A Newport Beach native, educator, and longtime advocate for California’s native landscapes, Mike Evans – President and Founder of the California Native Horticultural Foundation and President and Co-Founder of Tree of Life Nursery – has dedicated much of his life to helping people understand the landscapes they inhabit and the value of preserving a meaningful connection to place.
Having watched Newport Beach evolve over the decades, he has also watched the Environmental Nature Center become one of the community’s most treasured institutions and a place where generations of families have developed a deeper appreciation for nature and the outdoors.
Mike recently submitted the following letter to the Newport Beach Planning Commission and City Council regarding the proposed residential development adjacent to the Environmental Nature Center and ENC Nature Preschool.
A Letter from Mike Evans
Dear Planning Commission Members,
This letter is to express wholehearted support for the mission at ENC, especially now when the effectiveness of their work might be compromised by a development project next door.
Volumes have been written about the social effects and health benefits related to people spending meaningful time in “nature,” especially kids. Society flourishes when people have consistent exposure to nature on a regular basis; less crime, more cooperation, and better communication. Only nature can mitigate certain stressors that are considered the root of larger problems, especially in youth. Research affirms that interpretational and educational programs providing a baseline grounding in how nature works stimulate positive physical and mental health, making all aspects of life more relevant.
A nature refuge like ENC, inside city limits, should be held in hand and admired as a precious jewel, to be protected, preserved, enhanced and kept accessible to everyone. We who live close by can appreciate it personally, but the high quality of this particular nature center has also proven it to be the premier model for similar centers around the country. Over their 54 year history, the ENC has become both a precious local resource and an outstanding national example.
As the proposal for a residential project next door takes shape, please consider the significance of this jewel as the most important factor in any decision you make. ENC is irreplaceable. The value of the experience once inside is wholly dependent on the “feeling” that you have entered a truly wild place, scaled for children and families; big enough to feel unique, small enough to feel safe. Urban commotion, the busy streets, noisy traffic and the view of buildings are all shuttered out. You go through the gates and encounter another world. This is not an issue of privacy (though that’s an important factor on any development plan), but it’s an issue of Experience. And since Experience is the entire objective in operating ENC, any compromise to Experience would ruin their reason for existing.
Some venues are not only worth preserving, but are actually worth enhancing and celebrating, as they mature from “interesting place” into “venerable institution.” We know local families of three (perhaps four in some cases) generations who have called ENC their go-to refuge when they seek meaningful and calming educational nature experiences. And many people are discovering the place for the first time. All are equally impressed with its worth.
As the ENC performs their mission on a daily basis, every aspect of human health is positively affected, and people learn to appreciate the value of nature in their own lives. This appreciation morphs into lifestyle, an ethic that is becoming urgently important in our modern age, more important now than any previous time.
Please join me in supporting the ENC mission: “To provide transformative experiences through connection with nature.”
Sincerely,
Help Preserve a Place Worth Preserving
If the Environmental Nature Center and the unique character of the Newport Beach community are important to you, we hope you will consider taking action.
• Attend the Newport Beach Planning Commission meeting on June 18 at 6:00 PM at the Newport Beach Civic Center, 100 Civic Center Drive, Newport Beach, CA 92660.
• Send a thoughtful email to the Planning Commission (planningcommission@newportbeachca.gov) and City Council (citycouncil@newportbeachca.gov) sharing why the ENC matters to you and why protecting its unique setting is important to our community.
Decision-makers need to hear how the ENC contributes to the character, identity, and quality of life of Newport Beach. Thank you!
