABOUT THIS?

DOES WORD GET AROUND THAT THIS IS A GOOD CLASS TO TAKE, BECAUSE YOU GET TO GO OUT AND DIG IN THE DIRT?

Student: I THINK SO.

SHE HAD TOLD US THAT HER CLASSES WERE KIND OF SMALL BEFORE, AND THIS SEMESTER SHE KIND OF HAD A LARGE CLASS AND WAS QUITE SURPRISED ABOUT THAT.

Huell: WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT EVERYBODY LIKES TO WORK LIKE THIS?

Jeanne: YES, YES.

WELL, YOU KNOW, FOR POINTS.

NO, BUT THEY DO IT, ALSO, BECAUSE IT'S FUN, BECAUSE IF IT WERE NO FUN, THEY WOULDN'T WORK HERE.

Huell: YEAH.

Jeanne: BUT, YES.

Huell: NOW, DO YOU DO THIS A LOT OR JUST FOR CREDIT?

Student: OH, I DO THIS A LOT.

I DO THIS AT HOME.

Huell: YOU'RE KIDDING?

Student: YEAH.

MY DAD MAKES ME MOW THE LAWN, PLANT EVERYTHING.

Huell: DO YOU KNOW MUCH ABOUT CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANTS AND HOW IMPORTANT THEY ARE TO USE IN THE ENVIRONMENT TODAY?

Student: A LITTLE BIT, YEAH.

Huell: WHAT DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THEM?

Student: WELL, I JUST KNEW-- NOT TOO MUCH.

Huell: YEAH.

SO YOU'RE REALLY-- MOST PEOPLE--MOST OF US, NOT JUST YOUR STUDENTS, ARE STARTING FROM ZERO... Jeanne: YES.

Huell: WHEN WE START TALKING ABOUT NATIVE PLANTS AND WHY THEY'RE IMPORTANT TO USE.

Jeanne: YES.

WELL, MOST PEOPLE LIVE IN A YARD OR--I MEAN, HAVE A YARD OR GO TO A PARK WHERE EVERYTHING IS NOT NATIVE.

IT'S ORNAMENTAL.

I MEAN, LIKE THESE PALM TREES AND THESE PINE TREES, THEY DON'T BELONG HERE IN CALIFORNIA.

AND WITH WATER PROBLEMS IN CALIFORNIA, WE SURE CAN'T AFFORD TO KEEP GROWING LAWNS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF, SO THIS IS THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE.

Huell: SO THE IDEA IS WITH NATIVE PLANTS, THEY'RE NOT ONLY RETURNING TO WHAT ORIGINALLY WAS HERE IN CALIFORNIA, BUT IT HELPS TO PRESERVE AND CONSERVE WATER USAGE AS WELL.

Jeanne: YES.

YES, AND ADDITIONALLY, ALL OF THE NATIVE ANIMALS, THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH THE ORNAMENTAL PLANTS, BUT HERE THEY'RE GETTING FLOWERS AND SEED THAT THEY WERE USED TO HUNDREDS OF YEARS AGO, SO IT'S MUCH BETTER.

WE GET MORE BUTTERFLIES AND WE GET MORE BIRDS.

AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST A MORE NATURAL CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENT.

Huell: WE WON'T TALK ABOUT THE RABBIT THAT SHOWED UP.

Jeanne: OK. OR THE SQUIRREL.

THE SQUIRREL IS INTERESTING BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH HE LOOKS RIGHT AT HOME HERE, THIS IS AN INVASIVE SQUIRREL THAT'S REALLY FROM THE EAST COAST.

IT'S A FOX SQUIRREL.

AND I HEAR IN PLACES THEY'RE PUSHING OUT OUR OWN SQUIRRELS.

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN I FIRST CAME TO EL CAMINO COLLEGE, SOME 25 YEARS AGO, WE DID NOT HAVE SQUIRRELS, AND NOW THEY'RE ALL OVER, AND THEY'RE ALL OVER IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AROUND HERE.

Huell: WOW.

Jeanne: SO THAT'S NOT GOOD.

Huell: ISN'T IT AMAZING HOW THINGS JUST MOVE IN AND TAKE OVER?

Jeanne: YES.

WELL, THEY LIKE THE PINE TREES BECAUSE THEY LIKE THE SEEDS.

SO IT WAS A NATURAL PLACE FOR THEM, BUT IT'S HARD BECAUSE THERE'S NOT TOO MANY PREDATORS FOR THEM, AND THEY'RE GOING CRAZY ON MY PLANTS, SO...I CAN SHOW YOU A LITTLE DAMAGE THEY DO.

