Rock Legend Don Henley Helps Preserve Undeveloped Land

HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA) — It's a big victory for environmental activists. After a two-year effort, 17 acres of the Hollywood Hills will be protected from development.

Property between Lookout Mountain Avenue and Stanley Hills Drive in Laurel Canyon will be kept as is after preservation groups raised $1.6 million to purchase it.

"I applaud every donation from $10 to $1,000, but we really couldn't have crossed the finish line without a couple of very important angel donors," Tony Tucci, of Citizens For Los Angeles Wildlife said.

One is the David Schwartz Foundation and the other is an Eagle — the iconic rock, pop music star and member of the Eagles Don Henley.

Henley helped preservation groups to save the land from development by donating $100,000 in his good friend and former bandmate Glenn Frey's memory.

Henley told preservation groups that the famous song "Desperado" was written with Frey when they both lived in the Hollywood Hills in the early 70s and that saving the land was vital for saving wildlife habitat.

"There's a lot of evidence of a variety of animals...nearly every mammal species that you can find indigenous to the Santa Monica Mountains you can find it here," Tucci said.

The land will now be turned over to Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority to manage and preserve the land.