Researcher ORCID Identifier

0009-0007-2383-8999

Graduation Year

2025

Document Type

Open Access Senior Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Environmental Analysis

Reader 1

Lance Neckar

Reader 2

Monica Mahoney

Rights Information

© 2025 Ella C Kim

Abstract

A thirty-three-acre parcel of land sits at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains at a vulnerable wildland-urban interface (WUI), raising key ecological concerns. This parcel, a former golf course, is the focused site for this conceptual landscape and restoration plan. The now-neglected site has no proposed plans for restoration or development yet holds significant potential for transformation. Stakeholders’ conflicting visions range from land preservation, ecological restoration, Indigenous land rights, commodification for revenue and development, and prioritizing the needs of the natural environment in coexistence with modern human enjoyment. The conceptual plan addresses these critical considerations in verbal and visual format. It proposes the restoration of the site into an open space and garden. In acknowledgement of the colonial history and transformation of the land, design solutions include ecological restoration with a focus on native plants of the California Sage Scrub, together with increased public access, explorative research opportunities, and interactive programming towards an optimistic vision of human and ecosystem health and integration. This conceptual plan proposes converting the site into the Coastal Sage Mosaic, an open space and garden, celebrating the intrinsic beauty of Southern California native ecosystems, a source of inspiration and reflection. It balances ecological restoration with public access, recreation, and education. I envision a space that honors the land’s history, fostering coexistence between nature and community.

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