MAKING AN ISLAND OF A DIFFERENCE

Reseda students help Lake Rehabilitation Project

Reseda - Forty Reseda High School students helped install floating islands at Reseda Park Lake on December 17, 2010. The volunteer mission was part of the Reseda Park Lake Rehabilitation Project, which has been underway since August 2010, and was designed to create a more healthy lake.

From 10:00 am to 2:00 pm the students assisted staff with the installation of seven floating islands that consist of a multiple layer of recycled matrix held together by marine-grade foam. The students from Reseda High School's Science Magnet Program also learned about the environmental benefits of the floating islands, which include improved water quality through nutrient uptake, the provision of fish and wildlife habitat and a more attractive park environment.

The Rehabilitation Project is a partnership between RAP, the Office of Councilman Dennis Zine (3rd District) and Public Works. The improvement project is being funded through a $1.169 million State Proposition 40 grant. Engineering improvements, such as the installation of a new aeration system, have already been made by the City's contractor Metro Builders.

The floating islands, totaling 5,000-square-feet, were manufactured for the project by Floating Islands West located in Mokelumne Hill, California and will be anchored at various points in the lake. The islands are a biological approach that yield multiple benefits for the lake's habitat.

THANK YOU Reseda High School for making an island of a difference!!!

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Andrea Epstein: (213) 202-2690

Amy A. Garcia: (213) 202-2689