Earth Day Ballona Trash Haul with the Friends

Friends of Ballona Wetlands led a cleanup of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve on Saturday, April 19th to mark Earth Day 2014.  Earth Day actually fell on Tuesday, April 22nd, but volunteers are more plentiful on weekends. This is the second trash cleanup led by the Friends in as many months, supported by the Reserve land owner, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.  The infilled upland areas of the Reserve, bisected by Lincoln Boulevard and north of Ballona Creek, have become a dumping ground for trash and stolen bicycles over the years.  The creek carries additional trash from city areas upstream; styrofoam cups being one of the more abundant items discarded carelessly in the streets from Culver City to Griffith Park, all of which drain into Ballona Creek.

Friends’ staff was assisted by The Bay Foundation and L.A. Audubon.  In addition, staff of South Bay Wildlife Rehab participated, and released a recently rehabilitated Red-Tailed Hawk to celebrate the occasion.  A total of 145 volunteers participated, removing almost 250 pounds of trash from the Ballona Creek flood control channel and pulling about 500 pounds of non-native invasive iceplant from Reserve land.  Removing iceplant allows native vegetation to re-establish in cleared areas, growing from seed produced in adjacent areas of native vegetation. Native vegetation in turn supports native animals, such as the rare legless lizard and endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly.

Friends of Ballona Wetlands thanks Southern California Gas Company for their $5,000 sponsorship of the Earth Day event.  Friends of Ballona Wetlands’ mission is to champion the restoration and protection of the Ballona Wetlands, involving and educating the public as advocates and stewards

Enjoy your Ballona Wetlands! 

www.ballonafriends.org