Earth Day Planting

Congratulations Friends of Colorado Lagoon. WE have completed our first successful planting season at Colorado Lagoon. WE have established new coastal habitat in the City of Long Beach. WE have reached a new level. WE are now the proud care takers of a 50,000 squarefoot piece of restored California coastline.
What an opportunity for a young restoration ecologist like myself to be involved with such a holistic and successful project. I have made so many new friends and colleagues. Since November 2008, people from all over the greater Long Beach area came to the Lagoon and sunk their heart and sole into 2 hours of restoration and education. Many people returned again and again, and got to watch the eastern Bank of Colorado Lagoon transform. People became my friends...friends to each other and friends of nature.
And WE all learned so much! From tree removal debates, to smoldering mulch piles, barking dogs and exodus from the WAMSEC. Through all of the challenges that come with any project, we always kept on learning. WE improved our techniques. WE accepted criticism and performed at higher levels. WE learned our native plant names. WE worked together.
I really want to thank everyone for helping me be a better restoration ecologist. Most of what I did for this project was based on my passion for nature, however a good percentage of what I did was for you, it was for people. I lead this project not only to install some of my favorite botanical species, but also to reconnect people with plants and natural living. To reconnect people with natives of California. And to connect people to their home...Long Beach, California, USA, Planet Earth. FOCL built something permanent. WE built pride in our community.
It will be so great to have conversations with all of the people that will be walking the FOCL Champions Trail along the east bank for years to come.