Mountains Recreation And Conservation Authority

The MRCA is dedicated to the preservation and management of local open space and parkland, wildlife habitat, watershed lands, and trails in both wilderness and urban settings, and to ensuring public access to public parkland. The MRCA works in cooperation with the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and other local government partners to acquire parkland, participate in vital planning processes, and complete major park improvement projects. The agency provides natural resources and scientific expertise, critical regional planning services, and education and leadership programs for thousands of youth each year. It is one of the lead agencies revitalizing the Los Angeles River and its tributaries. The MRCA is governed by its Governing Board which is comprised of designated representatives of the Conejo Recreation and Park District, the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, and one at-large Member appointed by the Governing Board. The MRCA manages more than 75.000 acres of parkland that it owns or that is owned by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. It provides operations, ranger services, fire prevention and protection services, outreach, and community-based planning to improve its parks and to encourage all Southern Californians to experience nature. The mission of MRCA is to complement the work of other agencies protecting land in the Southern California mountains by using its unique abilities to acquire and improve open space and parkland, afford environmental education opportunities, and provide stewardship for a wide variety of public park and open space amenities.