A white-tailed kite perches in the Ballona Wetlands
Photo by Jonathan Coffin
Monday, Feb. 5, is the deadline to comment on the official record about the state’s restoration plans for the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials unveiled the preliminary environmental analysis for four restoration options in September and took verbal comments during a packed Nov. 8 meeting in Marina del Rey. Local wetlands advocates remain divided over what the goals of the restoration should be and the scope of work for what could be a $182-million project.
View the report at the Playa Vista, Marina del Rey or Westchester-Loyola Village libraries or online at wildlife.ca.gov/Regions/5. Email comments to BWERcomments@wildlife.ca.gov before 5 p.m. Monday.
In the EIR circulating for Ballona, only Alternative No. 1, the “Naturalized Creek” full tidal restoration plan, accomplishes all of the goals established for Ballona over 17 years and counting of public dialogue and stakeholder input. Any choice other than Alternative No. 1 falls short and is settling for half a loaf, rather than reaching for the whole. I urge all Argonaut readers to not only support, but to actively advocate for the Ballona full tidal restoration plan, including its Public Access Plan, which will create the second largest publicly accessible open space area in the City of Los Angeles – second only to Griffith Park. The Public Access Plan will create 6 miles of new bike paths, 2 miles of new footpaths, benches, trash cans, restrooms and, yes, parking, all constructed on the fringes of sensitive habitat, but with opportunities to get up close and personal with nature. It’s all good.