The Ballona Wetlands are located on the coast of the Santa Monica Bay south of Santa Monica. The wetlands once included Marina del Rey, Venice, Playa Vista, but are now contained to a small area west of Playa Vista. The area began as sand dunes were created from wind and sand, and water filled in and around the dunes creating the marshland. About 8,000 years ago the first humans were introduced to the Ballona. Its great resources made it the ideal place to settle down. Around 1820, mestizo ranchers established the Ballona Wetlands as their cattle grazing lands. Fourteen thousand acres were claimed, and this began the never-ending battle between the natural landscape and human impact. The invention of the car in the 1920s made the Ballona Wetlands even more accessible to outsiders. The discovery of oil in Los Angeles, the growing motion picture industry, and lots of tourism began to take a toll on the wetlands.
Wetlands are areas of flat land, most of which are filled with water. Some wetlands are saturated through the entire year and others are seasonal. The level of saturation determines the types of soil, plants, and animals that exist in each type of wetland. The Ballona Wetlands are home to a large group of plant and animal species, including about 300 bird species that can be seen living in the wetlands.
The Ballona Wetlands are classified by a diverse collection of habitats. These habitats are distinguished by the behavior and existence of water in each area. The types of habitats include estuarine, freshwater, riparian, seasonally flooded, and upland. Estuarine marshes contain salt pans which are areas for salt water from the ocean to fill. Fresh water from rainfall creates ponds in the estuaries as well. Freshwater and riparian marshes collect water from a source like a river and store a deep pool of fresh water. Seasonal wetlands are areas that are too high in elevation to benefit from water sources. They depend on rainfall to sustain life. Upland marshes do not have any specific classification because they are typically invaded by non-native species.
One reason why the wetlands are so important is the sheer amount of diversity in plant and animal species that live there. As the wetlands disappear to urban development, the small haven for wildlife in a huge industrialized city such as LA shrinks even smaller and these species of animals and plants have nowhere to live and thrive. Furthermore, birds use wetlands as a resting point during their migratory journey North. Wetlands serve as a temporary refuge, where they can rest, eat, and rejuvenate. The entire trip would be nearly impossible without wetlands to serve as stops.
More directly related to humans, wetlands act as a natural water purifier. The chemicals and unnatural substances that seep into the ground from the surrounding city are processed by organisms living in the wetlands. The water that runs into the ocean nearby is therefore cleaner. Furthermore, the water that fills the wetlands reaches underground local water supplies for the people living in the area, helping with the drought problem that is occurring.
The first major development that occurred in the area was the construction of Marina del Rey, which destroyed over 900 acres of wetlands. Since then, many more acres have been consumed by further development. The acreage of all of the types of marshes (estuarine, freshwater, riparian, seasonal, and upland) has decreased immensely over time. The small portion of the Ballona Wetlands that still exists is greatly threatened by human interaction, more than just development.
The runoff from all of Los Angeles makes its way into the Santa Monica Bay, and that same water is what fills the wetlands. There are a multitude of contaminants in the water from LA’s urban society that pollute the water supply, and wildlife that grows in the wetlands. Furthermore, humans have introduced foreign plant species, animal species, and microbes to the Ballona Wetlands. These non-native species easily adapt to a new environment that lack their natural predator, and eventually replace the native species. Whether it happens intentionally or accidentally, introduction of species for food, landscaping, travel, and importation of animals, food, and plants greatly affects the delicate ecosystem.
With the progress made by organizations like the Friends of Ballona Wetlands, there is an optimistic outlook for the Ballona Wetlands. Although an incredible amount of the historical wetlands have been covered by huge condominiums, office buildings, and various other developments, it looks as if the remaining wetlands are here to stay. That accomplishment alone is the single most important battle that has been won. For example, in 1976, plans were drawn to develop The Summa Corporation Playa del Vista. Howard Hughes had passed on his property to his family, which included much of the Ballona Wetlands (the plan would destroy all but 72 acres of the 1,187 acres of wetlands). The Ballona Friends began a movement against the plan, claiming it broke the rules of the California Coastal Act. The land was then sold to a corporation who gave up much of the land and paid for significant restoration.
Activist groups like the Friends of Ballona Wetlands and the Ballona Wetlands Foundation have continued to fight multiple development projects and have made the preservation of the Wetlands a top priority. The state has purchased many acres of land from its owners and has even been donated land, reaching a total of 600 protected acres. Although the land is protected, the issue of restoration is still an issue. To this day, these organizations alongside the Coastal Conservancy have worked to restore the protected wetlands. To control the ocean tide and protect the low-lying wetlands from flooding, a tide gate was built. Due to the construction of a new riparian channel, wildlife that had disappeared from the wetlands has begun to return.
The sad truth is that a significant portion of the natural Ballona Wetlands is lost. However, there is still a cause to fight for as issues still arise with developers and their desire to build in the prime location of the Ballona Wetlands. The future of the ecosystem depends on the people who care to protect the natural habitat. When Dream Works Studios wanted to build a studio in the area, grassroots organizations like Friends of Ballona helped stop the construction. Animal rights activists fight to allow non-native species like the red fox to breed in the area, which would severely disrupt the delicate ecosystem. As long as volunteers continue to fight on behalf of these precious wetlands, they will continue to grow and prosper.
On an individual scale, the easiest and most effective way to help protect the ecosystem is to get hands on and volunteer. Friends of Ballona is always looking for volunteers to help clean up trash and debris, and to help replant native species and get rid of non-natives. Most importantly, educating people on the negative affects of the demise of the Ballona Wetlands and the actions that should be taken to protect them will save this natural habitat.
References
Ballona Wetlands Land Trust. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.
< http://www.ballona.org/>.
Ballona Wetlands Restoration Project. Web. 12 Nov. 2011.
<http://www.santamonicabay.org/smbay/ProgramsProjects/HabitatRestorationProject/BallonaWetlandsRestoration/tabid/149/Default.aspx>
Coastal Mitigation in Southern California: The Need for a Regional Restoration Strategy. Joy B. Zedler. Ecological Applications , Vol. 6, No. 1 (Feb., 1996), pp. 84-93
Earthways Foundation. Web. 19 Nov. 2011.
< http://www.earthways.org/ballonawetlands/>
Friends of Ballona Wetlands. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. <http://www.ballonafriends.org/>.
Greenwashed: Developers, Environmental Consciousness, and the Case of Playa Vista; Parlow, Matthew J. 35 B.C. Envtl. Aff. L. Rev. 513 (2008)
Pelikan, Matthew, ed. "Birding the Ballona Wetlands." American Birding Association: Winging It 17 (Apr. 2005): 2. Web.
"Project: Science to Support Regional Wetland Assessment and Uncertainties in Wetland Restoration." Southern California Coastal Water Research Project. Web. 19 Nov. 2011. <http://www.sccwrp.org/ResearchAreas/RegionalMonitoring/WetlandRegionalMonitoring/IntegratedRegionalAssessment/WRPScienceAdvisoryPanelSupport.aspx>.
