In the northwest corner of Los Angeles’ densely populated San Fernando Valley sits a massive open space area that would be an ideal destination for a weekend hike, bike ride, or picnic. The only problem? It’s protected by barbed wire and totally off-limits to the public, except for one day each year.
The Chatsworth Nature Preserve, surprisingly the city’s only preserve, spans over 1,300 acres between Topanga Canyon and Valley Circle boulevards near the Santa Susana Pass. The area is home to more than 200 species of birds, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, and is the largest undeveloped private property in Los Angeles County.
Conservationists like Carla Bollinger hope it stays that way.
“We have to protect it from invasion,” says Bollinger, one of the leaders of the Chatsworth Nature Preserve Coalition. “It’s exclusive for the wildlife. Unfortunately, modern humans don’t have a good history.”
The area was initially inhabited by native tribes and was known as El Escorpion de las Salinas during the Mission period. In the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, James and Alice Thrasher, hay and grain farmers, homesteaded the land until the city of Los Angeles purchased it in 1912 to build a reservoir.
The new and picturesque Chatsworth Reservoir, surrounded by green, rolling hills and unique rock formations, quickly drew the attention of Hollywood.
1920s silent films, “Tess of the Storm Country” with Mary Pickford, and William Hart’s “Three Word Brand” were among the early films shot in the area. It would later be featured in 1940s and 50s westerns such as “Old California Way,” “The Palomino,” and the TV series “Rin Tin Tin.” Filming is no longer allowed in the preserve.
On Feb. 9, 1971, the magnitude 6.6 Sylmar earthquake rocked the San Fernando Valley, killing dozens of people and causing extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure. Concerns about the stability of the Chatsworth Reservoir dam led to the lake being decommissioned and permanently drained.
Recognizing the area’s ecological and cultural significance, L.A. City Councilman Hal Bernson and conservationists successfully fought to establish a nature preserve that would remain under the stewardship of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP).
“It was set up only for scientific field studies, and that was the main use of the property,” Bollinger recalled.
Officials also determined the preserve would be closed to the public except for one day each year, typically around Earth Day. This year, the public open house is on June 21, celebrating the Summer Solstice. A small crowd also gathers annually for a sunrise winter solstice ceremony.
For the rest of the year, however, the diverse population of mountain lions, bobcats, roadrunners, salamanders, falcons, snakes, and other wildlife have the land all to themselves.
“During our Earth Day open house, we set up different booths and wildlife presentations,” Bollinger said. “It’s a wonderful moment for children. They come, and many have never seen a skunk, possum, or turtle before.”
While the preserve remains a quiet, peaceful place for wildlife to roam free, Bollinger says there are existential threats.
Proposals for the land have included golf courses, resort hotels, and youth sports fields. Another plan that was ultimately killed would have transferred a significant portion of the land to the city’s Department of Recreation and Parks for hiking and equestrian trails.
“The preserve needs to be protected to prevent it from being destroyed,” Bollinger said. “It’s just a naturally beautiful area, vital home to wildlife, and representative of what the San Fernando Valley once upon a time looked like.”
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