The Gardena Willows Wetlands Preserve is full of huge willow trees, ponds teeming with chorus frogs, and immersive walking trails. When walking through this lush oasis, it's easy to forget that it is in the middle of a developed neighborhood, and the 91 freeway is just a block away.
Stormwater runoff from the surrounding neighborhood passes through the Gardena Willows Wetlands before flowing into the Dominguez Channel and out to San Pedro Bay. Pollutants and nutrients in the runoff are naturally filtered by native plants and living soils within the wetlands before flowing downstream, supporting clean water at the coast.
The South Bay Chapter's Teach and Test Program just opened their second Blue Water Task Force Lab location at the Gardena Willows, an exciting expansion that will introduce more students to hands-on water quality monitoring and community science. The Teach and Test Program collects water samples to test for bacteria levels to notify the public of water quality conditions, while developing hands-on science skills with students. Students also learn about sources of water pollution within our interconnected watershed, and how these issues impact humans and the marine environment.
The chapter held an Ocean Friendly Gardens workday at Gardena Willows this spring to help remove invasive weeds and plant a new section with native plants. Mike Garcia, the chapter's OFG Coordinator, installed a 515 gallon rainwater tank to collect and store runoff from the roof of the tool shed. This tank is connected to a drip irrigation system that will efficiently water the new native plants, upcycling stormwater runoff to grow resilient and beautiful habitat.
Surfrider volunteers and students from Environmental Charter Middle School Gardena planted 121 California native plants that will provide food for pollinators, habitat for wildlife, and support healthy soil that is ready to soak up the rain. Healthy, hydrated landscapes upstream protect clean water at the coast while providing shade and green space for communities to enjoy. Living, spongey soil and plant roots help soak up rain during storms, preventing local flooding and reducing the amount of runoff pollution entering the ocean.
Community stewardship of these Ocean Friendly Gardens supports long-term clean water goals, while fostering resilience in our neighborhoods in the face of climate extremes. Thank you to our partners at Gardena Willows Wetlands Preserve and to the Water Foundation for supporting this work.
