Educational Resource

The Westwood Greenway serves as an invaluable educational resource, functioning as a Living Classroom where students can engage with urban ecological restoration. Its native plant habitat, water management systems, and thriving biodiversity provide a dynamic setting to explore ecological principles in action, bringing students into the community to learn.

By showcasing how urban spaces can be transformed into ecosystems, the Greenway demonstrates concepts such as habitat creation, water conservation, geological and cultural history, and the role of native plants in supporting pollinators and local wildlife.

Case Studies: As a field site for a UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability class, the Greenway provided an immersive, real-world space to analyze and contribute to habitat restoration efforts.

Also, UCLA Ecology and Evolutionary Biology students used the Greenway as a model for other community initiated greenways. They conducted a cost-benefit analysis and collected resources to help other communities advocating for similar projects.

Read more here (IoES) and here (EEB).

The Greenway’s proximity to public transportation, including the Metro and local buses, makes it highly accessible for students across Los Angeles. It is within walking distance for many local K-12 students, including those from Notre Dame Academy, Overland Avenue Elementary School, Webster Middle School, and Lycée Français de Los Angeles. This accessibility makes the Greenway an ideal location for teachers and students to observe firsthand the complexities of maintaining a restored ecosystem, monitor the growth and health of native plants, and assess the impact of restoration on urban biodiversity. The site also facilitates experiential learning through data collection, plant identification, and ecological monitoring, fostering practical skills essential for careers in environmental science and restoration ecology. The partnership between the Greenway and UCLA exemplifies how community spaces can support academic research and inspire future environmental stewardship.