Descanso Gardens debuts native California habitat section

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif. (KABC) -- Like a beautiful flower, Descanso Gardens is growing: The botanical garden is opening a brand new section this weekend, its first new addition in 30 years.

The new Oak Woodland area of Descanso Gardens is a throwback to Old California before the Spanish arrived, with more than 30,000 exclusively native plant species sprawled over 7.5 acres.

Carved from a corner of La Canada Flintridge, the area replicates five distinct habitats, from California wetlands to the coastal sage scrub.

Coyotes, deer, hares, bobcats, even bears are feeling right at home, recorded on the new wildlife camera rolling day and night. Descanso curators say that's just what they hoped for.

"That was our idea, that changing this back to a native habitat would in fact encourage more of the native wildlife to come," said Emi Yoshimura, Descanso Gardens education programs manager.

Planning for this project began five years ago. Crews came in and took away all the non-native shrubs and trees, so it now looks as Southern California looked thousands of years ago.

The dominant tree is the oak, which provided essential nutrition for native people.

"Acorns were their main staple food in this area, and they would spend only five days harvesting enough food for a family of five for the year," said Rachel Young, horticulture and garden operations director at Descanso Gardens.

A rare native western gray squirrel, a cousin to your neighborhood squirrel, has already made a cameo appearance.

"The western gray squirrel is really the one that depends on the native oaks and the acorns and the canopy for survival," said Yoshimura.

The Oak Woodland opens to the public at Descanso Gardens on Thursday, Nov. 13.