Club pushes for Ballona Wetlands to become state park

More than 600 acres of land at the Ballona Wetlands is now in public hands and safe. Or is it? Title of the land did change hands from Playa Vista developers and is now owned by the state of California. But Sierra Club activists know from many decades of experience protecting Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, and many other public treasures, that the work of protecting this special place where the Los Angeles River and several other streams converge continues, only in a different direction.

photo: Marty Rubin The author leading one of his monthly walking tours of the Ballona Wetlands. To participate, meet at the Pacific Avenue parking lot of Del Rey Lagoon Park at 2pm the first Sunday of the month. Call 310-821-9045 for reservations or information. Tour last approximately two and a half hours.

That's why we started the Sierra Club Ballona Wetlands Restoration Committee. The committee, during its meeting last year, has determined that one of the most important priorities is to transfer the land, now owned by two different state agencies, into the California State Parks department, which-by legal mandate-would provide the most protective measures and management possible.

There are a number of reasons that such a designation makes sense. One of which is that State Parks already has an important presence in the nearby Baldwin Hills, as well as at the west end of the Ballona Wetlands at Dockweiler State Beach.

Another reason, of course, is State Parks' traditional mandate for optimum protection of natural resources, including special support for endangered species. Such protection can be readily observed at Año Nuevo State Reserve, Point Dume Natural Preserve, Malibu Creek State Park, and many other locations in the state.

At Ballona there are also important archaeological and historical features on the land now owned by the state, including native village sites of the First Nation people who lived at Ballona and also a historical red-car trolley line, which committee members are interested in seeing restored-for historical purposes, for park and nature interpretation, and also for local transit needs in the communities surrounding Ballona. State Parks is the only resource agency that has a clear and designated mission for preservation and interpretation of such sites.

At a state wetlands reserve so close to millions of Los Angeles families and school children, it is also extremely important that there be an on-site presence of nature interpretation and security. State Parks rangers will help provide these services, giving Southern Californians and visitors to our region an understanding and appreciation of the importance of the largest remaining coastal wetland ecosystem in Los Angeles County.