For the past 8 years, Level 7 Environmental Biology students have visited the Ballona Wetlands to learn from this unique ecosystem. Our commitment to caring for the wetlands is our way of giving back to the community.

On our first visit in October, we watched snails slowly slide across rocks, lizards scurry into the underbrush, and kingfishers dive into the creek for a mid-morning snack. We began to identify some of the plants native to the wetlands, such as pickleweed, lemonade berry, and California sage. We had already visited Kenneth Hahn State Park earlier in the week and viewed some similar plants. It's fascinating to see how plants can adapt to such diverse habitats that are only a few miles apart!

We will continue to visit Ballona Wetlands throughout this school year. Each visit will be a new lesson spotlighting the importance of keeping this area healthy and functional. It is exciting to visit the same location throughout the seasons to observe the natural changes in this diverse ecosystem.