| Wetlands Restoration Plan
With the completion of the Brookhurst
Marsh restoration and channel dredging projects in 2009, the
Conservancy turned its attention to the 41-acre long-degraded Magnolia
Marsh. We applied for and received in July 2009 a $3.44 million
federal stimulus grant to fund the Magnolia restoration. The
Conservancy was one of 50 successful applications out of more than 300
submitted to NOAA, our funding agency. On June 30, 2009 Dr. Jane
Lubchenco, Undersecretary of Commerce and NOAA administrator, visited
our project to make the national announcement of the habitat
restoration grants program.
The restoration of the Magnolia Marsh involves excavation of about
40,000 cubic yards of fill to recreate the historical channel system,
removal of the seeward levee of the Huntington flood control channel
to restore tidal influence, and re-vegetation of islands to support
nesting of the endangered Belding’s savannah sparrow.
For a look at the progress of our project, visit the NOAA website
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/habitat/restoration/webcam.html.
Prior to
commencement of excavation, NOAA installed a “webcam” high on the AES
power plant. The camera shows a current view in real time, as well as
snapshots taken during the course of the project. More information
about NOAA and the Recovery Act habitat restoration projects is
available at the website.
Public access and education in the value of coastal wetlands are also
important elements in the Magnolia Marsh project. A raised observation
deck will extend out over a tidal pond, and a boat dock will be
installed for on-the-water tours of the marsh. Both will be a short
walk from our interpretive center. An interpretive trail system will
extend around the perimeter of the marsh.
While re-vegetation of the marsh will continue through 2010, the
observation deck and boat dock, and full tidal influence, will be
completed in time for our public grand opening celebration set for
April 17.
Click here for more
photos.
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Commerce Undersecretary Dr. Jane Luchenco
at Magnolia Marsh Project Kickoff June 30, 2009
Media at Magnolia Levee Opening April 26, 2010
Magnolia Marsh Restoration Project April 2009
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Interpretive Center
 Public
education and their participation in the protection of native wildlife and
the restoration of wetlands habitat is one of our key goals. To increase
public awareness of the continuing need for wildlife and habitat
protection we began development of a plan to create an Interpretive Center
here in Huntington Beach where the public can learn about the care of
wildlife and the restoration and maintenance of wetlands.
In 2008 the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy, the Wetlands and
Wildlife Care Center of Orange County and their environmental
interpretation and education consultant, The Acorn Group, began
development of an interpretive center master plan. The Acorn Group worked
closely with members of both organizations throughout the planning
process. An interpretive planning session helped guide development of
content and establish the foundation for the exhibit design work. As an
outcome of that session, an interpretive summary was produced, defining
the overall interpretive theme, six subthemes, messages, and visitor
goals.
Based on the direction established in that document, The Acorn Group
prepared the interpretive center master plan which can be viewed at the
link provided here. This document includes a
detailed floor plan, exhibit perspectives, narrative description of the
exhibits, and other elements that will help the Conservancy and Care
Center move forward into the design development phase.
Native Plant Nursery
Part of the mission
statement of the Huntington Beach Wetlands Conservancy is restoration of
native habitat. To that end, the Conservancy, as part of its involvement
in the Orange Coast River Park (OCRP), hosts the OCRP native plant
nursery. The nursery, located within the Conservancy’s site at PCH and
Newland, will be instrumental in helping restore native species to local
area wetlands including the Huntington Beach Wetlands and both wetlands
and uplands within the OCRP along the Santa Ana River. The nursery has
been established specifically to propagate native plants to be used for
restoration projects in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.
While the targeted wetland and upland properties cover many plant
communities, wetland species will be the initial focus of the plant
propagation efforts. Having a local nursery that focuses on wetland
species is significant since it will minimize the cost of plant stock
needed for restoration projects, provide a stable and reliable source of
replacement plant stock, and insure that the plants used for these
restorations have come from locally native seeds and cuttings. The nursery
is a volunteer-based project, which provides a unique opportunity for
members of the community to be involved in directly impacting the habitat
of local coastal areas.
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