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California wetlands are protected at the federal/state level and conserved by local communities. The seven conservation efforts below barely scratch the surface to the amount of regulations, organizations, and agencies that are dedicated to protecting wetland habitats. However, we want to highlight the results and the scale of these conservation efforts in restoring wetlands.
California wetlands are protected at the federal/state level and conserved by local communities. The seven conservation efforts below barely scratch the surface to the amount of regulations, organizations, and agencies that are dedicated to protecting wetland habitats. However, we want to highlight the results and the scale of these conservation efforts in restoring wetlands.
Interact with the video, pictures, and maps to learn more.
Interact with the video, pictures, and maps to learn more.
Tongva Tribe
Tongva Tribe
The Gabrelino-Tongva tribe is the original steward of Californian land. The tribe's name means "People of the Earth." Their efforts in preserving nature and restoring their sacred sites, the Kuruvungna Springs, have pushed for the conservation of wetlands in California.
Source: Audubon Society, Wikipedia
Source: Friends of Ballona Wetlands
Friends of Ballona Wetlands
Friends of Ballona Wetlands
The Friends of Ballona Wetlands' mission is to restore the once farmed wetlands and educate the communities about the benefits of their conservation involvement. As such, the non-profit organization provides opportunities, such as field trips, tours, internships, volunteering, and summer camps, for visitors of all ages to appreciate and preserve the beauty of the wetlands.
Huntington Beach Wetlands Restoration Plan
Huntington Beach Wetlands Restoration Plan
Restoring historic marshes is vital in providing refuge for migratory birds and juvenile fishes. The Huntington Beach Restoration Program gather volunteers to plant pickleweeds and other native plants that are home to Savannah sparrows (P. sandwichensis), snowy egrets (E. thula), and many more! The picture on the right shows the before and after of the 2009 restoration program.
Source: CA Coastal Commission
Coastal Cleanup Day
Coastal Cleanup Day
The California Coastal Commission created this annual cleanup event to gather over 60,000 volunteers. Volunteers from a variety of organizations, clubs, and communities pick up trash and recyclables along beaches, bays, rivers and creeks in California. The upcoming event on September 26, 2020 will be its 35th annual cleanup.
Contact coast4u@coastal.ca.gov to find a site near you.
Source: Map from CA Coastal Commission
Photos by Bob Wick, the Bureau of Land Management
State Coastal Conservancy
State Coastal Conservancy
The State Coastal Conservancy created an exhaustive, public map to view past and ongoing projects within California. Most of the projects funded by the SCC are around wetlands such as the Ballona Creek Litter Collection Project, the Ballona Wetlands Dunes Restoration or the DeForest and Dominguez Gap Wetland: Final Design Project.
Source: State Coastal Conservancy
Photo by Gary Kramer
Laws and Regulations
Laws and Regulations
The Clean Water Act regulates the surface water quality and pollutant particles in water bodies, which includes wetlands. Under the CWA, government agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency manage civil construction projects and enact laws to protect wetlands through funding or educational programs.
Source: SWAMP
Clean Water Team
Clean Water Team
The Clean Water Team under the Surface Water Ambient Monitoring Program is a citizen science project. Volunteers work together with their coordinators to measure water quality, monitor birds, and evaluate aquatic habitats. The program provides workshops to learn monitoring techniques and webinars about its projects.
To learn more about citizen monitoring, click here. To contact a local project, click here.
ReferencesMyWaterQuality. (2020). What Laws, Regulations, And Policies Protect The Wetlands?. Retrieved 12 June 2020, from https://www.mywaterquality.ca.gov/eco_health/wetlands/improvements/regulations.html. The Tongva. (2015). Retrieved 12 June 2020, from https://smbasblog.com/the-tongva/
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