Ballona Wetlands: Freshwater Marsh Trail Restoration Completed

The Ballona Wetlands Conservancy invited a small group of neighborhood representatives to preview the restored Jefferson Trail this Labor Day weekend.
The stretch of trail between Jefferson Boulevard and the Ballona Freshwater Marsh was obliterated by an RV encampment during the Covid pandemic, when the prior L.A. City Councilman suspended parking enforcement along that stretch of the boulevard.

Above: Neighbors preview the restored Jefferson Trail and its renewed vegetation

During that time, campers destroyed vegetation and hundreds of yards of wood fencing, burning it for campfire and cooking fuel. They left a ton of garbage, including seven stolen ATM machines and numerous motorcycle frames which were hauled from the marsh waters.

Above: About 4000 feet of fencing were replaced during the restoration project

The Ballona Wetlands Conservancy is a nonprofit organization formed in 2000 to maintain the Ballona Freshwater Marsh. The Conservancy is funded in perpetuity by fees from Playa Vista businesses. The marsh functions as a biological treatment wetlands for urban runoff from Playa Vista and Westchester’s Kentwood neighborhood. It has become the premier birdwatching location in West Los Angeles.

Above: The Ballona Freshwater Marsh, a constructed treatment wetlands for urban runoff

Current District 11 Councilwoman Traci Park took action started by her predecessor, assisting two neighborhood groups with a $133,000 City grant toward the restoration effort. In fall of 2023, over a hundred volunteers organized by Friends of Ballona Wetlands and Friends of the Jungle replanted a thousand native plants along the trail.

Above: A hundred volunteers planted a thousand native plants along the trail in the fall of 2023

The Conservancy also received a $240,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation for new fencing, trail mulch, interpretive signage, and a few thousand more plants. That work is continuing and should be completed by year’s end.

Conservancy contractor EcoKai manages the work, including replacement of about 4000 feet of fencing around the entire marsh and refreshing the trail’s wood chip surface.

The preview gave neighbors a chance to provide feedback before the public opening. They suggested more trash cans, pet cleanup bags and benches. The lack of parking was also mentioned, but protection of the area with fencing was viewed as essential.

Because future parking on Jefferson is uncertain, alternative parking within Playa Vista is available a few blocks from the Marsh. Parking is also available for a fee under the LA Fitness building.

Overall, the invited neighbors were delighted with the progress and look forward to again enjoying this remarkable neighborhood nature gem.

The area will be reopened to the public in early October. Parking is currently available along Playa Vista’s streets, just a block east of Lincoln Boulevard. Crosswalks to the Marsh are located at the Lincoln Boulevard intersections of Bluff Creek Drive and Jefferson Boulevard. The Santa Monica Blue Bus Route 3 and other buses serve both intersections.

Enjoy your Ballona Wetlands!

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Author’s disclosure of affiliations:

Dr. David W. Kay served on the Board of Directors of the non-profit Friends of Ballona Wetlands from 2007 until 2015, and served as Board President in 2012-13. He presently serves on the Board of Ballona Discovery Park in Playa Vista. Dr. Kay is a staunch advocate for the state of California's plans to restore the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve.

From 1984 until 2022, Dr. Kay was employed by Southern California Edison Company, exclusively in the company's environmental services organizations. His many responsibilities included restoration of the 440-acre San Dieguito Wetlands near Del Mar. He retired in 2022 as Senior Manager for Major Project Environmental Management at the company, after 38 years of service.

Dr. Kay earned bachelor and masters degrees in biology and a doctorate in environmental science.

See Dr. Kay’s Patch Community Contributor profile here.