Wetlands, often referred to as “the kidneys of the Earth,” are among our planet’s most valuable ecosystems. They filter water, store carbon, protect communities from flooding, and provide essential habitat for countless species. Yet wetlands have historically been viewed more as obstacles to urban development rather than the essential ecosystems they are, and now we are paying the price for losing them.
Polluted runoff, flooding, susceptibility to storms, these are issues many coastal urban areas face, and Southern California is projected to experience these three things with greater frequency in the coming years. Prioritizing wetland restoration and conservation is much more than just protecting a natural space, it’s about protecting the vital ecosystem services they provide us. It can be easy to overlook their importance when we’re so used to the non-native palm-tree lined beaches and coastal highways, but these wetland ecosystems are invaluable, and absolutely worth protecting and restoring.
California has lost over 90% of its historical wetlands. Urban development has wiped them out to near completion, with exception to some preserved places, like this one:
The San Elijo Ecological Reserve in Cardiff by the Sea. This place is truly a gem and it's one of Southern California's largest remaining shallow water wetlands. Just off the I-5, it is surrounded by highways and neighborhoods, but even so, you can feel how special and important having this conserved space is. I can't tell you how many times I passed by this lagoon driving down the 5, always appreciating it but not realizing just how important and rare it really is.
One August morning, my Dad and I went to hike around the lagoon. We arrived at our first hike at around 7AM, when the marine layer was thick and the lagoon had a foggy, moody feel. It was quiet and peaceful. We were the only two on the trail for most of the time. We spotted desert stink beetles, goldfinches, and pickleweed. Striped mullet would periodically jump out of the lagoon. There is something magical in watching the calm water reflect the sky like a mirror, from steely gray in the early morning to bright blue once the clouds burn off.
Lesser Goldfinches
Desert Stink Beetle
Eventually, we reached the top of a small hill that was overlooking the lagoon, and a plain full of grass-like rushes stretched out for miles. Watching the late morning light pour into the valley, I had the thought of how tragic it would be if this wasn’t here, and how critical it is now more than ever to conserve and actively restore natural spaces like this.
Ducks enjoying the lagoon
Wetlands aren’t just beautiful places, they are a serious resource that can help mitigate some of the current and impending issues we face with climate change. They provide countless ecosystem services that, if they were still here, would greatly benefit us today. So it's worth taking restoration and conservation efforts seriously.
Graphic sourced from thewatershedcouncil.org
At the San Elijo visitor center, there was a poster from the 1970s, a project proposal for something called “Water World.” Basically, the plan was to destroy the surrounding lagoon and wetland habitat and replace it with artificial islands (very similar, actually, to Mission Bay), where there would be resorts, golf courses, and of course, a massive parking lot.
Looking at the proposal today, it almost feels like it could be satire, some kind of disturbing joke. But this is exactly the kind of fate many ecosystems have faced. Every large area of urban development required the sacrifice of the natural world. What an absolute tragedy it would be to lose this incredible ecosystem that provides so many benefits to the surrounding environment and acts as a vital and diverse natural space, just for more traffic and concrete.
So, this gives a little more context as to why we are supporting the restoration and preservation of the San Elijo Lagoon with book sales of The Great Gatsby. This natural space is critical to conserve, and ongoing restoration efforts are certainly worthwhile.
The flashy neighborhoods of West and East Egg were inspired by Long Island, which was also once full of wetlands and forests. How do we achieve the opposite of the Valley of Ashes? By prioritizing people and the planet, and not viewing them as things to be exploited. We are all here on this one planet together, and what a wonderful, beautiful place it is, if we choose to see and respect the wonder that’s right in front of us.
Resources to learn more about this restoration project:
CBS8:
Seatrees:
The Nature Collective:
https://naturecollective.org/project/san-elijo-lagoon-restoration/
Further reading on the importance of wetlands:
https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/wetland-monitoring/where-are-wetlands.html
https://www.epa.gov/wetlands/why-are-wetlands-important