Huell: HERE.

LET'S SEE A LITTLE DAMAGE, A LITTLE SQUIRREL DAMAGE OVER HERE.

Jeanne: HERE IS A LITTLE DAMAGE WHERE A SQUIRREL--THIS IS NOT A RABBIT BECAUSE-- Huell: OH, LOOK!

Jeanne: A RABBIT COULDN'T GET UP THIS HIGH, SO IT'S A SQUIRREL WHO'S CHEWING ON THE BARK.

Huell: SO A SQUIRREL HAS DONE ALL OF THIS RIGHT HERE.

Jeanne: YES, YES.

Huell: AND UNABATED... Jeanne: YES.

Huell: THAT SQUIRREL COULD TAKE CARE OF THAT WHOLE PLANT.

Jeanne: HE HAS!

I HAD A WHOLE LITTLE FOREST OF THESE.

THIS IS--IT'S A MALLOW.

IT'S A BUSHMALLOW NATIVE TO THE CHANNEL ISLANDS.

AND I HAD A WHOLE BUNCH OF THEM THAT I GREW IN MY BACKYARD, SO I BROUGHT THEM OVER HERE, AND ONE BY ONE, THEY STARTED EATING THE BARK.

[GOOSE HONKING] Huell: OK. LET'S MANEUVER AROUND THIS--IS THIS A GOOSE?

Roy: IT'S A GOOSE, YES.

Huell: WELL, IT'S NOT NATIVE TO THE ISLAND.

Roy: IT'S NOT NATIVE TO THE ISLAND.

Huell: BOY, HE IS SURE PROPRIETARY, THOUGH.

Roy: YEAH, HE'S VERY MUCH IN OWNERSHIP OF THE AREA.

Huell: ALL RIGHT.

NOW, LET'S WALK--WE'RE WALKING ON THE ISLAND.

IT'S A SMALL ISLAND.

Roy: MM-HMM.

Huell: WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE ISLAND?

WHAT WOULD BE THE ULTIMATE THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE ON THIS ISLAND?

Roy: TO HAVE ALL NATIVE PLANTS AT SOME POINT ON DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE ISLAND.

AND THIS LOW AREA THAT WE'RE WALKING INTO THAT'S A LITTLE SWALE, THIS IS WHERE JEANNE HAD MENTIONED THE WILLOWS.

THIS IS WHERE WE'RE THINKING A LITTLE WILLOW FOREST MIGHT BE.

Huell: OH, THIS IS WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO PUT UP YOUR WILLOWS RIGHT HERE.

Jeanne: YES, YES.

Huell: SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT THIS, YOU DON'T SEE THIS OPEN SPACE HERE.

Jeanne: NO.

Huell: YOU SEE ITS POSSIBILITIES.

Jeanne: THERE'S A LOT OF BIRDS ASSOCIATED WITH WILLOWS, AND SO WE COULD INCREASE THE BIRD DIVERSITY EVEN BETTER.

SO WE'RE TRYING SOME LITTLE SAMPLES, AND WE HAVE A LADY WORKING WITH US WHO'S VERY GOOD WITH WILLOWS AND WE'RE HOPING TO GET CAL STATE DOMINGUS STUDENTS OVER HERE, TOO.

Huell: SO THIS COULD END UP REALLY BEING VERY CUTTING EDGE AS FAR AS SHOWING-- I MEAN, YOU'VE GOT THIS ISOLATED ISLAND OUT HERE TO WORK WITH.

Roy: RIGHT.

Huell: THERE'S--I MEAN, YOU COULD DO-- [GOOSE HONKING] Roy: THAT'S OK. WE'RE NOT GOING TO HURT YOU.

THAT'S A LITTLE POSTURING GOING DOWN WHEN HE BENDS HIS NECK DOWN.

Huell: THAT'S POSTURING?

Roy: IT'S OK.

HE MIGHT NIP, BUT IT'S OK. Huell: HA HA HA.

Jeanne: YEAH, I'VE HAD SOME PROBLEMS WITH HIM.

Huell: YOU HAD PROBLEMS?

Jeanne: WHEN I'M OUT HERE ON THE ISLAND ALONE, IF I BEND OVER, YOU KNOW, CROUCH DOWN, THEN THEY FEEL AS BIG AS ME AND THEY CHASE ME, SO I USUALLY LIKE SOMEBODY OUT HERE ON THE ISLAND WITH ME.

Huell: WELL, THAT'S PART OF THE STORY.

AND THEY ARE KIND OF ENDEARING.

LOOK AT THIS FACE.

VERY ENDEARING.

Roy: YEAH.

