| As you likely know, we are busy preparing for the upcoming Coastal Commission hearing, which is scheduled for October 8th, when the new zoning (SEASP) proposed for the lands in and around Los Cerritos Wetlands will be heard. In order to prepare for the Coastal Commission hearing we are hosting one more community briefing, this one featuring Dave Hubbard from Coastal Restoration Consultants. Coastal Restoration Consultants is a consulting company that specializes in planning, managing and implementing large-scale ecological restoration projects. For the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust, Coastal Restoration Consultants reviewed the Sea Level Rise Modeling Study for the SEASP Area and Biological Support for the SEASP, Specifically Mapping of Areas Meeting the Criteria for Environmentally Sensitive Habitat Area (ESHA) within the 1,475-Acre SEASP Area. It’s sounds complicated but it really isn’t. ESHA are lands within the Coastal Zone that merit a higher level of protection from development and other impacts. Therefore, it is important that those fragile and important areas within Los Cerritos Wetlands that deserve that extra protection be fully identified, mapped out, and accounted for. Climate driven changes, including sea level rise, increased flooding, and storm surge that can inundate the wetlands are an important consideration when planning for the future of Los Cerritos Wetlands. Therefore it is vital that decision makers have the latest, most up- to-date information on the potential impacts of sea level rise and these other climate change driven events. I am delighted to share with you that Mr. Hubbard will be providing an overview, virtually, to Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust supporters. He will talk about Coastal Restoration Consultants’ research and what they recommend we advocate for to improve the final SEASP. Mr. Hubbard, co-principal of Coastal Restoration Consultants has an impressive background and has been planning, implementing and monitoring restoration projects for wetlands and other native habitats since 1996. These projects have supported a range of goals ranging from re-establishment of hydrology and native vegetation, improvements in native biodiversity, ecosystem services, rare species habitat, water quality, and invasive species control. Coastal Restoration Consultants’ research is fascinating and I think you will enjoy learning about it. What: Special briefing featuring Dave Hubbard of Coastal Restoration Consultants. When: Monday, October 5th at 7:00PM Why: To learn more about what is being proposed within the zoning update, especially in the areas of ESHA and sea level rise. Email me to rsvp and for information about how to join the October 5th briefing. Also at the meeting will be Terry Watt, our planning and land use advisor, who will help answer any questions you may have. Hope to see you on Monday, October 5th, for our interesting community briefing, and then also on October 8th at the Coastal Commission meeting. I’ll send details about how to attend the Coastal Commission hearing in my next email. |
