The Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project has been Certified!
Friends of Ballona Wetlands Join Environmental Leaders to Celebrate State's Greenlight For Vital Restoration of Ballona Wetlands
Friends of Ballona Wetlands, Heal the Bay, Surfrider Foundation, Los Angeles Waterkeeper, and the Trust for Public Land have been working together for years on behalf of the restoration and praise the long-awaited certification by the State of California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) for the restoration of the Ballona Wetlands.
One of our region’s most vital resources, the Ballona Wetlands, will finally be restored, returning this treasure to all of Los Angeles. Our coalition of leading environmental organizations has been advocating on behalf of the restoration for decades, and we could not be more thrilled by the recent certification by the State, giving the project the green light to finally move forward.
California has lost 91% of its coastal wetlands and Los Angeles County has lost even more. In the face of climate change, large scale wetland restoration projects, particularly those in urban areas like the Ballona Wetlands restoration project, need to proceed expeditiously and thoughtfully. Years of monitoring demonstrates that the Ballona Wetlands are degraded and that conditions are worsening. Invasive plants are spreading, outcompeting native plants and providing limited benefits to native and rare species that depend on wetland habitats. The restoration project will not only restore rare habitats and ecosystem function, it will also protect endangered species and expand their habitats, and provide protection from the impacts of sea-level rise.
Wetlands are critical habitat for countless species and provide necessary ecological functions such as carbon sequestration, storm surge protection, flood control, water filtration, and oxygen creation. This essential restoration will provide the region with a real opportunity for protection from continuing sea level rise, a threat that is not only here, but will continue to endanger coastal communities into the future. Climate resilience should be at the forefront of our minds to guide our priorities and decisions. Restoring Ballona to a high functioning wetland is the next step in the fight against climate change.
The restoration project will protect endangered species, increase biodiversity, and expand their habitats. All of the restoration work will proceed cautiously, in phases, and will be strictly monitored by scientists and biologists, evaluated along the way for success. No rare or endangered animals will be harmed and their habitats will be expanded and improved by this restoration project. The plan avoids the habitats of endangered plants and animals wherever possible, and where they cannot be avoided mitigation measures to ensure that endangered species are not harmed and that their habitats are expanded.
The restoration will also open up much needed recreational and educational space, especially for Los Angeles residents, many of whom have historically lacked access to these types of opportunities. Access to open space is an environmental justice issue, and our coalition is committed to encouraging access to the wetlands for students and families in the most underserved parts of the County.
This restoration plan is based on science and on precedent. Like so many successful restorations projects before this one—in Malibu, Solana Beach, Carpinteria just to name a few—the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve Restoration Project will help restore our severely depleted wetlands in Los Angeles County. Restoration of the Ballona Wetlands will be one of the most significant environmental restorations and public access projects ever undertaken for the residents of Los Angeles County. This is a rare opportunity to provide our region with an invaluable way to stay resilient in the face of climate change, provide a wildlife haven and recreational treasure, and leave a legacy for future generations.
The sooner we can complete this project, the better. The entire region will benefit and families from every background will be able to experience the wonders of wetlands right here in Los Angeles. We are ready to get started!
The State’s certification announcement can be found here: https://cdfgnews.wordpress.com/2020/12/30/cdfw-approves-restoration-project-for-ballona-wetlands-ecological-reserve/
Learn about the project at: ballonafriends.org/overview
Add your name to support the project at: ballonafriends.org/support
Photo credit:: (BALLONA WETLANDS RESTORATION PROJECT, EIS/EIR)