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Mountain Views-News SATURDAY, APRIL 26, 1015


CHRISTOPHER Nyerges 

 [Nyerges is an educator and the author of over two dozen books including “Urban Survival 
Guide,” “Extreme Simplicity,” “Foraging Californai,” and other books. More information at 
www.SchoolofSelf-Reliance.com]

PROFILES OF THE FIRE: 

EATON CANYON NATURE CENTER 

A SHARED LOSS-AND A HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

DO YA WANNADOPT A BABY? 

We just got in 3 little 
fluffball siblings—2 
boys and a girl, and 
they are SOOO 
CUTE! Only 6 weeks 
old! You can see all 3 
on our website, but 
this week I’ll start with the girl, MERMY. Mermy first 
came to us with loud meows, so is named after Ethel 
Merman, the great actress and singer known for her 
powerful voice. But she’s a total sweetheart now! 
These cuties will be ready for delivery in June, but 
pre-adopt now. We prefer that you adopt 2 together 
or have another young kitten at home. This age is 
also fine to be introduced 
to a nice doggie. We take 
care of vaccines, spay & 
neuter, testing, microchips, 
and more! Please 
go to our website to submit 
your application to 
meet them, https://www.
lifelineforpets.org/babies.
html. Hurry! 

They won't be this tiny for long! Born 4/1/25


“I moved to Pasadena in 1987 and soon discovered Eaton Canyon… It was wonderful to have a piece 
of wilderness so close by.” 

Carel Struycken (Environmentalist, Actor, and Altadena resident who lost his home in the fires) 


Christopher, Helen, and Ed Begley Jr. at the 2011 Book 
Festival in the Michael (Mickey) C. Long Auditorium.

 On the evening of January 7, my 
wife and I had to evacuate from 
our home as a result of the Eaton 
Fire. The next day, we were very 
grateful that our little rental house 
didn’t burn. However, we learned 
that our beloved Eaton Canyon 
Nature Center, once essentially 
our “second home” where my 
wife and I met, had burned to the 
ground.

 Eaton Canyon Nature Center 
has been a very special place to me 
since childhood, so I made a point 
of going there within the next few 
days. Of course, everything was 
blocked off by the National Guard, 
sheriff deputies, and other agencies, 
and I was only allowed entry 
because of my press ID. When I walked down the driveway into the canyon towards where the Center 
used to be, I met a firefighter – Brian -- from Northern California. He took his time to escort me 
around the burned remains of the Nature Center. I was really sad at what I saw. Such a loss to the community, 
this Center that for decades offered nature walks and community lectures and special events. 
The Center that housed 
so much learning was 
now lost – the unique library, 
the field notes, the 
one-of-a-kind herbarium, 
the awesome auditorium, 
and, oh no, the 
animals! (Fortunately, 
I learned later that the 
resident tortoises Clementine 
and Clyde were 
somewhere else for their 
hibernation period.)

 I have a long history 
with this Nature Center. 
I shared with Brian 
some of my personal 
experiences with the 
two Nature Centers that 
once stood here. Even 
though the Nature Center 
was destroyed, it felt 
good to me that so many 
officials were there to 
protect the site that so 
many in the community 
regarded as nearly sacred.

 I shared with firefighter 
Brian how I used to go 
to the old Nature Center 
back even before my 
high school days when it 
was called the McCurdy 
Nature Center. There 
I learned about Native 
American history and 
uses of plants. I took my 
first bird classes there, 
went to countless environmental 
awareness 
meetings there, and did 
my very first mycological 
studies in the thick oak 
mulch surrounding the 
Center.

 The old McCurdy Nature 
Center burned down 
in a huge fire on Oct 27, 
1993. After collective 
community outcry, tenacious 
fund raising 
efforts through Eaton 
Canyon Nature Center 
Associates (ECNCA), 
and the support of 
FEMA funding, the 
new Eaton Canyon Nature 
Center was rebuilt, 
reopened and dedicated 
in November 1998. 
Businesses, nonprofits, 
families, school children 
who loved the park, all 
fund-raised to help rebuild 
the Nature Center. 
I continued to come 
back to attend programs 
and provide classes at the 
center. That’s when I met 
my wife Helen Wong and 
her supervisor Mickey 
Long. 

 Helen started working 
at the Park in a trailer under Park Supervisor Mickey Long when the new Nature Center was being 
rebuilt. She watched the foundation getting poured and the wooden frame raised. She installed the 
first rolls of toilet paper in the restrooms back in 1998. She followed in the footsteps of Mickey Long 
and became the park supervisor in 2006. She continued to work at the Nature Center for close to 25 
years until she was transferred out by management. 

 It is through my relationship with Helen, and later sharing a life together, that I learned the meaningfulness, 
purpose, and immense value of Eaton Canyon Nature Center offered to our community. 

