A passion for apes and trees

So far, she “owns” four orangutans and 6.5 acres of Costa Rican rain forest. She hasn’t yet decided on next year’s acquisition, but, whatever it is, you can be sure 9-year-old Kylie Johnson’s next birthday party will provide another altruistic benefit for animals or nature around the globe.

Kylie, a fourth-grader at La Cañada Elementary School, is this week’s Valley Sun All Star. She was nominated for her self-sacrificing nature and sincere desire to help others.

“Kylie always has been wise beyond her years,” said family friend, Jennifer Herzer. Kylie’s choice for a birthday party to help preserve the rainforests and another one to protect red apes (orangutans) is a prime example of the child’s maturity, Herzer said. “Most kids are ‘all about me,’ but not Kylie,” Herzer added. “She’s a really smart, funny and compassionate kid.”

Kylie is the youngest daughter of Matthew and Cassie Johnson of La Cañada. She was born in Glendale and has two sisters, Tara, 18, a senior at La Cañada High School, and Jessica, 22, a student at California State University, Chico. Kylie has a cat named Russell and a Portuguese water dog named Spencer.

She loves to read mysteries and hopes to become a veterinarian someday.

Kylie’s love of nature is what inspired the youth last year to begin a quest to “save the rainforest” and improve the lives of monkeys and apes. Kylie said she loves to climb trees with her friend Caroline Bush-Crispo. Both girls also have an appreciation for monkeys, and their tree climbing abilities.

Kylie has been interested in trees and forests since the first-grade when her then-teacher at La Cañada Elementary School, Mrs. Rappleye, taught an extensive lesson on Northern California’s redwood forest and all of the animals who live within it. In order to inspire and engage her students, the teacher transformed her classroom into a life-like forest, complete with netting on the ceiling and a floor cover of bark.

Later that year, when Kylie’s family took a trip to Costa Rica, Kylie became concerned with the fate of that country’s rain forests. “I heard that trees were being chopped down for palm oil, which is used in some makeup and perfumes,” Kylie said, adding, “And I really don’t care about that kind of stuff, ’cause I’m a tom boy.”