project impact

Centrally located within the Los Angeles River watershed, the

Bowtie Parcel is a perfect site to create a pilot native plant nursery.

great blue heron

The nursery will be collectively managed by partnerships between

government agencies (such as California State Parks and National
Park Service); non-profits (such as Council for Watershed Health
and North East Trees); and academic institutions (such as local
high schools, colleges and universities).
Local community members will be encouraged to engage in the
project through employment and internship opportunities; field
trips; research fellowships; and public workshops and workdays.

exploring new ecologies

The nursery is designed to produce over 40,000 1-gallon plants

each year for nearby projects, create localized seed banks to
collect native seeds with local genotype from, and impact
thousands of Angelenos.

CITIES ARE HUMANS NEW NATURAL HABITAT,

OVER 80% OF THE U.S. POPULATION LIVES IN URBAN AREAS.

MAKING THEM IMPORTANT AREAS TO UNDERSTAND AND ENHANCE.

COLLECT
local genotype seeds
from native seed bank
landforms created on site

PROPAGATE

TRANSFER

in covered seedling cages

GROW

under shade trees

CONSERVE

URBAN ECOSYSTEMS ARE UNIQUE AND UNDER-RESEARCHED

AREAS IN NEED OF MORE ATTENTION AND INTENTION. THIS
NURSERY WILL PROVIDE A RESEARCH AND TESTING GROUND FOR
EXPLORING HOW TO REBUILD CITIES INTO HEALTHIER AND MORE
STABLE ENVIRONMENTS FOR ALL.

in beds designed to create

microclimates for optimal
growing conditions

an ecorevelatory landscape
Important ecological concepts and processesranging from plant reproduction to watershed health
and management-are visibly revealed and celebrated
on site, creating an experiential outdoor learning
environment that connects the community to urban
nature and helps build a body of more knowledgeable,
appreciative, and engaged stewards of urban ecology.

PLANT

seeds in soil...
and in the minds of visitors

engage & empower Angelenos

AY
W
E

AS
IT

IL
R

MARSH
PARK

IGLESIA
BAUTISTA
VIDA NUEVA

FR

EE

APOSTOLIC
FAITH

W
AY

ELYSIAN
VALLEY

GLASSELL PARK
ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL

IGLESIA DEL
NAZARENO
ELYSIAN VALLEY
GATEWAY
PARK

LIBRARY

CYPRESS
PARK

N.

ST MARY COPTIC
CATHOLIC
CHURCH

LOS ANGELES
RIVER
SCHOOL

BOWTIE
PARCEL

RIO DE LOS ANGELES

STATE PARK

A.
L.

LATVIAN CHURCH
& COMMUNITY
CENTER

SILVER LAKE
MEADOW

RI

G2
PARCEL

GR

EB
LV
D

VE

SILVER LAKE
RESERVOIR

CY

PR

ES

AV
E

TR

RL
AK

AY
NW
L

AI

black necked stilt

IU

AD
ST

SIL
VE

The importance of water in southern

California is celebrated at the nursery.

EE

ELYSIAN PARK
EXPANSION

Over 2,200 storm drains dump water from

the Los Angeles region into the L.A. River
and out into the Pacific Ocean. A few of
these drains run underneath the Bowtie
and visibly outlet into the River.

20

ELYSIAN VALLEY
RECREATION
CENTER

the water story

Topography at the nursery is graded to

mimic a miniature watershed, which
funnels and collects runoff in one central
low point. Large cement stormwater pipes
stacked vertically store the water for future
use on site for plant irrigation, and create
a visible story to tell about the importance
of this resource visitors.

MI

SILVER
LAKE

ALLESANDRO
ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL

Retaining its original industrial character, the Bowtie

Parcel attracts sculpters, performance artists, graffiti
artists, students, urban campers, astronomers and
naturalists who seek to explore the intersection
between the built and natural environment.

