Community members and personnel from the city of Glendale planted 30 big-cone spruce trees and removed invasive weeds Saturday in La Crescenta's Deukmejian Wilderness Park.

This was the second tree planting of the season, said Glendale Trails and Open Space Specialist Jeff Weinstein, who organized the event and was pleased at the healthy turnout of about 40 area residents. The first tree planting in November was also productive despite rain that morning.

"This has been a wonderful day," said Weinstein. "With our two workdays we now have 50 new big-cone spruce trees planted and are well on our way to restoring the park."

All participants who spoke with Patch expressed a keen interest in protecting local hillsides and restoring Wilderness Park, which Weinstein said has become vulnerable to slides and flooding like many other areas affected by the fall 2009 Station Fire that scorched a large portion of the San Gabriel Foothills.

The park overlooks the Dunsmuir Debris Basin and sediment placement site, which plays an important role in the county's flood control plan and has been a cause of concern for members of the community who live nearby.

Glendale has jurisdiction over the park and has hired consultant Melanie Keeley to aid Weinstein and other Parks Department officials in strategizing how to go about safeguarding hillsides from heavy rain, fighting invasive weeds and re-planting.

"We only plant species that are native to the area and are careful to identify the best plants and trees to select," said Keeley. "[The big-cone spruce] tends to favor north- and east-facing slopes, and we tried to place them where they'd be semiprotected and in an area where they can be easily watered."

This tall evergreen, also known as the Douglas fir, was naturally prevalent in the region until deforestation occurred in the late 1800s.

"We want to make the park as true to its natural form as possible," said Weinstein.

Irrigation is now the main priority toward healthy trees that grow large enough to prevent erosion and keep the soil in place during rain storms.

"Winter is the time to plant new trees because they need more water," said David Moreno of the Glendale Parks Department, who estimated that during dry spells each young spruce will need five to 10 gallons from the tap per month. "If hikers come up here with any water, please feel free to water the trees."

Local volunteers who worked from 8 to about 11:30 a.m. were united in their drive to restore the park.

"What's better than being out here on a nice day, smelling the sage and looking at the mountains?" said Suzanne Duff of Glendale. "I did weeding because there were more people than there were trees, people see the park as an excellent asset and resource for the community."

La Crescenta physican Dr. Silvia Darie, husband Jeff Wilson and their 2-year-old daughter Nadia Wilson also lent a hand and established a special bond with one new sapling in particular.

"We were here with the Crescenta Valley group of the Sierra Club" and the Sierra Club Little Hikers/Junior Explorers, said Darie. "We love to hike here, and it will be that much more appealing as we watch the 'Nadia Tree' and the others grow."

Wilson, a geologist, described the morning planting effort as "successfully quick. It's great to see such a great turnout and that the city supports it so much," he said. "There was a good cross-section of people today."

Lots of young people were in attendance, including Mike Misetich from Boy Scout Troop 317.

"I'm looking toward my Eagle project and have been considering plant identification," said Misetich, age 13. "Today was fun. I've always liked nature, and I plan to come out again."

Weinstein and company now will set their sights on "tree watering and weed removal," he said. "After the fire, we pretty much have an open canvas to work with, and it's important to weed out non-native plants that are crowding the plants we want to be here."

The next park restoration event is Feb. 19. Weinstein suggested volunteers—especially students or anyone with service hours to fulfill—should call 818-548-2000 for information and to be placed on his email list.