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The beach bluffs of Redondo Beach are undergoing a very
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California poppy, Ann Dalkey |
important and much needed ecological revamping through the replacement of the current exotic ice plant cover with a diverse community of native shrubs and wildflowers. This project, known as the Beach Bluffs Restoration Project (BBRP), is a partnership between governmental agencies, including the City of Redondo Beach, non-profit organizations, educational organizations, and local citizens with the goal of revegetating all coastal bluffs along the Santa Monica Bay from Malaga Cove to Ballona Creek.
Benefits of this project are numerous. Through the varied types, colors, and sizes of native shrubs and wildflowers, the project will provide natural beauty to the landscape, reduce erosion, and provide new habitat for native wildlife, including the endangered El Segundo blue butterfly. Additionally, the BBRP will also educate visitors about the history and ecology of the area through the use of interpretive signs highlighting local natural history, restoration plantings, and local wildlife. The project includes a native plant nursery at the Redondo Beach SEA Laboratory to provide specimens for the BBRP and serve as a young adult job training center. In Redondo Beach, plans to incorporate improvements to the Esplanade area into the project are underway.
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Common hairstreak, Ann Dalkey |
Before the official BBRP is launched, a pilot restoration project, located on County land in Redondo Beach, began last October. Redondo Beach was chosen for the pilot program due to the strong support of Redondo Beach elected officials and residents. This pilot restoration will be implemented adjacent to the beach near the recent Los Angeles County Department of Beaches and Harbors infrastructure improvement project in Torrance that has native landscaping incorporated into the project design. The significance of the Beach Bluffs Restoration Project is that it is a multifaceted project involving a diverse group of participants aiming to regain lost native habitat and improve the aesthetics of our beaches while addressing the educational, public awareness, and job training needs of our community. And, it is all beginning here in Redondo Beach. Additional information on the project can be found at www.urbanwildlands.org/bbrp.html.
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Image compliments of California Coastal Records Project, www.californiacoastline.org, Copyright © 2002-2003 Kenneth Adelman. |
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