Dominguez Enhancement and Engagement Project

Creation of new green areas, Ecological restoration of ecosystems

In 2010, the Dominguez Enhancement & Engagement Project (The Deep) was initiated, with the intention of "revitaliz[ing] 20,000 square feet of cracked and uneven pavement and graffiti throughout what was then characterized by the community as “Triple U” (Undesirable, Unsafe and Unusable)" (Ref. 1). The project was intended to provide multiple benefits, including "creat[ion of] passive and active recreation opportunities for park-poor communities, reestablish[ment of] native riparian plantings and captur[ing of] stormwater before entering the channel along the Dominguez Creek in cities of Gardena and Hawthorne" (Ref. 2). In terms of nature-based solutions, the DEEP project primarily intended to focus efforts on the restoration of the riparian habitat and the planting of trees so that a natural corridor could be created which would provide "countless...benefits to the surrounding community" (Refs. 3 & 4).

The following implementation activities were undertaken: - The project was designed through collaboration with students from the Environmental Charter High School (ECHS) and the surrounding community (Ref. 1), "The ECHS students played an active role on the team, designing site elements and leading the community engagement effort. They hit the neighbourhood streets around the project to present their ideas to residents and passersby and they ultimately won the support of the community who was eager for the implementation" (Ref. 1); - The LA County Flood Control District installed new irrigation the trees and shrubs to be planted (Ref. 1), they also "amended the soil" (Ref. 1) and installed "fencing, gates, signage, and granite benches, and resurfaced the bike path" (Ref. 6); - In September 2012, "The DEEP project was introduced to downtown Los Angeles pedestrians on a sign of the “park”...[and] SWA LA created the “Displaced Forest” installation, a mini-urban forest for a shaded respite from the harsh downtown streetscape" (Ref. 1). - The mini urban forest installation was supported by the help of Sunny Slope Nursery who donated 20 boxed trees (Ref. 1). The trees from the urban forest were afterwards relocated to The DEEP site and planted (Ref. 1); - In December 2012, a community Planting Day saw over 70 volunteers clean up the Dominguez Creek corridor and plant 21 new, native trees and more than 600 shrubs and groundcover plants donated from local nurseries (Refs. 1 & 6); - Whilst the timeline on this aspect is a little unclear, it appears that a further 60 trees were planted along the Dominguez Creek to create a "60-tree urban canopy" (Ref. 4); and - Plants were located "in areas selected by youth to enhance awareness and encourage public use of the channel" (Ref. 11). Native plants were used for the project as they require "minimal irrigation, thus conserving the community's water sources" and provide increased habitat for pollinators, which are "essential for the development of the natural environment" (ref 5), and the project further intended to promote "sustainable landscape standards [and] create watershed awareness" (ref 8).

• Citizens or community groups
• Young people and children