The Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Orange County
Southern California’s physical beauty is immense and vast.
That’s why California is aptly named the thee Golden State. Indeed, many of us take for granted what living here really means.
California’s long association with gold make this a natural nickname for the state. From the naming of the state in the 16th century to the California Gold Rush of 1848 and the fields of yellow poppies(official state flower) that bloom in the springtime, gold, in one form or another, has been intertwined with the history and development of California. The state legislature made “The Golden State” the official nickname of California in 1968. Source: NetState
It means that we have some of the most beautiful beaches, mountains, hills, gardens, skies, deserts, islands, national and state parks, bays and many other places of physical beauty.
Hopefully with that in mind, the goal of this article is to remind people of one special place that I love a lot–the Bolsa Chica Wetlands in Huntington Beach.
Across the street from Bolsa Chica State Beach, the Wetlands are a great place to go for a walk, bird watch, or just take a break from the constant barrage of shopping centers and traffic.
I’ve been going to the wetlands for many years, and while in high school participated in monthly clean up days, that involved picking up trash (tossed from the cars driving down Pacific Coast Highway), and removing non-native plants (like ice plant, which has spread all over California, and overpowers less aggressive native plants).
In the early morning, people can come to watch the rising sun start to melt the dew from the walkbridge over the sub-tidal habitat, or come at night to watch the sun set over the ocean and watch birds peck at the newly exposed land from the falling tide.
The wetlands is not a difficult hike, there are flat trails and benches scattered for resting. It’s a popular place for jogging, but people are conscientious of sharing the trails. For first time visitors to Bolsa Chica, the first Saturday of each month offers a tour led by the Amigos de Bolsa Chica, and on the third Sunday of every month, is a tour lead by the Bolsa Chica Land Trust.
I draw attention to this little piece of land, because it’s very existence was challenged many times, and only with the involvement of the community and the state, has its presence been preserved and assured.
After years of oil drilling, the land was bought by a housing development company in the 1960s’s, accompanied by a massive land-use proposal with plans to build a marina and thousands of residences. But fortunately, the Developer’s plans were hampered, when the state objected, and 300 acres were set aside for wildlife.
Unappeased, the Amigos de Bolsa Chica was formed in 1976 with their mission (as told on their website) to expand and keep the Bolsa as large as possible:
to advocate the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the Bolsa Chica, to encourage the public acquisition of all the wetlands and sufficient surrounding open space to create a viable ecosystem, and to provide education about the importance of wetlands.
In 1990, the developer and the Amigos created the Bolsa Chica Conservancy, to educate the public about the importance of the wetlands, and in 1992 the Bolsa Chica Land Trust was formed to aid in saving more of the mesa than just the wetlands.
In 1997, the state purchased another 880 acres of the wetlands, and in 2000, the California Coastal Commission ruled that no development could occur on the lower half of the mesa, because it was too valuable a Californian natural habitat for wildlife and thusly needed protection.
To this day, there’s still court battles raging between the various parties due to some developers still wanting to build on part of the upper half of the mesa, which remains in private ownership.
On August 25th, 2006, the Bolsa Chica Wetlands and the Pacific Ocean were connected for the first time in over 100 years, in hopes of creating a major wildlife sanctuary. Originally, the ocean connection had been cut off in 1899 by a duck hunting club, and the reconnection was a major event for the community members and organizations who had fought so hard to prevent the development of housing and to preserve the area.
To best enjoy a hike in the wetlands, bring a sweater, as the sea breeze that travels across Pacific Coast Highway–aka "PCH"–can be chilly in the morning and late afternoons. Dogs or any pets are prohibited, as they can be harmful to the ecosystem and native wildlife. There are parking lots on Warner, near the PCH intersection, and on PCH.
The beauty and the serenity of the place is often paid homage to in photographs, so bring your camera if you want, otherwise comfortable walking shoes will suffice.
Some commonly seen birds are herons, geese, ducks, pelicans, finches, hawks, and a multitude of others. Since the ocean was reconnected, salt marsh habitats and changing tides show the different shifts of the birds, and sometimes rays and small sharks can be seen from the walkbridge.
If so inclined after experiencing the natural beauty of the wetlands, visit the Bolsa Chica Wetlands Interpretive Center on 3842 Warner Ave. Their hours are, Tuesday-Friday 10 am – 4 pm, Saturday 9 am – noon, and Sunday 12:30 pm – 3:30 pm, to inquire about monthly clean ups. The Conservancy partners with the California Department of Fish and Game to provide visitor services and information.
To understand the wetlands layout click on this map, and when you have the chance, come enjoy the natural beauty of Southern California’s Bolsa Chica Wetlands as soon as you’re able.
