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# Mountains Conservancy receives lofty praise
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/mountains-conservancy-receives-lofty-praise/
- Published: 2005-01-15T16:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T06:00:46.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: local, Santa Monica, #archive-import

*By Daily Press staff*

An organization that’s devoted almost three decades to preserving one of the area’s most coveted recreation areas will receive national recognition this spring.

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy will be the recipient of the American Planning Association’s Daniel Burnham Award during a luncheon ceremony in San Francisco on March 22 in recognition of its success in purchasing and preserving land that otherwise would have fallen into the hands of developers.

The award is the APA’s most prestigious honor and is given to individuals and organizations who have improved the value and awareness of planning, as well as improved the quality of life in one or more communities.

Since its establishment by the California Legislature in 1980, the Conservancy has preserved more than 55,000 acres of parkland across the Santa Monica Mountains, the Simi Hills, the Verdugo Mountains and portions of the Santa Susana and the San Gabriel Mountains. It also provides grants to fund the creation of programs to educate park visitors and children. Big Blue goes to Saturday schedule for MLK

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on January 15, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/011505.pdf?ref=smdp.com)