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Welcome to the Test Plot log. Please check back for seasonal updates from our volunteers and stewards. You can also search by location in the footer.

2024

11/21 STARR KING TEST PLOT PHASE 2 BEGINS
by Elena Fox

10/24 RAINBOW CANYON KICKOFF 
by Tatianna Velicer 

10/22 GREEN RAVINE  @ CATALINA ISLAND TURNS 1!
by Alex Robinson

7/08 DISTURBANCE
by Jenny Jones

6/20 SUMMER SOLSTICE CHECK-IN
by Anthony Martin

6/08 BALDWIN HILLS TURNS 3!
by Jen Toy

6/07 DEBS FIRST FRIDAYS
by Cody Porter

5/25  EUCALYPTUS UNDERSTORY 
1 YEAR EVALUATION
by Jen Toy

1/15 EUCALYPTUS 2nd PLANTING
by Jen Toy



2023

11/13 UNDER THE EUCALYPTUS
by Victoria Bevington

11/06 STARR KING INTRO
by Terremoto SF

10/16 WATCHING WEATHER
Q&A with Joey Farewell

9/18 CATALINA SOIL TEST #1
Q&A with Alia Harris and Emersyn Klick

7/10 DEBS FIELD SKETCHES
by Hannah Pae

6/08 IT’S RAINING OAKS 
by Joey Farewell

5/25 SECRET SUPERBLOOM
by Jenny Jones

3/29 RAINBOW RIVER
by Dani Vonlehe, Jenny Jones, Dante Inguinez

3/23 VERTICAL MULCH
by Nina Weithorn

3/10 SPRING AT DEBS
by Adrian Tenney

3/07 WHAT’S IN BLOOM AT BALDWIN
by Arely Media Perez

2/15 USC NEW PLANTS
by Nina Weithorn

VALENTINE’S DAY AT RIO
by Daniela Velazco

1/30 ELEPHANT HILL RAINS
by Joey Farewell


2022

FIELD DRAWINGS FROM SAN BRUNO MOUNTAIN
by Lian Mae Tualla, Tera Johnson

10/22 RIO FIELD NOTES
by Daniela Velazco

STARTING THE USC CAMPUS PLOTS
by Alex Robinson

10/13 ELYSIAN AFTER 3 YEARS
Q&A with Jenny Jones

10/06 RIO AFTER 2 YEARS
Q&A with Jen Toy


2021

STARTING BALDWIN HILLS
by Daniela Velazco



MEET THE SUPER STEWARDS
All interviews by Daniela Velazco + Hannah Flynn

TANIA ROMERO

DANTE INIGUEZ + ANTHONY MARTIN

LUIS RINCON




PORTAL * INTERNAL USE
RAINBOW CANYON KICK-OFF

Rainbow Canyon Test Plot (Mt. Washington neighborhood) 
By Tatianna Velicer
USC Student

DATE: Oct 24 2024


Rainbow Canyon has a homey community feel with beautiful sheltering trees, a riparian area, a scenic viewpoint of the city, and switchback trails. It is a peaceful oasis surrounded by the sounds of lawn work, neighbors out and about, barking dogs, birds chirping, and coyote howls. There is a characteristic rotting pumpkin, a chair with a tire perched on top of it, and lots of forgotten tidbits of plastic and metal.

On our site preparation day on October 26th, we divided and conquered tasks to prepare the area for planting. Volunteers conducted weeding, invasive species removal, trash removal, site maintenance, and debated design options for the new Test Plot. The switchback area was altered to have a longer entrance, a less steep gradient, and logs were added for trail identification. Castor bean and tree-of-heaven were removed. The trash cleanup group found all sorts of treasurers from lego figurines to seemingly ancient cans and bottles. A majority of the cleanup work focused on picking out tiny bits of plastic, glass, and styrofoam scattered in the soils.

We asked each volunteer to place a flag at their favorite place in the Canyon. I retrieved these flags from every corner of the Canyon but many were placed along the riparian area and central gathering spaces. We received feedback with exciting ideas for transforming the space, such as the addition of benches, a bridge, an art installation, a space for classes and events, and educational signage. Volunteers gathered to review potential designs and then had the opportunity to show us with rope where they would add a plot to the space. We received sketches with a Yin and Yang plot formation and a few designs with large central ovular plots.

The most heartwarming aspect of the day was the Mount Washington Community members and all the volunteers who showed up with a smile to help us with these preparation activities. With our volunteers, we were able to not only envision the future of Rainbow Canyon, but hear stories from its past. Rainbow Canyon has a rich history of community advocacy that led to its preservation. It has proven to be a space worth protecting and loving. We even learned that Rainbow Canyon was the venue of a wedding for a local resident. We hope to honor the combined natural and human history of the Canyon with our Test Plot, coming on December 8th, 2024.