The City of Long Beach is developing its first-ever Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP), and they need your input. Climate change impacts all of us and will forever shape our local wetlands. However, did you know that wetlands are also important mitigators of the effects of sea level rise? Robust and healthy wetlands help communities be resilient to impacts that could arise from climate change. Let’s all do our part to make Long Beach as resilient to climate change as possible. Attend the meeting or visit http://www.lbds.info/climateactionlb to learn more.
Video of our local sea turtles provided by the Aquarium of the Pacific. See the turtles for yourself on Saturday, June 2nd.
On Saturday, June 2nd, you are invited to join us for a free 2-hour guided wetlands nature walk, led by naturalists from the environmental consulting group Tidal Influence. We will look for wildlife sightings, learn about our rich ecosystems, reflect on history, and see current restoration activities.
Our walk begins with a brief orientation to our wetlands. We will discuss their history and see an important portion of them, including the Pumpkin Patch property, as we walk along the San Gabriel River to view the sea turtles. On our return, we will stop at Zedler Marsh, where there is a nursery for wetlands plants and where restoration is in process. We will then walk on the levee back to our meeting place. Bring binoculars, if you have them; besides the turtles, we will observe many different kinds of interesting wildlife.
Meet and park in the driveway at the intersection of 1st street and PCH in Seal Beach. Our walk starts at 8:00 a.m., and the parking lot gate closes at 8:15 a.m. No latecomers can be admitted. Events are family friendly, but strollers are not permitted, and all participants need to be able to walk a couple of miles (slowly) without having to turn back. Close-toed shoes are required, and please bring sunscreen and water. Rain cancels. For more information or to rsvp send an email to elizabeth@lcwlandtrust.org.
P.S. After our nature walk, you are invited to join in and help the community-based restoration of Los Cerritos Wetlands, which takes place from 10:30 am -12:30 pm the first Saturday of every month. Participants are eligible to win prizes such as a T-shirt or tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific. Meet at the same place we meet for our nature walks. For further information about the restoration activities email iwanttohelp@tidalinfluence.com.
At the meeting you will learn the latest news about the breakwater and hear from City Staff as well as the Army Corps of Engineers who are heading up the study. The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust supports the responsible re-configuring of the breakwater in order to improve local wetlands habitat.
Bring something that floats, and paddle out about 40 yards from shore to commemorate our lost waves and celebrate that some day they will return. Come with your friends and family and show your support for bringing waves back to Long Beach. This event is co-hosted by Long Beach Surfrider and Assembly member Patrick O’Donnell.
Marketplace Marsh is an amazing watery feature of Los Cerritos Wetlands. Check it out for yourself. It’s springtime so there should be water within Marketplace Marsh, as well as lots of interesting plants and animals to learn about along the way. Our tour is led by our partners, biologists and environmental educators from Tidal Influence who will lead participants on a walking tour that will take us to Marketplace Marsh on the City of Long Beach’s wetlands and over to the San Gabriel River on property held by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority.
During this 2-mile urban hike, you will learn about the history of land acquisitions in Los Cerritos Wetlands, and leaders will show us some freshwater marsh habitats that few people have ever viewed.We will likely come across great blue herons, as well as egrets and other water-loving wildlife. Participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at how wetlands and oil operations co-exist at Los Cerritos Wetlands.
WHAT: Nature walk of the Marketplace Marsh at Los Cerritos Wetlands.
WHEN: Saturday, May 5th, 2018, at 8:00AM. Parking lot gate will open at 7:45AM and close at 8:10AM. No late-comers can be admitted for the tour, and all participants must stay for the entire tour, which will end by 10:00AM.
Close-toed shoes are required to attend the walk, and kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
The City Council voted to ban most polystyrene products within the City of Long Beach. Polystyrene is most frequently found in take-out containers or thick styrofoam drink cups. It breaks down into super small pieces that fragile species can mistake for food, lasts a really long time, and clutters up our local beaches and wetlands. A study authored by Algalita Marine Research and Education found roughly 4 million bits of styrofoam in just a 2 mile stretch of Long Beach coastline. Polystyrene is a threat to Los Cerritos Wetlands, which is why we voted to endorse the ban and sent in this letter of support to help eliminate this undeniably harmful product.
Three cheers for our allies: Surfrider Foundation-Long Beach Chapter, The Sierra Club, Algalita Marine Research, Don’t Waste Long Beach, and other environmental groups, who worked so hard to bring this issue to the City Council and advocate for it passage.
Three cheers for the City Council who, after a lively and in-depth discussion, voted unanimously to finalize the ban on polystyrene within the City of Long Beach, with extra protections for helping small businesses make the transition to an ocean friendly, foam-free way of working. And extra loud cheers for the three City Council sponsors of the measure, Lena Gonzales, Jeannine Pearce and Roberto Uranga.
Here’s to a cleaner, safer future for our children, our children’s children and the fragile blue planet that we call home.
