Amigos de los Rios is working to create the Emerald Necklace: a natural infrastructure network of green spaces, green schools, parks, and trails throughout under-served communities in the Los Angeles Basin. We are on a mission to connect our mountains to the sea, offer equitable access to nature, and protect our environment and urban communities from the threats of climate change.

Our mission is inspired by the 1929 Olmstead Bartholomew plan for an expansive greenway for Los Angeles. Unfortunately, due to changing government priorities during the 1930s, the plan was never realized. In 2003, in collaboration with community leadership we started creating parks and trails and a vision for a greener Los Angeles!