Jeanne: IT'S HIS ISLAND REALLY.

Huell: YEAH, IT IS HIS ISLAND.

Jeanne: I MEAN, THAT'S REALLY WHO WE'RE DOING THIS FOR, A LITTLE ISLAND LIFE.

Huell: LOOK AT US.

GIVE US A LOOK.

[ALL LAUGHING] [GOOSE HONKING] LINDSAY, WE KNOW WHAT THE ISLAND LOOKS LIKE NOW.

WE KNOW WHAT THE PLANS ARE FOR ITS FUTURE.

WHAT DID IT LOOK LIKE WHEN YOU FIRST SAW IT BACK IN 1998--99?

Lindsay: WELL, IF YOU IMAGINE PALM FRONDS THAT HAD BEEN DROPPING FOR MAYBE 4 YEARS AND JUST COLLECTING, JUST ALL OVER, BECAUSE THESE TREES DROP THEIR FRONDS.

Huell: UH-HUH.

Lindsay: AND IT WAS COVERED WITH THAT.

Huell: SO THE PLACE WAS A MESS.

Lindsay: YEAH, IT WAS.

YEAH, IT WAS A MESS.

Huell: AND WHAT WAS IT ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE WHEN THEY CREATED THIS PARK BACK IN THE FIFTIES?

Roy: YEAH.

AFTER WORLD WAR II, MORE RECREATION WAS NEEDED FOR THE COUNTY, AND THE THOUGHT WAS LET'S MAKE A LAKE, A SWIMMING POOL AND AN ISLAND AND PROVIDE FISHING OPPORTUNITIES.

AND ONE THOUGHT WAS TO HAVE A CHINESE OR A JAPANESE TEA GARDEN SET UP HERE, TOO.

AND THOSE THINGS NEVER CAME ABOUT.

Huell: AND SO THE ISLAND OVER THE YEARS JUST KIND OF FELL INTO DISREPAIR.

Roy: CORRECT.

Huell: WERE THERE MANY ISLANDS LIKE THIS IN PARKS AROUND-- I MEAN, I THINK I'VE SEEN ISLANDS IN PARKS BEFORE.

THAT'S THE BIG DEAL, ISN'T IT?

Roy: IT IS.

I WOULD SAY THAT IN THE FIFTIES, THIS WAS PROBABLY JUST ABOUT THE ONLY ISLAND IN URBAN LOS ANGELES COUNTY, BUT NOW WILDLIFE BIOLOGISTS AND NATURALISTS AND ENVIRONMENTALISTS HAVE RECOGNIZED THAT PUTTING SOME ISLANDS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF L.A. WITH LAKES AROUND THEM WORKS REALLY WELL, SUCH AS THE SEPULVEDA WILDLIFE AREA.

Huell: I GOT YOU.

I GOT YOU.

WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER HERE NOW?

YOU GOT THEM WORKING ON SOMETHING ELSE.

Jeanne: OH, I'M GOING TO START ANOTHER PLANT RIGHT HERE, BECAUSE THIS IS ANOTHER CATALINA IRONWOOD.

WE WANT TO KIND OF HAVE A PRESENCE OF CATALINA RIGHT HERE BECAUSE THEY HAVE SOME OTHER CATALINA PLANTS.

THIS IS A CATALINA-- AN ISLAND SNAPDRAGON.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE ANY FLOWERS ON IT, BUT IT HAS A RED TUBULAR FLOWER, AND THE HUMMINGBIRDS LOVE THAT, TOO.

Huell: SO THIS COULD BE A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WHO WERE INTO NATIVE PLANTS AND INTO A LITTLE ADVENTURE COULD COME AND HAVE A SATURDAY MORNING OR A SUNDAY MORNING NATURE WALK.

Jeanne: YES, YES, THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING.

AND ACTUALLY, FOR--AT EL CAMINO COLLEGE, WE TEACH HORTICULTURE.

AND SO THIS IS A GOOD PLACE FOR THEM TO TAKE CUTTINGS, LEARN HOW TO GROW NATIVES, AND SO IT'S REALLY EDUCATIONAL, TOO.

Huell: YOU MAY BE ONTO SOMETHING HERE.

Jeanne: I THINK SO.

Huell: HE'S LOOKING THROUGH HIS BINOCULARS.

GOOD MORNING.

Man: GOOD MORNING.

HOW ARE YOU?

Huell: HUELL HOWSER.

I DIDN'T WANT TO INTERRUPT YOUR TRAIN OF THOUGHT HERE.

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?

OBVIOUSLY BIRDS.

David Moody: BIRDS IS RIGHT.

