Your words have power. Write to local leaders to share your stories and visions for the LA River, urging them to protect and enhance our precious urban waterway.

• Materials: Our step-by-step guide on crafting effective advocacy letters, contact information for LA representatives, plus compelling facts about the LA River to strengthen your message.

• [Advocacy Letter Guide] [Find Your Representatives Contact Info] [Discover LA River Facts]

Engage directly with the earth and contribute to the greening of Los Angeles. Create seed balls filled with native plants and disperse them in designated areas to help our local flora flourish.

• Materials Needed: Gather local clay, organic compost, and seeds of native LA plants. Follow our instructions for making and planting your seed spheres safely.

• [Seed Ball Making Guide] 

Chronicle your experiences as an advocate for the LA River. From graffiti-adorned bridges to dragonflies dancing over the water, let your journal reflect your observations and ideas for a better river ecosystem.

• Materials Needed: Use any paper, even recycled one sided scrap paper, to bring your observations to life. A list of river wildlife and plants will help guide your exploration.

• [River Wildlife & Plants Guide] 

• [Map LOWER River: English][Map LOWER River: Spanish][Map MID River: English][Map MID River: Spanish][Map UPPER River: English][Map UPPER River: Spanish]

Challenge students and others to see the potential in what’s discarded. Create art or functional items from recycled materials, highlighting creative solutions to a notable problem through artistic activism! 

• Materials Needed: Collect recyclable materials from around your school or neighborhood. Use whatever art supplies you have available to create your own recycled masterpieces!

• Share with us! Post images of student creations and tag @FoLAR!

Activity by FoLAR Educator: Dan Mott

Participate in Habitat Restoration Days to play a hands-on role in revitalizing the LA River. It’s your opportunity to work alongside the community for tangible improvements to our river’s ecosystem.

• How to Participate: Check out our schedule of events, register, and read through tips for first-timers to get the most out of your experience.

• [Upcoming Events Schedule] 

Friends of the LA River builds capacity for communities, students, and future leaders to advocate for nature, climate, and equity on the Los Angeles River. With the support of River Stewards like you, we achieve this through environmental education and community engagement programs.

• [Peer to Peer Fundraising How-To-Guide] [Peer-to-Peer Template] 

Would you like to take your FoLAR support to the next level? Join our passionate Volunteer River Crew! FoLAR's new volunteer and docent program offers opportunities to support us and the River beyond our annual LA River CleanUp and Monthly Habitat Restoration events! Join us for exciting activities and large community events to help us guide today's youth as they become tomorrow's environmental leaders.

• [Sign Up For More Info] 

Friends of the LA River is honoring the legacy of its poet-founder by inviting you to share your stories of the Los Angeles River. Stories from the past or new stories you create with your families are powerful in helping others understand the deep human to river connection. View the river recreation guide below and use FoLAR's story submission site to share your experiences.

[Story Submission Site] [River Recreation Guide]

5th - 12th Grade: Discover how native plants and fungi work together to clean polluted soil through phyto-mycoremediation. In this hands-on activity, participants will plant native species like California fuchsia and Sticky Monkeyflower in their own yards to observe how these plants absorb toxins and improve soil health. This activity introduces a practical approach to environmental healing, connecting personal gardens to broader efforts like the restoration of the LA River.

• [What is phytoremediation?]

• [Activity Guide]