Happy Holidays to You and Thank You for Supporting the LCWLT

Happy Holidays to You and Thank You for Supporting the LCWLT


Dear Friend of Los Cerritos Wetlands,


We thank you and ask that you continue to support the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust. Why support the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust this holiday season?


Our commitment to the defense of our local coastal wetlands. The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust works every day to protect and preserve this vulnerable plot of urban nature, a remnant of a once-vast ecosystem. We have and will continue to defend Los Cerritos Wetlands from harmful development and encroachment.


Slowly and surely, our wetlands are being brought back to life. We are deeply involved in the ambitious habitat restoration program to create and rehabilitate invaluable acreage of tidal salt marsh.


We are committed to continuing our nature walks into 2023 and keeping them accessible to all. Over the years, thanks to our free-of-charge monthly nature walks, (which we have been hosting for over ten years!) the public has directly experienced and learned about our fragile local wetlands.


We help future generations develop an appreciation for the natural world. Los Cerritos Wetlands serves as an outdoor classroom for students throughout Long Beach. We are proud that we have helped a generation of kids feel connected to nature through our hands-on ecological education programs. 


We can’t do it without you!
The success of our efforts to explore, restore, and defend our local wetlands is owed to members and supporters like you. We’re so grateful for the partnership of our members for allowing us to persevere.


Help us move forward into 2023 by renewing your membership or becoming a member today. Your tax-deductible gift, at whichever level is comfortable for you, makes a huge difference in our ability to run successful advocacy, outreach, and education programs.


We hope you will celebrate the wetlands with us this year, and choose to support the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust. Please join us in our commitment to explore, restore, and defend our local wetlands today! 


Wishing you a happy and safe holiday season, 


Elizabeth Lambe,
Executive Director 
and all of us at the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust


P.S. If you don’t already, I urge you to follow us on Facebook and on Instagram. And share our posts when you can! Not only do we hope that more and more people will know about and understand the value of wetlands, but our social media growth shows decision-makers that Los Cerritos Wetlands matter to the community. By following us you will be the first to know about breaking news regarding Los Cerritos Wetlands.
Our First Walk of the New Year is on January 7th

Our First Walk of the New Year is on January 7th

Join us to trek for Sea Turtles in the San Gabrial River on Saturday, January 7th. Not only will you observe sea turtles but also interesting wildlife like egrets and perhaps a great blue heron or two.Environmental educators from Tidal Influence will lead attendees on a wonderful walk along the levy of the San Gabriel River, which bisects Los Cerritos Wetlands. Attendees will walk through Los Cerritos Wetlands to a spot along the San Gabriel River where the sea turtles love to hang out.For part of our tour, we will view and discuss the Zedler marsh ecosystem while keeping an eye out for local wildlife. Much of our walk will take us through the Signal Hill Petroleum oil operations, where walk attendees will learn about the history of oil extraction and its impact on the wetlands.We will stroll past Calloway marsh, take the PCH bridge over to the western levee, and walk past both privately and publicly owned wetlands on our way back to our meeting spot.

WHAT: Turtle Trek at Los Cerritos Wetlands.

WHEN: Saturday, January 7th, 2022, at 8:00 AM sharp!

The parking lot gate will open at 7:45 am and close at 8:10 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. Kids are welcome, but they must be closely supervised and able to walk for 2 hours without needing to turn back. Closed-toe shoes are required!

WHERE: Meet in the driveway/parking area at the corner of 1st Street and PCH in Seal Beach. Please wear close-toed shoes, and kids under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.RSVP via our Eventbrite link or send us an email.


