Community members rally against Ballona Wetlands bulldozing plan

Defend Ballona Wetlands is holding a rally and news conference Thursday in Los Angeles ahead of a California Department of Fish and Wildlife meeting on the future of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Opponents say the agency’s revised restoration plan would use heavy machinery in a fragile habitat that supports about 1,700 species.

Why it matters: - The Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve is one of the last large coastal wetlands in Los Angeles County, and community members say heavy machinery could damage a fragile ecosystem with nowhere else for wildlife to go. - The dispute is shaping how California manages public land it bought for conservation, with residents arguing that “restoration” should not mean bulldozing habitat. - The outcome could affect wildlife habitat, public access, and how the state handles future land-management decisions at Ballona.

What happened: - Defend Ballona Wetlands members plan a news conference and rally at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 9, in Los Angeles before a California Department of Fish and Wildlife public meeting. - The event, called “Citizens Gather in Green to Speak for Wildlife,” will take place at 7166 W. Manchester Ave., Los Angeles, California 90045. - The group is protesting a CDFW proposal it says would bulldoze the wetlands in the name of restoration. - Marcia Hanscom, founder of Defend Ballona Wetlands, said the land should be protected rather than bulldozed and noted that California paid $139 million for the property in 2002. - Hanscom said the state bought the land to protect the habitat and the wildlife dependent on it.

The details: - A judge invalidated the CDFW plan’s Environmental Impact Report three years ago. - Residents now fear the agency is returning with a revised plan that still relies on heavy machinery to clear the wetlands. - CDFW says the public meeting is intended to help determine how to manage the reserve, which covers about one square mile near the Pacific Ocean. - The wetlands are home to roughly 1,700 species of wildlife, and surrounding development leaves those species few, if any, alternative places to live. - CDFW officials have framed part of the discussion around the question, “What does ‘protect’ mean to you?” - Defend Ballona Wetlands says “protect” means no heavy machinery and no decade-long land-clearing effort that could cost $400 million and reduce wildlife. - The group has proposed a 20-point “Gentle Restoration” plan that it says would meet restoration goals without heavy equipment. - Community recommendations include a thorough baseline survey of flora and fauna. - The recommendations also call for protections for rare, threatened and endangered species. - The proposal rejects bulldozers, excavators and other heavy equipment that could disturb fragile soils. - The group wants state decision-makers to stop transporting and injecting fossil gas at Ballona. - The plan calls for land management that protects the site from outside harms, including fireworks. - Defend Ballona Wetlands wants monthly meetings with stakeholders, CDFW and other agencies. - The group also wants schools involved in studying how the ecosystem currently functions. - The recommendations point to an earlier Interim Management and Public Access report and call for opening potential trails with stakeholder input. - The group wants an Indigenous Tribal Council for Ballona made up of elders from Indigenous people for the LA coast. - The proposal includes recovery teams for species such as roadrunner, jack rabbit, California quail, horned lizard, garter snake, Ballona cinquefoil and saltmarsh bird’s beak. - The plan also suggests three overlook towers on Ballona Creek levees near Areas A, B and C, with wheelchair and senior-citizen access. - Defend Ballona Wetlands says photos on its social media may be republished by media. - The group lists Marcia Hanscom as the contact for the rally and news conference. - The contact number provided is +1 310-877-2634. - The group’s social media page is Defend Ballona Wetlands.

Between the lines: - The fight is not just about one project. It reflects a broader clash over whether habitat restoration should prioritize aggressive landscape engineering or minimal intervention. - The community’s message suggests growing distrust of state-led restoration plans after the prior environmental review was thrown out in court. - By offering a detailed alternative plan, opponents are trying to show they support conservation while rejecting industrial-scale construction.

What's next: - CDFW’s meeting will likely become the next major test of public support for, or resistance to, the revised wetlands plan. - Community members say they will press their case both at the rally and during the agency meeting. - Any final decision on the wetlands could determine whether the state moves ahead with heavy equipment or shifts toward a lower-impact restoration approach.

The bottom line: - The Ballona Wetlands fight has become a referendum on how California defines “restoration” at one of its most fragile coastal habitats.