Below is the letter that EcoLink sent to the Mayor and City Council about the new Land Swap. This whole deal is exciting and we are enthused to see it progress intelligently and inclusively!
February 2, 2009
Re: Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Swap 2.0
Dear Mayor Foster and Long Beach City Council members:
We appreciate City staff and elected representatives for the hard and creative work of negotiating complex environmental and real estate issues involved in the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Swap. In these difficult economic times, it is exciting to see pro-activity with such important ramifications for our bio-region. Preserving these vital wetlands furthers the City’s commitment to our environmental health.
While we applaud the conservation, restoration and recreation of our wetlands, it would be irresponsible of us as stakeholders and invested community members to allow this deal to proceed without review and comment. The long-term consequences of this proposal require an open and honest airing of interests and concerns.
Questions which need to be explored include:
1. What is the motivation behind negotiating this deal in sections -- splitting the Los Cerritos Wetlands complex?
2. Why can’t the City retain the mineral rights and fully own the land?
3. If the current landowner does end up with the mineral rights, wouldn’t it be appropriate for them to accept responsibility for the hazmat cleanup after the oil is gone?
4. What is the City’s plan for this property after acquisition? Is it being acquired for eventual transfer to the Los Cerritos Wetland Authority, and are there plans for using the land for easing traffic congestion on 2ndSt?
5. What are the limits of the Coastal Commission’s power to curtail development on this property, due to its high probability of being classified as a wetland?
6. Has there been provision made to reserve a portion of the S. F. Yard as an easement to continue the L.A. River corridor for recreation and for wildlife?
Please consider providing a venue for community dialogue much like the constructive recent Breakwater workshops ably moderated by Councilman Patrick O’Donnell. We would be glad to assist in this effort.
Truly,
C. R. Ward, Chair
ECO-Link
Friday, February 6, 2009
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Salt Marsh Plant #5: Salt Marsh Dodder- Cuscuta Salina
Okay, I haven't posted in a while but here's another plant...
It’s orange. It sinks it’s ‘teeth’ into another plant. It ‘smells’ other plants. No roots. It looks like it has no leaves. It is quick to search out a victim.
This is a plant, right?
Cuscuta salina is a parasite in the salt-marsh, visible by the tangled mats of orange wrapped amongst the green pickleweed stems. Maybe we need to clarify some things before we talk about Cuscuta proper. First a parasite isn’t necessarily bad; parasites don’t kill their host (well, sometimes I suppose), they need the host to live. A parasitoid kills the host; a parasite needs the host for all of their own nutrition. For this plant, parasitism gives it its unique characteristics. It is orange because it doesn’t get nutrition from the sun but rather from the water and nutrients made from the sun in other plants. To do this, Cuscuta has haustoria (teeth) that puncture the host plant tissue and, like a vampire, suck out a bunch of that goodness (but not too much because then it would kill it).
What is fun about this plant- other than it being orange- is that it grows from one of the gazillion little seeds put out by the fruit, quickly shooting into the air and then searching for the nearest green thing to attach itself to. How it does this is through ‘smelling’ its host. There are airborne chemicals produced by its favorite plant(s) and the Dodder will follow its ‘nose’ to the source. Once attached, the roots are no longer necessary and they shrivel up and go away.
This particular species has an affinity for halophytes (salt-marsh plants). It too can live with salt (not too hard, I would imagine, for a plant that doesn’t have roots) but, more importantly, it likes the smell of salty plants. I see it on top of all the salt marsh plants but mostly on pickleweed. This is one my favorites to show kids because it looks like silly string.
It is in the Convolvulaceae family, related to Morning Glory. It has really pretty, itty-bitty white flowers when it blossoms in the summer.
I am attaching a link that has much better photos and more technical verbiage. And a video that takes forever to download but is kinda cool. http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/dodder.htm
Oh and the photo above is from the Aquarium of the Pacific - an amazing place in Long Beach to learn about Marine everything! And they have Sea Lions which is never bad.
This is a plant, right?
Cuscuta salina is a parasite in the salt-marsh, visible by the tangled mats of orange wrapped amongst the green pickleweed stems. Maybe we need to clarify some things before we talk about Cuscuta proper. First a parasite isn’t necessarily bad; parasites don’t kill their host (well, sometimes I suppose), they need the host to live. A parasitoid kills the host; a parasite needs the host for all of their own nutrition. For this plant, parasitism gives it its unique characteristics. It is orange because it doesn’t get nutrition from the sun but rather from the water and nutrients made from the sun in other plants. To do this, Cuscuta has haustoria (teeth) that puncture the host plant tissue and, like a vampire, suck out a bunch of that goodness (but not too much because then it would kill it).
What is fun about this plant- other than it being orange- is that it grows from one of the gazillion little seeds put out by the fruit, quickly shooting into the air and then searching for the nearest green thing to attach itself to. How it does this is through ‘smelling’ its host. There are airborne chemicals produced by its favorite plant(s) and the Dodder will follow its ‘nose’ to the source. Once attached, the roots are no longer necessary and they shrivel up and go away.
This particular species has an affinity for halophytes (salt-marsh plants). It too can live with salt (not too hard, I would imagine, for a plant that doesn’t have roots) but, more importantly, it likes the smell of salty plants. I see it on top of all the salt marsh plants but mostly on pickleweed. This is one my favorites to show kids because it looks like silly string.
It is in the Convolvulaceae family, related to Morning Glory. It has really pretty, itty-bitty white flowers when it blossoms in the summer.
I am attaching a link that has much better photos and more technical verbiage. And a video that takes forever to download but is kinda cool. http://www.swarthmore.edu/NatSci/cpurrin1/dodder.htm
Oh and the photo above is from the Aquarium of the Pacific - an amazing place in Long Beach to learn about Marine everything! And they have Sea Lions which is never bad.
Enjoy
Taylor
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