Also on January 7th, from 10:30 AM-12:30 PM, you are invited to join community-based wetlands restoration. Los Cerritos Wetlands are on their way to being restored and made more attractive because of hard-working folks who volunteer their time to remove invasive plants and other weeds and plant in their place “habitat friendly” native plants. It’s fun; it’s fulfilling and it requires no special skills or experience–just enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. Your contribution of time and effort is vital to the success of the restoration and would be greatly appreciated!For more information or to RSVP email iwanttohelp@tidalinfluence.com.
Join us for a fun holiday gathering December 10th

Join us for a fun holiday gathering December 10th


We are hosting a fun holiday gathering on
Saturday, December 10th from 9 am to noon at the Zedler Marsh area of Los Cerritos Wetlands.


Dear Friend of Los Cerritos Wetlands,

Join us for a holiday celebration where you can check out some of the impressive restoration of Zedler Marsh out at Los Cerritos Wetlands. 
Due to the sensitive habitat of Zedler Marsh, this area is usually off-limits to the public so this is a truly unique opportunity.

As part of the celebration, at 10:30 a.m. attendees will gather to hear the latest about the Pacific Green Sea Turtles who reside in the San Gabriel River from Cassandra Davis, who manages volunteer programs for the Aquarium of the Pacific

“Ms. Davis works directly with volunteers, scientists, and communities to connect them with ocean science. Her areas of expertise include the resident population of green sea turtles found locally in the San Gabriel River and surrounding wetlands and the Aquarium’s volunteer-driven green sea turtle monitoring program. Davis received her master of science degree with a focus on marine science and education in museums, aquariums, and zoos from Oregon State University.“

You will also be able to tour the trail at Zedler Marsh and check the fantastic native plant nursery out on the site. Guided tours of Zedler Marsh will be at 9:30 a.m. and again at 11:30 a.m. Tours will be led by educators from the ecological consulting company Tidal Influence.


I hope you will join us for this fun and informative gathering.


What: Holiday party, sea turtle update, and tours of Zedler Marsh


When: Saturday, December 10th from 9 a.m. to noon


Where: Zedler Marsh at Los Cerritos Wetlands


We urge participants to park at 1st and PCH in Seal Beach by 9:00 a.m. and a staff member will guide you to Zedler Marsh through the wetlands. Alternatively, If you can’t make it by 9 am you have the option of parking in the same area and then walking or biking to Zedler Marsh along the San Gabriel River bike path (be vigilant for fast-moving bikes!).


There is limited space for cars to park at Zedler Marsh but we do have parking for those who are disabled or have mobility issues. Just let us know and we will make arrangements for you.

Please wear closed-toe shoes and rain cancels the event.


RSVP on Eventbrite

Hope to see you there!


Elizabeth Lambe
Executive Director
Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust
Additional protection as development proposals proceed under the new zoning for the lands in and around Los Cerritos Wetlands

Additional protection as development proposals proceed under the new zoning for the lands in and around Los Cerritos Wetlands


One of the good things about the new zoning (known as SEASP) for the lands in and around Los Cerritos Wetlands was the creation of a wetlands mitigation fund. Developers proposing to re-develop land near Los Cerritos Wetlands must pay into that fund to help mitigate the indirect impacts that their higher, denser developments will bring to the area. These impacts will be generated by the increased population around this unique and highly sensitive natural wetlands resource.


The Sensitive Coastal Resource Fee will be $.25 per gross square foot for new (where there is a net increase in square footage) development. Which amounts to a total dollar figure of $670,000. The impact fee applies to approximately 2,547 units and 307,071 gross square feet of non-residential uses.


The fee is derived from calculations focused on the estimated cost of the assumed “impact area,” which would be development adjacent to the Los Cerritos Wetlands, in the amount of 8 acres.


This is an innovative and forward-thinking aspect of the new zoning and we were happy to see it included in the original authorizing vote for SEASP. On Tuesday the City Council voted to put the fee into place. While we wish the amount available for protecting our local wetlands was more, we recognize that the City had to balance legal, conservation, and other issues to come up with the fee amount. And you can be sure we will be working with the City to add to or improve this new mitigation fee ordinance where possible. Click here to see the agenda item that was before the City Council on Tuesday night and here to read our letter of concern.