OK, so it’s not the prettiest river in the state, but the Los Angeles River is one of the potentially most important waterways in Southern California. With its shores long-ago cemented by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and covered with graffiti, its waters dry or polluted, the future has long seemed bleak for the river. But now, some good news, as the Environmental Protection Agency has declared that it will step in and protect the river.

by Glenn Olson, Executive Director of Audubon California

By nearly every standard, this generation of Californians exceeds its predecessors in its passion for protecting the environment. More than ever, people are pressuring their leaders, writing letters to the editor, and showing up in droves to advocate for the preservation of our natural treasures. According to a 2007 report by the Public Policy Institute of California, nearly half of California adults felt that the state wasn’t doing enough to protect the environment, and nearly two-thirds felt that the federal government was falling short.

But while this generation is remarkably engaged on the environment, we need to make sure that the next generation is as well. If we don’t, we could easily see some of our remarkable gains erased by an unconcerned public in just a decade or two.

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The Sacramento Bee reports that Congress is set to vote on a proposal to designate nearly 800,000 acres of California land – an area larger than Rhode Island – as federally protected wilderness.

While the Bush administration has proposed oil drilling in the Alaska wilderness and backs a plan to allow loaded guns in national parks, many environmentalists believe Bush would sign wilderness bills as a way to put a stamp on the U.S. park system in the closing months of his presidency.

Audubon California and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are gearing up to begin a much-needed wildlife habitat restoration project in the San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge. The area is critical breeding ground for a number of threatened and endangered bird species, including the California Clapper Rail and the California Black Rail. Thousands of migratory and wintering shorebirds and waterfowl rely on the area for breeding as well, which is why the area has been designated an Important Bird Area. Ultimately, the plan is to conduct ecological restoration of 89 acres, and enhancement of an additional 668 acres of leveed marsh to improve tidal circulation within the Tubbs Island and Tolay Creek units of the refuge.

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Audubon California is one of many environmental and conservation organizations participating in a lawsuit alleging that the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service improperly downplayed the potential impacts that the proposed extension of the Orange County Foothill South toll road will have on threatened or endangers species.

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The California State Senate yesterday approved an important bill that will strengthen the state´s prevention and response to inland oil spills, enhance the state´s oiled wildlife search and rescue collection efforts, and step up enforcement and fines for polluters. Assembly Bill 2911 could be on the governor’s desk as early as next week. Governor Schwarzenegger has already voiced support for the bill, although he has stated that he will not sign any legislation until a budget is passed. Audubon California is a co-sponsor of AB 2911.

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The L.A. Times reports today that the town of Willows (about 90 miles north of Sacramento) has just about had it with its growing populations of Snowy Egrets and Black-crested Night Herons.

About 300 Hummingbird fans descended on the Audubon California Kern River Preserve last Saturday for the 11th annual Hummingbird Celebration. The day featured workshops on feeding, identification, and gardening, but most visitors got their biggest kick out of just watching the hummingbirds do their thing. More photos and information after the break:

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There’s an interesting bird-related mystery going on in Fresno where observers are trying to figure out if something new is happening this summer that is making the birds sing at night. The Fresno Bee has the story. Some residents have their own theories, and at least one local researcher is doing a study.

Patt Morrison Show on KPCC in Los Angeles did a great interview Monday with Jeff Walters, the head of the American Ornithologists’ Union panel that recently issued a report on the California Condor Recovery Program, and Kelley Sorensen, executive director of the Ventana Wildlife Society. The discussion is primarily about the threat that the endangered condor faces from lead ammunition.