LA BALLONA WETLANDS
by Tennessee
A picture from our visit to the La Ballona Wetlands in July 2011.
These wetlands empty into the Pacific Ocean, and are located in Playa Del Rey (a subdivision of Los Angeles). They were formed many years ago, when California was still a part of the Territories. Since then, they have steadily been crowded with population. Howard Hughes had a small garage built for his airplane in the wetlands, which polluted to surrounding area. But in 1960, the subdivision Marina Del Rey was built over the wetlands, destroying 900 acres of it. Now the wetlands are protected from construction, but back then there were no such protections.
The wetlands are mostly foliage with a river running through it. Many animals (especially birds) live in the wetlands. I’ve seen herons, rattlesnakes, bullfrogs, ducks, ants, bees and geckos. Other animals (such as geese, snowy egret, killifish, California least tern, and the savannah sparrow) also inhabit the area.
The water of the wetlands comes from the Ballona Creek, the ocean, rain, and runoff from land. Recently, Los Angeles has taken more notice of the wetlands, and fenced it off to protect it from pollution. There are water filters in place, and rangers check on the wetlands often. The wetlands seem to be rebuilding well, and will continue to with our help. The wetlands are an example of how nature can coexist with civilization. They have stood for a long time, and will continue to stand in the future.
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