User:Lcveletter/Los Cerritos Wetlands

Environment and Wildlife
Los Cerritos Wetlands consists of two functioning marshes (Steamshovel Slough and Zedler Marsh), plus a number of seasonal brackish ponds, all with an abundance of wildlife. '''The Zedler Marsh portion of the wetlands have multiple plant communities: adjacent uplands, coastal sage scrub, alkaline grasslands, willow/mulefat thicket, and salt marsh. Stratification influences. They are''' home to several endangered species, including the Belding's Savannah sparrow, California least tern, California brown pelican, wandering skipper, and the tiger beetle.

'The Salicornia pacifica'' is where the endangered Savannah Sparrow nests, making it an essential plant species. In 2010, a survey done by the state of California found that there were hatchlings in Monanthochloe littorali at the Los Cerritos Wetlands. To name some other dominant plants there are the Distichilis spicata, Baccharis salicifolia, Frankenia salina, Jaumea carnosa, and Batis Maritima'''. A number of special status species protected under other acts also inhabit the wetlands, like the C''entromadia parryi ssp. australis'', as well as many common plants and animals typical of a California coastal salt marsh habitat.

Most of the remaining open space, once a thriving wetlands consisting of tidal salt marshes, lagoons, bays and alkali meadows where the San Gabriel River flows into the Pacific Ocean, is currently privately owned and used for oil operations. With climate change and its impacts becoming more prevalent, the phenology at Los Cerritos Wetlands has started to become disrupted. Rising sea levels related to climate change threaten to drown the marsh and wetland forever. This will be exacerbated if levees are removed to allow additional seawater to enter this ecosystem. '''Increased salt water can change the dynamic The dynamic of the wetlands can be impacted by the introduction of an increased amount of salt water. Overall, every aspect of the marsh can reflect the effects of climate change. More than 90% of California wetlands have been destroyed due to urbanization, agriculture, and manipulation of local watersheds. Any remaining wetland is considered to be threatened because of all these factors. There is a lack of viable wetlands that can support native and migrating fauna. This is why a coalition of public and private entities are working together to protect, purchase, and restore the remaining roughly 500 acres of Los Cerritos'''.

Restoration project
The cities of Long Beach and Seal Beach, the California Coastal Conservancy, the Rivers and Mountains Conservancy several local businesses, grassroots and community groups, and citizens are working to protect, purchase and restore the remaining acreage of the Los Cerritos Wetlands.

172 acre of land has been acquired by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority; a total of 255.67 acre within the wetland boundaries are now public lands. The official community-based restoration “kick off” began September 19, 2009, with the Los Cerritos Wetlands Stewardship Program’s Zedler Marsh Cleanup Day event. Regular habitat restoration days have since been held. A conceptual restoration plan for the entire Los Cerritos Wetlands complex is underway.

'''In September 2023, Los Cerritos Wetlands Authority revealed its plans to restore 54 acres of the south side of the wetlands. This will be the first phase of their goal to restore and provide public access to 103.5 acres in total out of the available 503 acres. LCWA received a $31.8 million grant from the California State Coastal Conservancy to fund the restoration. Flood management, removing invasive species, reconnecting the wetlands to the tidal flow, planting native vegetation, and providing public access with new paths will be the main focus. The starting date for this project is estimated to be around Fall 2025. '''