During her tenure, I watched Helen take joy in supporting the long-time, quintessential, foundational 
nature educational programs including Docent Training, Student Naturalists Training, school tours, 
scout outings, various nature walks, and countless natural history programs organized and/or supported 
by ECNCA. She also took pride in talking about many County programs she was in charge of 
including Field Trips in Nature and Seasonal Nature Camps. With inspiration from the community 
members, she pioneered many new programs that served the community’s needs. These included 
Nature in a Box (a teacher’s loan program), Nature Detectives (afterschool youth programs), community 
events including the Earth Day Festival, Nature Music Concert, Summer Book Festival, and 
Celebration of Oak. She created park conservation volunteer opportunities including Native Plant 
Gardening Group, Habitat Conservation Work Team, Park Stewards, and Trailside Educators. Helen 
was dedicated to volunteer involvement, working in synergy with ECNCA Volunteers, Scout groups, 
business groups, and local chapters of environmental groups. She was responsible for many grants and 
donations acquired to support the programing of the park.

 To me and many others, Helen Wong/ Mickey Long and the Eaton Canyon Nature Center were 
synonymous. We recall Helen once saying how “Eaton Canyon was everyone’s backyard.” Through 
the understanding of their work, I realized how much the staff and volunteers have provided for the 
community through this very special Park and Nature Center.

 The Nature Center also held regular public presentations from Sierra Club, Native Plant Society, 
Pasadena Audubon, Southwestern Herpetologists Society, ECNCA and many others.

 I myself have attended some of the most impactful presentations there over the years, with topics 
such as Hummingbirds at the San Gabriel Mission, Permaculture, Native American uses of Medicinal 
Herbs, Birds of the World, Climate Change, Using Native Seeds to Save the World, and so many more. 
To top it off, I’ve met numerous life-long friends there. 

 I also have fond memories of giving many lectures and presentations at the Center, talking about 
the uses of wild plants or practical survival skills, especially when a new book of mine was released. I 
enjoyed teaching classes for the County youth internship program based at the Nature Center. 

 In addition, ECNCA conducted intensive docent training every year, whose graduates became excellent 
naturalists and teachers in some of the top fields. I was invited to provide classes for their continuous 
education. One of the most memorable was a wild food training workshop in the kitchen for 
a group of dedicated volunteers. It was a lot of work, and very rewarding, to teach a dozen volunteers 
how to clean, prepare, and cook with wild foods! N 

 Besides being an educational hub, the Nature Center has been one of the greatest factors giving a 
sense of “family” to the community of Altadena and Pasadena. On any given weekend, you can expect 
to see hundreds of families and friends visiting the park. Hundreds of thousands of people attended 
family-friendly Family Nature Walk, Moonlight Walk, Bird Walk, Plant Walk, Twilight Programs, and 
Halloween Events. The staff and volunteers also conducted countless community outreaches beyond 
the Nature Center at various County Parks, local schools, and libraries.

 I shared much of this with my escort Brian as we walked, and he just nodded, smiling at my reminiscences. 
It was evident that the Park and Nature Center was not only special to me, but to the community 
at large. This was the place for people to connect to nature, a place to have quality family time, 
a place to learn, a place to practice conservation, a place to give back, an important resource for the 
community. There is and was nothing quite like this place in the Pasadena-Altadena area.

 The loss of this Nature Center is a great loss to our entire community. The McCurdy Nature Center 
served the community for about 30 years. The rebuilt Eaton Canyon Nature Center served the community 
since 1998, nearly 30 years. I hope it will rise again, to once again become a nexus of Altadena. 
I look forward to the day when I can go back and serve the dedicated volunteers and public once again.


Pet of the Week


Peggy is a gentle sweetheart who has mastered 
the art of taking life at her own pace. While she 
may carry a few extra pounds, Peggy prefers to 
think of herself as plush—and who doesn’t want 
a little extra fluff in their cuddle buddy?

What makes four-year-old Peggy truly special 
is her laid-back, loving personality. She’s the 
kind of dog who doesn’t need constant action or 
stimulation—she’s content splashing around in 
her kiddie pool, soaking up the breeze under a 
shady tree, or curling up next to you for a quiet 
afternoon nap.

Peggy is great on a leash and enjoys walks, 
especially if they end in a shady spot where she 
can plop down and take in the view. She’s working 
on her fitness goals with some light activity and 
a balanced diet—and she would love to have a 
human cheerleader by her side.

If you’re looking for a mellow companion or a 
low-key dog with a lot of love to give, Peggy could 
be your perfect match.

From now until 5/25, all dogs over 40 pounds like 
Peggy have their adoption fee waived!The normal 
adoption fee for dogs is $150. All dog adoptions 
include spay or neuter, microchip, and age-appropriate vaccines. Walk-in adoptions are 
available every day from 10:00 – 5:00. View photos of adoptable pets at pasadenahumane.
org.

 New adopters will receive a complimentary health-and-wellness exam from VCA Animal 
Hospitals, as well as a goody bag filled with information about how to care for your pet. 

 Pets may not be available for adoption and cannot be held for potential adopters by phone 
calls or email.


Eaton Canyon Nature Center entrance before the fire. All photos courtesy 
Christopher Nyerges


Eaton Canyon Nature Center after the 2025 fire.


Christopher giving a lecture at the 2011 Summer Book Festival.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com