Franklin Canyon Park in Beverly Hills CA.

Welcome to world famous Beverly Hills were the rich and famous work and play. One of the most beautiful parts of this community is Franklin Canyon Park. Most people in LA have no Idea where FCP is because finding the entrances are tricky. One entrance is located at the top of Mulholland DR. and Coldwater Cyn tucked down a windy road littered with small houses, and the other entrance is on Beverly drive at the bottom of Coldwater Cyn tucked down a windy road littered with mansions. Once you enter the park you are greeted by sweeping views of Beverly Hills and the mega mansions it is famous for. It literally is like being on the set of "The Beverly Hillbillies" with Granny and Jethro out by the cement pond. Speaking of film sets, FCP has a long history with the motion picture industry. Many movies and TV shows have been filmed their, way to many to mention. One show in particular illustrates the uniqueness of FCP and what sets it apart from the countless canyons in greater Los Angeles.

Remember the opening of the "Andy Griffith Show" with Andy and Opie skipping rocks and fishing in a lake surrounded by mature evergreen trees? That's Franklin Canyon! One of the very few places in LA with a greenbelt filled with mature pines, and cedars of many varieties; most notably Atlas Cedar's and mature Coast Redwoods that are a rare site in most big cities( even Seattle ). Because of the environmental problems that plague southern California( drought,pests, smog), and the overall effects of global warming, The evergreens at FCP are fading fast. The trees that were once the main attraction in FCP have died due primarily to pest infestation, and have been removed to adhere to strict fire codes. FCP is starting to look like every other Canyon with its brown rolling hills speckled with Live Oaks and sage brush. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the Mediterranean landscape, However, The Evergreens in FCP give the park ecological diversity and it saddens me to see them vanish so fast.

The Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority operate and maintain FCP, and in my opinion are dropping the ball when it comes to tree conservation. I understand the agency has funding issues and fire prevention is a MAJOR concern for them, but if they let the evergreens diaper from FCP, they not only could potentially be loosing revenue, but they are not living up to their " Conservation" duties. Finding hardy, resistant evergreens to replace the ones thy have removed is well within their means and responsibilities. The first rule of thumb when removing a tree in these situations is figuring out a suitable replacement. They also could loose potential film revenue because a natural evergreen landscape is hard to find in LA and makes FCP attractive to production companies looking to film on location and not look like their in southern California. Ironically, "Tree People", a famous community action agency dedicated to tree conservation in Los Angeles, is located right across the street from FCP on Coldwater and Mulholland, maybe they can help out.

In spite of my frustration with the way the park is maintained, I love FCP. It is truly one of the most beautiful places Los Angeles and will always have a special place in my heart. So hurry up and see FCP because its uniqueness is fading fast and soon it might be just another southern California canyon.