RD

RATTLESNAKE
PARK

EB

LV
D

C
ET

IGLESIA
GL EVANGELICA
EN SHALOM
D

AL

C
R

D
ER
H

IVE

O
ND

DR

FL

SR

SITE
ACCESS

ST BERNARD CATHOLIC
CHURCH & SCHOOL

A
RN

ID

LE

GLASSELL
PARK

FE

RS

GE

The site is located in the northwest portion of Glassell

Park, in close proximity to an array of neighborhoods,
including: Cypress Park , Atwater Village, Elysian
Valley, Echo Park, Silver Lake and Los Feliz.

VE

AN

HOLY TRINITY ROMANIAN

ORTHODOX CHURCH
CHINESE ZION
BAPTIST CHURCH

LOS FELIZ
CHARTER
SCHOOL FOR
THE ARTS

SA

RI

LO

E
AV

LO
S

GLENHURST
PARK

RIBET
ACADEMY

AS
C

IGLESIA DE DIOS
PENTECOSTAL

ATWATER
VILLAGE

The Bowtie Parcel is an 18-acre abandoned rail yard

owned by California State Parks, that stretches along
the banks of the Los Angeles River.

WA
L

RE

The bowtie parcel

10 MIN. WALK

LE

ATWATER
ELEMENTARY
SCHOOL

EAGL
E RO
CK B
LVD

D
A
LE

LV

FLETCHER DRIVE
ELEMENTARY
IRVING
SCHOOL
MIDDLE
SCHOOL

DENOTES
BIKE LANE OR PATH

AY
W

AY
W
E

FR

ECHO PARK

killdeer

CA

AS
SIT

travel to site

E
AV
2 FREEWAY

TING
EXIS

C
DIS

SENSE OF ARRIVAL

G
N
I

E L IN
FENC

ER

S AVE

L E AI E W

PA

RT

HO P

discover & engage

RN

KS

STAG

S
ACK
D TR
ROA
RAIL

CASITA

OV

GPARRO

learn & discover

PARK
ENTRANCE

reconnect
with the river

ETHNOBOTANICAL
FORAGING
AREA

TREE
BUFFER

WATER
ELEC.
SIGNAGE FENCE

DEMONSTRATION
GARDENS

4
CE

EN
GF
TIN NE
LI

S
EXI

STAGING
AREA
DISCOVERY
PATH

TRAILERS

CHAPARRAL
RESTORATION

PARKING

CRANE

GROW ZONE
GROWING
ZONE

TREE
BUFFER

enjoy the urban outdoors

TELEPHONE
POLE
WALLS
SOIL

POTTING
ZONE
WATER
CAPTURE
TOWERS

SEEDLING
CAGES

SEED BANK
LANDFORMS

DISCOVERY
PATH
COVERED
WORK AREA, STORAGE
& RESTROOM

DISCOVERY
PATH

IL
RA

ENTRY
PLAZA

SEED BANK
LANDFORMS

AD

RO

PARKING

TING

COVERED
GARDEN
CENTER

GATE

w h i t e
e g r e t

EDUCATION
ZONE
DISPLAY
GARDENS &
BOUTIQUE

EXIS

TING

FEN

CE L

INE

SEED BANK
LANDFORMS

COVERED
GATHERING
SPACE

POTENTIAL
PEDESTRIAN
BRIDGE

LIGHT
TOWERS

EXISTING
ROCK PILE
SLOPED
MEADOW
NURSERY SIGN &
HABITAT TOWER

RIVER VIEWING
MOUND

N
FE
ING E
IST LIN
EX

ANG

FLEXIBLE
EVENT SPACE

ELE

CE

LOS

KS
AC
TR

EXIS

DISPLAY
GARDENS

SEED BANK
LANDFORMS

SR

STORM DRAIN
OUTLET

IVER

EX

IST

steelhead
t r o u t

ING

APPROX. 1/2 ACRE

FE

NC

OVERFLOW
PARKING

EL

INE

25

50

FEET
100

ML | A