Big News from the LCWLT- Upcoming Meeting, Long Beach Gives and Governor Signs AB 1788

Big News from the LCWLT- Upcoming Meeting, Long Beach Gives and Governor Signs AB 1788


Important Upcoming Meeting
I completely understand if you don’t remember SEASP because it has been quite a few years since it has been on anyone’s radar screen.  SEASP stands for the South East Area Specific Plan, which is the proposed new zoning for the lands in and around Los Cerritos Wetlands. After much discussion and community dialog, it was passed by the City Council back in 2017.  


Since then, the City of Long Beach has been in dialog with the Coastal Commission’s staff regarding SEASP because the final approval needed will be by the Coastal Commission. We recently found out SEASP will be before the Coastal Commission on Thursday, October 8th.


Where we are now is that Coastal Commission staff is recommending to Commissioners that they should approve SEASP as long as 16 additional conditions are met. Some of the additional conditions we agree with and some we don’t. For example the language contained within the staff recommendations really recognizes the important role that buffers play in protecting sensitive wetlands habitat from the hubbub of urban life. The Coastal Commission’s staff report strengthens the protections provided by buffers. However we think perhaps the lighting levels and standards could be tweaked to better protect fragile wetlands species.  We are also worried that the final plan be able to truly protect Los Cerritos Wetlands from climate change, particularly steadily increasing sea level rise.


We too have been busy and have hired our own experts to provide extra review and subsequent recommendations to ensure the final outcome is the best it can be for animals, habitat, and the community. To learn more about the status of SEASP, our views on the matter and those of our experts we will be hosting two Community Zoom meetings. At these meetings you will hear directly from our experts to learn what’s in store for Los Cerritos Wetlands and how to make it better.


Zoom Community meeting #1 will feature Dr. Travis Longcore, a truly accomplished educator and scientist who had done groundbreaking research on the impacts of urban lights on fragile wetlands wildlife, especially on those species that are primarily nocturnal. He will walk us through the impacts of lighting on wetlands habitat, how best to measure impacts to habitat and how to make SEASP the most wetlands friendly it can be. The new SEASP is already pretty good, employing bird-safe standards recommended by the Audubon Society.  But Dr. Longcore will talk about things that can be done to make it even better. After all, whatever is voted on by the Coastal Commission will set the standards for the foreseeable future, so we better get it right.  


What:   Community meeting featuring Dr. Travis Longcore.  
When:  Thursday, October 1st at 7:00PM

Why:    To learn the latest details about the proposed SEASP and how to improve it, especially in the area of habitat friendly lighting, email me to rsvp and for information about how to join the meeting.  


Our second community briefing will be on Tuesday, October 5th and feature Dave Hubbard from Coastal Restoration Consultants talking about Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Areas and other issues within Los Cerritos Wetlands. I’ll be sending out further details about that meeting in my next email.

Also at these meetings will be Terry Watt, our planning and land use advisor, who will help answer any questions you may have.


Hope to see you on Thursday, October 1st, and then on Tuesday, October5th, for two interesting and thoughtful community briefings.

Long Beach Gives
Last week was a real whirlwind for those organizations that participated in Long Beach Gives, on Thursday, September 24th.


Collaboratively, in one day, 154 Long Beach based non-profits (including us!) raised $1,738,941. Isn’t that amazing? The goal was for one million and they came pretty close to 2 million. The goal for the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust was to raise $8,000 and we came pretty close, too. We raised $7,452. Since I am a compulsive person (LOL) I sure would love it if we could hit our goal of $8,000.  It would only take $458 to make it happen. If that motivates you, (and I hope it does) I urge you to make a donation through the Long Beach Gives portal. All contributions to the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust are tax deductible.


Another cool thing about Long Beach Gives is finding out you have new friends and supporters. In this case we made new friends with the folks that produce the Ohana Festival, who donated to the Land Trust through Long Beach Gives. How cool is that?  

AB 1788
Thanks to everyone who made phone calls or emails and letters to Governor Newsom and our local legislators in support of AB 1788. Sincere appreciation for our local legislators, Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, Senator Lena Gonzalez and Senator Tom Umberg for voting yes on the bill. I am certain they were under a lot of pressure. Also three cheers for Assemblymember Richard Bloom for his years of persistence in tackling this issue!

This is a great win, not only for raptors but for other wildlife, and pets too.  


AB 1788 will prevent more poisonings by strongly curbing the use of second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (with some exceptions) until the California Department of Pesticide Regulation finishes its reevaluation.


I urge you to send the Governor a note of thanks for signing this important bill.
 
Long Beach Gives is Here- Help us reach our goal today!

Long Beach Gives is Here- Help us reach our goal today!


The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust works to restore, preserve and provide public access to a unique habitat, the Los Cerritos Wetlands.  


Thanks to the vision and the tenacity of our early founders, we have accomplished amazing things.  Since our founding over half of Los Cerritos Wetlands is in the public trust, we have beaten back some really bad and damaging development proposals and have provided unique on-the-ground educational experiences for local school children, especially those who reside in the most urban parts of Long Beach, where natural open space is at a premium.


With all the bad news that is emanating out of Washington D.C. these days, isn’t it great we have so much to celebrate locally when it comes to protecting and restoring wetlands habitat.


Of course defending undeveloped, and therefore rare, coastal open space from those who wish to exploit our local wetlands requires community support, and we are so appreciative of all of you that have attended a nature walk, responded to an action alert, and spread the word about the value of Los Cerritos Wetlands.  


We are excited about all of our progress, as plans to transfer more of Los Cerritos Wetlands into the public trust and restore them move forward. We are expanding into the virtual world our innovative programs for the public to experience our wetlands since in-person wetlands visits are temporarily suspended. We are proud of the role we played in urging our city to ban polystyrene products and single-use plastic bags, thereby keeping harmful pollution out of our fragile wetlands. These local victories uplift and sustain us during these challenging times.


But now I need you to do one more thing.

Click here to donate to the LCWLT as part of Long Beach Gives.

The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust has been chosen to participate in Long Beach Gives, a one-day giving cycle for Long Beach non-profits. On September 24, 2020 we are committed to raising funds towards the protection and preservation of Los Cerritos Wetlands via Long Beach Gives. Our fundraising goal is $8,000. Supporting the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust means ensuring the protection, preservation and restoration of our unique and vital local wetlands habitat. Additionally, with help from supporters such as you, we can make sure students in Long Beach and Orange County public schools continue to have access to wetlands tours and lessons, experiences that foster a connection to nature and each other and help bring classroom concepts to life. 
 
Your donation, large or small, will make a difference and help move the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust closer to our fundraising goal. 

Click any of the links in this post OR click the red “Long Beach Gives” button on our home page.

It won’t take more than a few minutes and the charismatic raptors of Los Cerritos Wetlands and beyond will thank you.










Update on AB 1788- Help us Contact the Governor

Update on AB 1788- Help us Contact the Governor


Friendly reminder that we are waiting for Governor Newson to make a decision about AB 1788, which would limit the use of 2nd generation anti-coagulant rodenticides. This very sensible bill, which passed the state legislature a few weeks ago will protect important predators that keep in balance the Los Cerritos Wetlands and open spaces throughout California.


2nd generation rodenticides are bad because they make their way up the food chain and kill raptors, mountain lions, bobcats etc. when those predators consume poisoned rats, mice and other rodents. AB 1788 being signed into law would help the raptors of Los Cerritos Wetlands, since they too are at risk from eating rodents that have been poisoned or killed by rodenticides.  


Help Governor Newsom do the right thing and by sending him a note asking him to sign SB 1788 into law.

You can also contact the Governor on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts which is another way to communicate with him if you prefer.

It won’t take more than a few minutes and the charismatic raptors of Los Cerritos Wetlands and beyond will thank you.










News From The Legislature

News From The Legislature


It was quite an eventful week this past week up in Sacramento. There were two bills that we, the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust, were interested in. One passed and is at the Governor’s office, hopefully to be signed by him within the month. The other bill failed, likely turned into a two-year bill, hopefully to be reconsidered for next year.

AB 1788, which would limit the use of 2nd generation anti-coagulant rodenticides, passed both the Senate and then the Assembly in the final days of the legislative session. This is already better news than last year where the bill failed to get out of the Senate Appropriations Committee. The Governor now has 30 days to sign the bill into law. This very sensible bill, with exemptions should strong rodenticides be needed in special situations, will protect important predators that keep in balance the Los Cerritos Wetlands and open spaces throughout California.

2nd generation rodenticides are bad because they make their way up the food chain and kill raptors, mountain lions, bobcats etc. when those predators consume poisoned rats, mice and other rodents. AB 1788 being signed into law would help the raptors of Los Cerritos Wetlands, since they too are at risk from eating rodents that have been poisoned or killed by rodenticides.  

Kudos to Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell, Senator Lena Gonzalez, and Senator Tom Umberg for voting in favor of AB 1788 (sad that local Assemblymember Tyler Diep voted no). These rodenticides have been wreaking havoc on the mountain lions of the Santa Monica Mountains (including the famous mountain lion of Griffith Park), not to mention the many, many owls, hawks, and eagles that have been harmed by their consuming of mice and other rodents who carry this harmful rodenticide in them and then are consumed. I’ll spare you the terrible photos of charismatic predators which have been killed that way, but it is not pretty and needs to stop. I know from personal research how very heavily the pesticide industry lobbied against this bill this year and last. Let’s hope Governor Gavin Newsom does the right thing and puts his signature on the bill.  

Please do two things.
1) Send a quick note of thanks to Patrick O’Donnell, Lena Gonzalez and Tom Umberg.
2)Send a note to Governor Newsom telling him to sign SB 1788 into law.

Of course, in these modern times, all of these legislators also have Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts which is another way to reach them, and thank them, if you prefer.It won’t take more than a few minutes and the charismatic raptors of Los Cerritos Wetlands and beyond will thank you.

SB 54 Another bill (that didn’t move forward to the Governor’s desk), was a really groundbreaking bill that would have transformed how we deal with single-use plastics in California. SB 54 would have required that packaging and products be reduced (single-use items swapped out for reusable), composted or recycled. The long term goal would be a 75% reduction of the waste generated from single-use packaging and products offered for sale or sold in the state, through source reduction, recycling, or composting by 2030. This would have addressed the plastic pollution and trash crises at both ends–both before a product is ever created or purchased, and after a single-use item is ready for disposal. 

It’s too bad it didn’t pass, since we are drowning in plastic, as it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, ends up in the stomachs of sea birds, and even in the fish we eat. On the other hand, it was truly a groundbreaking bill, with lots of special interest opposition and it may well take another year (or more) to get it over the finish line. Cheers again to Patrick O’Donnell, Tom Umberg and SB 54 Coauthor Lena Gonzalez for voting yes. These can’t be easy votes, but their votes in favor of SB 54 bring to mind that moving saying “you must not think of yourself or of your family, not even of your generation. Make your decisions on behalf of the seven generations coming, so that they may enjoy what you have today.”I am grateful to have such forward thinking legislators representing me in Sacramento and I hope you are too.

Sincerely,Elizabeth Lambe, Executive Director
Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust 
It’s Coastal Clean Up MONTH! Traditionally, the California Coastal Commission hosts a Coastal Cleanup day in September. It’s a wonderful day where organizations up and down California’s coast sponsor cleanups from San Diego to Eureka. Thousands of people turn out to clean up their local beaches, parks and streams.

When you clean up your neighborhood, local park and street you are helping to protect our coast and local wetlands. Trash travels through storm drains, creeks, and rivers to become beach and ocean pollution. 

This year, for safety reasons, there are no large, centrally organized cleanup sites. Instead, cleanups will be self-guided and close to home. You are urged to practice physical distancing, and strictly follow local ordinances. The Coastal Commission’s How-To Guide includes additional safety tips.

Cleanups are happening every Saturday in September. If Saturdays don’t work for you, don’t let that stop you! You can clean up any day, any time. What a great way to spend time with your family (or whoever is in your “bubble”) and make the world a better place.

If possible, you are asked to report your cleanup by recording data on the CleanSwell app or by completing this form. (You can also use that form to enter the Most Unusual Item Contest.) All cleanups in September will be included as part of Coastal Cleanup Month.

After your cleanup, take a 5 minute survey and you will get a coupon for free chips and guacamole from Rubio’s and be entered into a prize drawing.  

Thank you for staying safe, cleaning your local beach or park, and protecting the coast!

#CoastalCleanup #ProtectYourHappyPlace
Long Beach Gives is just around the corner  and we are proud to be a part of it! The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust is proud to be a part of Long Beach Gives which is a 24-hour online giving day. This annual fundraising event is a fun and easy way for Long Beach (and surrounding cities) to give together. It facilitates having donors and nonprofits come together to improve the quality of life and create positive change for Long Beach. The goal ofLong Beach Gives is to inspire individuals and businesses in our community to make a difference in the exemplary work of the 150+ local, participating nonprofits. And this year that includes the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust. We are honored and excited to be involved.

Last year was the first year of Long Beach Gives and the outpouring of support helped surpass the initial goal by over 300% in raising over $822,000 for 93 local organizations. Long Beach Gives is returning on Thursday, September 24, 2020 with a one million dollar goal!

We, the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust, are committed to raising $8,000 through Long Beach Gives,which will support our work educating the public about the value of wetlands and advocating for their protection. The first day you can donate to us via Long Beach Gives is September 17th. However, in the meantime we are looking for folks who want to help us raise funds towards our goal by becoming a peer-to-peer fundraiser. 

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Fundraisers are members of the community, board members, or businesses who raise funds on behalf of causes they care about. They create custom fundraising pages on the Long Beach Gives website and share their personal fundraising appeal to their network of friends and family. Last year, these individuals, families, and groups of supporters helped to raise over $822,000 to lift up their neighbors and celebrate causes they believe in. If you might be interested in helping us raise funds via the Peer-to-Peer fundraising (it’s easier than you think) or just need more information, send an email to Bridget and she can walk you through it and answer any questions you may have.


Action Alert: Join the LCWLT in reducing plastics in our wetlands and oceans

Action Alert: Join the LCWLT in reducing plastics in our wetlands and oceans

The amount of plastic flowing into the sea is set to triple by 2040. 

As plastics continue to flood into our oceans, the list of marine species affected by plastic debris expands. Tens of thousands of individual marine organisms suffer from entanglement or ingestion of plastics that permeate the marine environment-from zooplankton and fish, to sea turtles, marine mammals and seabirds. Some of those sea birds and fish rely on Los Cerritos Wetlands for shelter and sustenance.


Plastics never go away. Instead, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces, which act as magnets for harmful pollutants. When eaten by fish, some of those chemical-laden microplastics can work their way up the food chain and into the fish we eat.  


You can do something about this problem and you should do it today.  
Contact local Assemblymember, Patrick O’Donnell (who is a great friend of Los Cerritos Wetlands) and ask him to vote for the Plastic Pollution Reduction Act (Senate Bill 54). This bill will establish state targets to reduce single-use plastic and packaging waste by 75 percent by 2032. This is exactly the kind of bold change we need to help save our environment from being swept up in a tide of dangerous plastic pollution — and it can start in California.


Here’s a great recap by Surfrider Foundation about the problems with plastics our ocean and what SB 54 will do to help address the problem.

I hope you will check it out and then take a moment to call Assemblymember Patrick O’Donnell’s office, today, at (916) 319-2070 and ask him to support SB 54.


Tell whoever answers the phone that you are a constituent of Patrick O’Donnell’s (check here to see if you are) and are calling to urge him to vote YES on SB 54. He should vote yes because SB 54 would curb single-use plastic pollution in California. That’s all you need to say!

If you get an answering machine, leave a message. Call even if it is after work hours. Every call is counted.


If you don’t feel comfortable calling you can instead email Assemblymember O’Donnell and express your support for SB 54.

California must take robust steps NOW to reduce single-use packaging and plastic consumption and increase recycling. Thank you for your help.