GOT A GALACUS WING GULL SITTING OVER HERE IN THE WATER.

IT'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

WE'RE STANDING NOT FAR FROM A PLACE WHERE A WESTERN GULL NESTED.

WE DON'T HAVE TOO MANY PLACES LIKE THAT IN L.A. COUNTY.

Huell: NOW, YOU ARE A BIRD-- YOU'RE A BIRD PERSON.

David: WELL, A BIRD WATCHER, BIRD PERSON.

Huell: BIRD WATCHER.

David: BIRDER.

Huell: IS THIS A GOOD PLACE TO OBSERVE BIRDS?

WE'RE HEARD THAT--HOW MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIRDS?

David: IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE.

THERE'S 160 SPECIES SO FAR.

JUST LAST WEEK, WE ADDED 2 MORE TO THE LIST.

Huell: ON THIS LITTLE LAKE?

David: ON THIS LITTLE LAKE.

160 SPECIES.

THAT'S PROBABLY 1/6 THE SPECIES OF CALIFORNIA.

Huell: YOU KNOW, IN A WAY, THAT'S ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL.

IN ANOTHER WAY, IT REALLY IS KIND OF SAD BECAUSE IT POINTS UP HOW LITTLE--HOW MANY--HOW FEW OPTIONS THEY HAVE OF PLACES TO GO ANYMORE.

David: YOU TOUCHED ON IT EXACTLY.

THIS IS REALLY AN URBAN OASIS.

IT'S A PLACE WHERE THERE IS WATER AND WETLANDS IN A PLACE WHERE THERE USED TO BE A LOT OF WETLANDS.

THEY NO LONGER EXIST.

HERE, MADRONA MARSH, HARBOR, KEN MALLOY, A FEW OF THE PLACES THAT DO HAVE WATER.

GARDENA WILLOWS.

SO, YEAH, IT KIND OF CONSOLIDATES THOSE SPECIES THAT WE DO SEE, SO IT MAKES IT EASIER TO FIND THE RARER ONES.

Huell: YOU KNOW, THAT'S INTERESTING.

WE CAME OUT HERE TO DO A STORY ON THE ISLAND AND ON THE NATIVE PLANTS, AND WE ENDED UP ADDING BIRDS TO OUR LIST OF WHAT'S WONDERFUL ABOUT THIS PLACE.

David: AND IT COULD BE BUTTERFLIES.

RIGHT NOW IS A BAD MONTH FOR IT, BEING NOVEMBER, BUT EARLIER IN THE SUMMER AND COME SPRING, WITH THESE NATIVE PLANTS, WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF THE NATIVE BUTTERFLIES COMING OUT.

WE'RE ALSO DOING LISTS ON THOSE, SO THERE'S A NUMBER OF THINGS.

YOU LOOK OVERHEAD, WE'VE GOT A SMALL FLOCK OF GULLS COMING ON IN, SO IT'S JUST-- THEY GET DISBURSED OFF THE L.A. RIVER AND COME TO THE WATER.

Huell: NOW, JEANNE, THIS IS VERY INTERESTING.

OUR FIRST RABBIT SIGHTING.

Jeanne: YES.

Huell: AND THERE THAT RABBIT IS, RIGHT WITHIN...MEAL DISTANCE TO YOUR NATIVE PLANTS.

Jeanne: YES, AND THAT'S WHY I HAVE THE FENCING.

Huell: NOW, HOW ARE YOU-- IS ROY--WHERE DID ROY GO?

HOW ARE YOU GONNA GET RID OF THESE RABBITS?

THESE RABBITS AREN'T SUPPOSED TO BE HERE.

Roy: WE'RE GONNA-- AS WE'VE DONE A FEW TIMES, WE'VE CAUGHT A FEW OF THEM.

AND WE TAKE THEM, WITH WATER AND FOOD AND IN A CAGE, TO THE CARSON SHELTER, WHICH THEN TAKES CARE OF THEM AND LOOKS FOR PEOPLE TO ADOPT THEM.

Huell: AND I WISH WE COULD THINK OF A WAY TO GET THIS THING OFF OF THE ISLAND.

HA HA!

WHOA!

LOOK--WHOA!

LOOK AT THIS!

Lindsay: COME ON, KNOCK IT OFF.

Huell: ARE YOU AN EXECUTIVE HERE AT THE PARK?

Lori: YEAH.

I GUESS MY ROLE IS TO GET RID OF THE GOOSE.

Huell: WILL YOU PROTECT ME AGAINST THAT GOOSE?

Lori: I SURE WILL.

I SURE WILL.

Huell: WELL, THAT'S A VERY AGGRESSIVE GOOSE.

