Opposition to the Department of Fish and Wildlife’s proposal to bulldoze the precious Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve — Los Angeles’s last remaining coastal wetlands — is quickly growing. On Wednesday, a number of leading political figures took part in a Virtual Town Hall event to express their outrage over the proposed plan.
Hosted by In Defense of Animals’ Lisa Levinson, the event featured Ethan Senser (Southern California Organizer, Food & Water Watch, and Food & Water Action), Tony Hale (Executive Board Member of the California Democratic Party and Chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party Resolution Committee), Max Goldberg (Corresponding Secretary of the Pacific Palisades Democratic Club), Marc Saltzberg (Executive Board Member of the West LA Democratic Club), and Dorothy Reik (President of the Progressive Democrats of the Santa Monica Mountains).
Originally put forward as a “restoration project,” detractors believe this is a tactic to conceal the the proposal’s true agenda: repairing gas pipelines below the reserve.
“This cynical ploy to deceive taxpayers has angered environmentalists, conservationists and animal advocates,” said Levinson, “who warn that thousands of animals and plants — many threatened and endangered — would be wiped off the face of the earth if this misguided plan is allowed to go forward.”
“Wetlands are vital carbon-sinks,” she continued. “This is precisely the type of habitat destruction that accelerates climate change. The answer is not to destroy LA’s last coastal wetlands; the answer is to close the destructive gas storage facility.”
An impressive 38 organizations have teamed with In Defense of Animals to denounce the potentially-devastating plans, including Lady Freethinker, the Sierra Club, Los Angeles Audubon Society, Ballona Ecosystem Education Project, Ballona Institute, the Canyon Back Alliance, the Coalition to Preserve LA and the Resource Renewal Institute.
The reserve is currently home to many native wild animals, including endangered and at-risk species like the California gnatcatcher, white-tailed kite, California least tern, Belding’s Savannah sparrow and El Segundo blue butterfly. The proposed construction project would destroy the land these innocent creatures depend upon for survival.
What’s New…
We need to protect our environment and animals.
Please don’t destroy this precious ecosystem. leave it be.
Please don’t destroy this precious ecosystem. leave it be.
Please don’t destroy this precious ecosystem. leave it be.
Do not destroy these essential wetlands by drilling for gas or anything else. These lands cannot be replaced.
This has to stop immediately,nothing good will ever come out of destroying wild life lands , and more….Something wrong and illegal definitely is going on concerning the lives of these wild lives…….Who is really behind all of this ? Is there a reason, for cleaning this earth from wildlife? And only saving a few for cruel circuses, road shows, God the creator of these animals , is doing to show his wrath , like we have never seen before…..I,m going to pray that minds are change for the best, how about all of you out there 🙏🙏
Governing parties & their representatives are only eyeing on how to make more money. Nothing to protect or save the environment or the planet earth. Greed for the money & profit has already destroyed enough of the world. Stop tar sands or deforestation of the natural habitats for the sake of greed.
Aw, come on California! Don’t let this happen!m all for money.
We need to stop destroying the environment and every living thing in it. 🌍🌎🌏
This should NEVER BE ALLOWED. Everyone cries about lost habitats. Maybe for a change these shouldn’t be allowed. The environment is on the brink and still we just talk about protecting places.
PLEASE STOP THE POLLUTING & DESTROYING ANY REMAINING ECO SYSTEMS. #4THEPLANET
PLEASE STOP THE POLLUTING & DESTROYING ANY REMAINING ECO SYSTEMS. #4THEPLANET
We need to stop destroying our wild lands.
Praying for their success.
Don’t be heartless
Please don’t destroy LA’s last coastal wetlands; just close the destructive gas storage facility.”
The killing of dogs and cats to feed the chinese is a revolting practice. There is no need to use animals regarded as pet in the rest of the world for dinner there are poor people in the rest of the world and they manage to exist without eating household pets. The Chinese would eat each other if it were a tasty dish .
Fish and wildlife departments are pretty useless and instead of helping wildlife which they do at times they also cater to polluters and ranchers. It is appalling. Thousands of animals are killed by the USFWS every year. i applaud the activists and wish for them and thus the animals great success. I say thank you to them.
STOP!!!
Places like the small area of wild land in LA are becoming rarer and rarer and must be vigorously protected from all development, whether industrial or real estate. Humans and animals desperately need wilderness!
Dont do this!
please don’t destroy this special environment
please don’t destroy this special environment
Leave it wild.
These wetlands are the last stand for many threatened and rare species, perhaps even the elusive ivory billed woodpecker. Human activities need to be reduced to only a strictly limited number of nature conservationist studies.
When will we learn – it’s humanity that brings species to the brink of extinction, and beyond.
Destroy this vital ecosystem, and every animal and plant will be GONE.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!
People blame cats on our disappearing wildlife – birds, mammals, and reptiles.
It isn’t the cats – it US!
Cats didn’t make the Dusky Sea Sparrow extinct – BULLDOZING THEIR HABITAT DID.
Cats did not make the Ivory-billed Woodpecker extinct – HUMANS DRAINED THEIR WETLANDS.
Are you getting the connection, DFWS? YOU work for US!
So many diverse species depend on that land for their lives.
Hands the F’OFF Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve !!!
This proposal seem ill advised and totally wrong. Haven’t we humans not wreaked enough destruction on our beautiful planet. Other species have a right to exist.
This proposal seem ill advised and totally wrong. Haven’t we humans not wreaked enough destruction on our beautiful planet. Other species have a right to exist.
Nothing justifies destruction of our natural lands or the wildlife. NOTHING!
Slimeballs Will Stop at Nothing to Destroy Precious Wetlands if They Can!
Such a big state with a very long coastline and yet this is the last one. CA is supposed to have good environmental standards or getting better at least. How can they let this happen? We are truly a dangerous and invasive species despite all the good and caring people who exist.
We have to save our precious wetlands from the greed and indifference of man.