On behalf of Save Open Space, Santa Monica Mountains, Cynthia Maxwell and park founder, Margot Feuer gave NPS Superintendent Woody Smeck the Eagle award for outstanding service to the environment on Saturday evening, at the Las Virgenes Homeowners Federation banquet at Malibou Lake.
In the 1970′s, Margot of Malibu, Jill Swift of Tarzana and Sue Nelson of Brentwood campaigned to save the Santa Monica Mountains for parkland, including lobbying in Washington, D.C. As Joe Edmiston of the Santa Monica Conservancy said at the LVHF banquet, Margot showed “ferocious determination” in Washington to form parks. Margot and Jill and Sue were successful! Their dream of a national park was realized in 1978, when the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA) was created. Read more on the SMMNRA founding: www.conejopost.com/archives/1511 And read about co-presenter, Cynthia Maxwell’s practice of the ancient art of falconry: www.conejopost.com/archives/7003
EDITOR: A big “Thank you” to Julie O’Connor, who is park co-founder Jill Swift’s daughter, for emailing me that I was incorrect in posting where Jill Swift and Sue Nelson lived. In the original post, I wrote that Jill Swift was from Brentwood and Sue Nelson was from Tarzana. It was the other way around, and I have corrected the information in the post above. 1-29-12
Ted // May 25, 2011 at 8:47 PM
Looks like the Acorn has been reading the Conejo Post to get article ideas….(scooped again!)
http://www.theacorn.com/news/2011-05-26/Community/Las_Virgenes_Homeowners_Federation_names_Citizen_o.html
Dances in Rain // May 26, 2011 at 1:29 PM
In reference to Ted’s comment.. When the Post was in its start-up stage, I had written the editor of the Acorn and referenced something in the Post and it didn’t go over well with him. Later, they posted a letter I had written but before doing so, they called me to make sure I had not submitted the same letter to other media, including the Post. (Are they insecure, or what?)
I suggested that they hire the Post’s editor as a columnist or full-time staff member. Fortunately, they declined on my suggestion or we wouldn’t have this wonderful local Post today! Cheers!
Julie O'Connor // Jan 16, 2012 at 5:01 PM
The information about Jill Swift of Brentwood and Sue Nelson of Tarzana is incorrect. I am Jill Swift’s daughter. Jill Swift is from Tarzana and Sue Nelson is from Brentwood. Both women are deceased. Please get the information correct