Lori: YES, IT IS.

IT HAS ADOPTED ONE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS HERE ON THE ISLAND, AND IS ALSO ADOPTING ROY.

AND WHEN THEY'RE AROUND, THAT GOOSE FOLLOWS THEM AND PROTECTS THEM.

Huell: OH, SO IT'S ROY THAT THE GOOSE IS FOLLOWING AROUND.

Lori: YES.

Huell: WELL, LET'S TALK JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THIS-- LOOK AT THIS OUT HERE.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL, WITH THE BIRDS ON THE WATER AND THE TREES AND ALL OF THIS.

YOU'VE REALLY GOT A WONDERFUL LITTLE PLACE HERE THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

Lori: THAT'S TRUE.

AND IT'S AN EXCITING PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO COME FISH, RELAX, PICNIC.

Huell: HAVE YOU SEEN IT COME UP?

Lori: YES.

IT WAS ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO THAT JEANNE AND LINDSAY APPROACHED US FOR THIS PARTNERSHIP ON THE ISLAND, WITH THE IDEA OF ESTABLISHING A NATIVE PLANT GARDEN AND OUTDOOR CLASSROOM.

AND WE'RE EXCITED TO BE A PART OF THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO EXPANDING IT.

Huell: AS WE CLOSE OUR ADVENTURE HERE TODAY, JEANNE WANTED US TO COME OVER BY HER SIGN.

YOU ARE SO PROUD OF THAT SIGN.

TELL US ABOUT THE SIGN.

Jeanne: WELL, THE EL CAMINO COLLEGE ACTUALLY GAVE ME A GRANT TO WORK ON THIS ISLAND AFTER WE'D BEEN WORKING A COUPLE YEARS, AND ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS I DID IS BOUGHT THE SIGN.

I BOUGHT IT FROM THE COUNTY.

THEY MADE ME PAY FOR IT.

BUT I DESIGNED IT WITH STUDENTS' ARTWORK HERE.

THIS IS MY OWN STUDENTS' ARTWORK.

Huell: AND THIS IS WHERE YOU TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR STUDENTS.

Jeanne: I'M TRYING TO CREDIT ALL OF THE PEOPLE WHO HELPED.

SOUTHBAY AUDUBON PAYS FOR OUR INSURANCE.

AND, OF COURSE, THE COUNTY LET ME COME ON HERE, ORIGINALLY, WHEN THEY HADN'T LET ANYBODY ELSE COME, AND BRING MY STUDENTS AS WELL.

AND THEN EL CAMINO COLLEGE, OF COURSE, GAVE ME A GRANT FOR A WHILE.

Huell: ALL RIGHT, IS THAT OUR LIST OF CREDITS WE'VE GOT RIGHT HERE?

Jeanne: AND MY STUDENTS, MY WONDERFUL STUDENTS.

Huell: ABSOLUTELY.

AND THIS IS A COUNTY PARK.

IT BELONGS TO ALL OF US.

WE'RE NOT SURE WHAT TOWN IT'S IN, 'CAUSE IT'S REALLY IN BETWEEN... Lindsay: TORRANCE, GARDENA, AND LAWNDALE.

Huell: AND IT IS A GEM, THANKS TO ALL OF THESE GOOD PEOPLE RIGHT HERE WHO'VE BEEN WORKING SO HARD.

THEY HAD A VISION.

THEY HAD A DREAM.

AND THEY ARE MAKING THAT DREAM COME TRUE.

THIS LITTLE PATCH OF DIRT OUT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS LAKE IS BECOMING SOMETHING THAT IS VERY SPECIAL FOR ALL OF US.

A SUCCESS STORY AS FAR AS THE ENVIRONMENT-- HAS NATIVE PLANTS, HAS ANIMALS, HAS BUTTERFLIES, HAS BIRDS.

IT'S ALL RIGHT HERE IN THIS LITTLE PARK ON THIS LITTLE ISLAND, RIGHT HERE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE COUNTY OF LOS ANGELES.

THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

WE'VE HAD AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL DAY.

I'M SMILING BECAUSE NOT ONLY HAVE WE HAD A WONDERFUL DAY, BUT WE FINALLY GOT RID OF THAT GOOSE.

[ALL LAUGHING] HE'S RIGHT BACK THERE EYEING US, BUT FOR THE TIME BEING, I'M SAFE.

GOOD-BYE, EVERYBODY.

[CAPTIONING MADE POSSIBLE BY KCET PUBLIC TELEVISION AND FRIENDS OF NCI] [CAPTIONED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE --www.ncicap.org--] Announcer: VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM...