A letter from LCWLT’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Lambe
Dear Friend of Los Cerritos Wetlands,
I hope you are doing OK and have settled in to some sort of routine as these weeks of self-quarantine continue on. So much of what the Land Trust does during April, which is the month we all celebrate Earth Day, has been cancelled; but not everything, and not forever, and in that we take hope.
I want to share with you a few events that you might be interested in. Most are happening on Earth Day, which is tomorrow, Wednesday, April 22nd, 2020.
Earth Day Tune in and take action
There will be a huge virtual Earth Day event happening online this upcoming Wednesday, April 22nd. Some of the biggest climate change activists and artists from around the world will be joining together to commemorate Earth Day and bring us together in order to do our part to protect the planet. Over the 24 hours of Earth Day (12:01 am ET – 11:59 pm ET on April 22), Earth Day Network will fill the digital landscape with global conversations, calls to action, performances, video teach-ins and more. Tune in to Earth Day Live April 22nd (and 23rd and 24th) to watch, discuss and participate in a livestream featuring stories, performances and opportunities for digital collective action, as millions of people around the world go online for a three-day mobilization to stop the climate emergency.
International Dark Sky Week and Great Films to Explore
Long-time consultant for the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust is the amazing Dr. Travis Longcore, who is now associated with the UCLA Institute of the Environment. Dr. Longcore’s research focuses on the effects of artificial night lighting on wildlife, which is a very significant impact on the species of Los Cerritos Wetlands, who live so close to shopping centers, roadways and many other sources of artificial light. He is also very knowledgable on the impacts of roads in and around wetlands. Dr. Longcore and his partner Catherine Rich played a significant role in the Land Trust’s battle to stop the harmful Home Depot Design Center in back in 2008. They helped us again in 2010 in our effort to remediate the harm done to Los Cerritos Wetlands when illegal grading occurred on that triangle shaped piece of property on Loynes Drive between the Belmont Shores Mobile Estates and Studebaker Road. Dr. Longcore will be speaking on the impacts of lighting on the animal world at 10:50AM Pacific Time on Wednesday, April 22nd. Click on the this link at that time, to view his talk.
The “Story of Plastic” is on the Discovery Channel this Wednesday (April 22) at 2:00 P.M. The Story Of Plastic takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it. More details can be found here. According to our friends over at the Long Beach-based Algalita Foundation, The Story of Plastic documentary is also a phenomenal teaching tool for your classroom, family, and community. (and while you’re at it, why not take a moment to send a note to our local Congressman, Alan Lowenthal, to thank him for introducing the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2020, a comprehensive and historic bill aimed at stopping the plastic pollution crisis. We are so lucky to have someone representing us in Congress who can always be counted on to do the right thing when it comes to protecting our environment.)
Patagonia Films newest film, Fishpeople, is now available to view, free-of-charge. I am personally a big fan of Patagonia, their great apparel and their philosophy of using their company’s resources to protect the environment. One of the ways Patagonia does that is through their amazing films (two of which the Land Trust has previously screened here in Long Beach). Fishpeople, Five Lives Transformed by the Sea is their latest film. It is now available to stream for free, and I urge you to check it out. After all, those of us who support protecting and restoring Los Cerritos Wetlands are fish people too. One reason is because coastal wetlands are homes for numerous fish species adapted to estuarine water. And wetlands are a critical part of maintaining healthy marine species’ populations by naturally removing pollutants that would poison the ocean, and providing a huge source of nutrients for marine fish to eat.
I sincerely hope you find the above opportunities inspiring and of interest. Hang in there. We are all in this together and will come through it together on the other end.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Lambe,
Executive Director
Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust
P.S. I am working with my colleagues over at Tidal Influence to hopefully set up some virtual tours of Los Cerritos Wetlands since our in-person on-the-ground nature walks have been indefinitely postponed. Stay tuned for further details, but right now we are thinking of virtual tours of interesting places within Los Cerritos Wetlands like Zedler Marsh and the native plant nursery located out there, or Marketplace Marsh, which is full of water right now and teeming with wildlife. Take a walk with us while lounging in your pajamas drinking coffee. We would love that. I’ll be back in touch with further details as soon as I have them. In the meantime if there are spots out in Los Cerritos Wetlands that you think would make a great virtual tour, send them my way . . . I’ll take any and all suggestions. In the meantime stay safe and stay strong!
We are sad to say that we must cancel our upcoming Saturday, April 4th, 2020, Heron Hike out at Los Cerritos Wetlands. It just seems like the safest thing to do at this point, and it complies with the Governor’s and our Mayor’s orders that non-essential services be cancelled. We are exploring safer ways for you to enjoy Los Cerritos Wetlands that maintain social distancing, and I am in discussions about how to do so. We are thinking perhaps of introducing folks, via livestream, to cool areas like Marketplace Marsh (pictured), Zedler Marsh or Calloway Marsh. So stay tuned. It sure wouldn’t surprise me if our nature walks are postponed for beyond April, but we will let you know.
A great spot for getting out in nearby nature is the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach. As of yesterday, when I drove by, the trails were open and hopefully will stay that way as long as walkers are practicing appropriate social distancing, which means staying at least 6 feet away from other people. I also urge you to check out Newport Beach’s Back Bay which has some wonderful wetland areas. Always check appropriate websites before you head out. . . looks like many open-space areas are still open to the public, but that could always change.
We are big fans of Algalita and the the good work they do by bringing attention to the negative impacts of single-use plastic products that are now ubiquitous throughout the planet.
Single use plastic products find their way into our rivers and wetlands, where they can harm wildlife. That’s why the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust supported Long Beach’s ban on single use plastic bags and later styrofoam products when they came before the City Council. Recently, Long Beach went even further and banned the use of single-use plastic straws, which can also be devastating to wildlife. Plastic is everywhere, and it is harming our planet as it is harming us humans who have become far too dependent on this convenient man-made substance.
Algalita will be hosting a screening of the long-awaited documentary, The Story of Plastic, at the Long Beach Art Theatre on Monday, March 2, 2020 at 8:00PM.
This film shows a whole new side of the story of plastic, and it’s going to change the way we talk about plastic. I urge you to make the time to see this film. I’ll be there and hope you will too!
As an organization, the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust has come a long way from that first group of citizens who gathered in someone’s living room to begin the conversation of how they, ordinary people, could work together to advocate for the protection and preservation of rapidly vanishing coastal wetlands. Fast forward to today, when almost half of Los Cerritos Wetlands are safely in the public’s hands, and the conversation is more and more about how best to restore and rehabilitate them.
That is good news, and it is important to take the time to celebrate it.
Of course there is bad news for the environment these days, and much of it is emanating from Washington D.C. These are concerning times for those of us who care about our nation’s parks, wilderness areas, and open spaces. I worry about their safety and their future. However, much can be done to protect the environment at the local level, and with your help, we are persevering here in our cities, where it will be more important than ever to emerge as leaders in climate science and conservation. Despite the current regressive environmental policies at the federal level, we are excited about our progress locally, as plans move forward to transfer more of Los Cerritos Wetlands into the public trust and restore them. We celebrate our innovative programs for the public to experience our wetlands, as well as the expansion of our outdoor education for local school children. We’re also proud that our city has implemented a ban of many polystyrene products, keeping harmful pollution out of our fragile wetlands and coastal ecosystems. These are the local victories that will uplift and sustain us during these challenging times.
The fight to protect and restore Los Cerritos Wetlands will continue into the new year and beyond. We are grateful in the knowledge that we will prevail because of the partnership and support of our members. I urge you to affirm or renew your commitment to the restoration, exploration, and defense of Los Cerritos Wetlands by making a tax deductible donation to the Land Trust today.
Donations of up to $6,000 to Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust will be matched dollar-to-dollar through December 31, 2019.
To donate click here.
Don’t forget. We have two interesting
community events coming up in January.
Wetlands Nature Walk on Saturday, January 4th, 2020
Join us and our partners, educators from the biological consulting company, Tidal Influence, on our Heron Hike to the Marketplace Marsh and back at Los Cerritos Wetlands on Saturday, January 4th.
Our walk begins with a brief orientation to our wetlands. We will discuss the history and ownership of various parcels within Los Cerritos Wetlands. We will then walk towards the levee and discuss the reintroduction of the tides. After that, using oil roads, we will walk to the old bridge on the levee and discuss the San Gabriel River and the future of bringing water back into the land. Then we will view the City-owned lands, including Marketplace Marsh. After that, we will head back to our meeting place, Bring binoculars, if you have them; we will observe many different kinds of interesting wildlife.
Parking lot gate will open at 7:45 am and close at 8:15 am. No latecomers can be admitted for the tour, and all participants must stay for the entire tour, which will end by 10:00 am.
Meet in the driveway/parking area at the corner of 1st Street and PCH in Seal Beach. Close-toed shoes required; and kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information email Elizabeth or download this hike flyer.
Draft Environmental Impact Report status update meeting for comprehensive restoration planning
The group running the planning effort for the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority’s comprehensive planning process will be hosting a status update meeting on January 23, 2020 at the Recreation Park Community Center at 4900 E. 7th St in Long Beach, CA 90804. The meeting starts at 6:30PM, and I urge you to attend. At the meeting you will learn about the next steps for our local wetlands. Look for additional details in upcoming emails, or for further information contact LCWA@tidalinfluence.com.
