Baldwin Lake is the aesthetic and spatial centerpiece of the Arboretum. The Lake and its surrounding environs provided a central destination for visitors from the Baldwin Ranch era to early movie making, and remains as a focal point for today’s visitors. The Lake served as a reservoir for ranch irrigation projects and was dredged and deepened by Baldwin in the late 1880’s as well as a retaining wall added, which was capped by granite boulders. However, because of urban runoff carrying petrochemicals and other contaminants, combined with ongoing siltation, aquatic ecosystems, compromised scenic, educational and historic value have all degraded. Baldwin Lake is arguably the Arboretum’s most endangered historic feature. Restoring the Lake to its former beauty and character will be a project of considerable cost and complexity, involving many governmental agencies and private partners. Proposed mitigation measures include stabilization of shorelines, reconstruction of walls and stonework, and re-engineering of watershed function and sustainability.
