Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust

The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust works to protect and preserve Los Cerritos Wetlands which is a rare and valuable ecosystem located in South East Long Beach. With the vast majority of coastal wetlands lost forever to development and infrastructure it is important we protect those that remain. Los Cerritos Wetlands is home to several threatened and endangered species and by preserving and restoring wetlands habitat we help bring back species on the brink of extinction. Furthermore, we provide significant community benefits. We host monthly free-of-charge guided wetlands nature walks lead by trained naturalists so that community members, students, scout groups, and Boys and Girls Clubs can attend walks and learn about the natural world. It is unusual to have such an important piece of natural open space located within such an urban setting. We initiated a unique educational program in order to serve youth and their families who live in some of Long Beach's most urban neighborhoods. Because we believe that access to the natural world is a right for all, not just for those with the resources to travel, we provide field trips for third-grade classrooms in Title 1 schools as well as host participants' in Long Beach BeSAFE summertime programming (in partnership with Long Beach Parks and Rec.) This program enables children who live in the most crowded parts of Long Beach to spend time in nature learning about the value of wetlands and the importance of environmental stewardship.

Testimonials

The Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust hosts elementary school classrooms with educational trips to Zedler Marsh which is located at Los Cerritos Wetlands. The vast majority of those students have never traveled to a wetlands habitat and engaged in numerous educational activities led by the ecologists and staff of Tidal Influence. To get a glimpse into the impact of these trips, we interviewed Ms. Marguerite Espinoza, who attended a field trip with her 3rd-grade class.

LCWLT: How long have you been teaching?
Marguerite: I have been teaching for 25 years in the SAUSD and at Heroes Elementary School for 12 years.
LCWLT: What are some of the activities that the students took part in at Los Cerritos Wetlands?
Marguerite: The students enthusiastically took part in the flower pressing, mud balls, and the food chain cycle.
LCWLT: What information did your students learn about wetlands habitat that they did not know before?
Marguerite: Many students had never been to the Los Cerritos Wetlands, so the overall experience was exciting for them. They learned about the names of various plants and insects, the importance of the wetlands and how various creatures depend on wetlands, and how the community can become involved in saving them. They also learned about the process of the wetlands food chain.