Yerba Mansa in June at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve. Yerba mansa, Anemopsis californica is native to southwestern North America. Yerba mansa means "calming herb" in Spanish (yerba = "herb"; mansa = "calm or tranquil") (Calscape).
Photo: Jonathan Coffin
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Dear Ballona Wetlands Advocates,
Thanks for joining us in the Egret Corner. This month we feature a great bird of the month, Priya Nanjappa, Vice President of Conservation Programs at the National Parks Conservation Association, updates on the Ballona Creek Interceptor and Fiesta La Ballona!
If you know of a class or group that would be interested in any of our educational opportunities, please feel free to contact sofia@ballona.org or fill out this form.
Thank you for your ongoing support.
Sincerely,
The Ballona Wetlands Land Trust Team
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Event: Fiesta La Ballona 2022!
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Fiesta La Ballona kicks off on August 26th. This event is a 3-day community festival that offers carnival rides and games, aquatic recreations, live performances, food and retail vendors, beer and wine gardens, and booths of local organizations.
You can also see us tabling there! Come enjoy the festival and stop by our table.
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News: Ballona Creek Trash Interceptor
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This October Los Angeles County Public Works will deploy the Ballona Creek Trash Interceptor, a product of The Ocean Cleanup, an International Dutch non-profit organization.
This two-year pilot program is the first of its kind in the United States and will be a collaboration between Public Works and The Ocean Cleanup. Construction started in June and is expected to finish in September.
We will be closely monitoring this project to evaluate whether the benefits outweigh the potential impacts.
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Diversity in the Field: Priya Nanjappa
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In this segment, we aim to support diversity by showcasing people currently underrepresented in environmental fields, working to improve the environment and/or people's access to natural spaces. We hope to provide representation for people who might not see themselves in these fields and inspire ways to be more inclusive. |
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Meet Priya, Vice President of Conservation Programs at the National Parks Conservation Association. Prior to her current position, Priya was a Commissioner for the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Before that Priya coordinated and led interdisciplinary teams at state, national and international scales for nonprofits, state, and federal agencies.
Priya is passionate about inclusivity, equity, and diversity, and has served as a mentor for Next100Colorado, designed to help seasoned and emerging leaders of color in Colorado. Read more about Priya at NPCA or listen to her more personal journey at Sci&Tell.
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Bird of the Month: Great Egret
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"Great Egrets fly slowly but powerfully: with just two wingbeats per second their cruising speed is around 25 miles an hour." |
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Habitat: marshes in spots scattered across the Americas
Diet: small fish but also amphibians, reptiles, birds, small mammals, and invertebrates
Nesting: the nest itself is up to 100 feet off the ground, often over water, usually in or near the top of a shrub or tree; primarily made of long sticks and twigs
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*Birds featured here have been seen at the Ballona Reserve or in the surrounding area. |
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Your Contributions Further Our Efforts! |
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Contributions collected are used to advance our efforts to advocate for the greater Ballona Wetlands ecosystem. Any contributions are greatly appreciated. |
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Was this newsletter useful? Help us improve with your feedback. |
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The Ballona Wetlands Land Trust is a non-profit community organization
dedicated to advocating for the greater Ballona Wetlands ecosystem and to facilitating access to this ecosystem for education, stewardship, and public outreach.
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