In 2016, The Bay Foundation (TBF) restored approximately three acres of native plants very close to the shoreline in Santa Monica. Living on the ocean’s edge, this community of plants attracts insects and birds and adapts to the harsh conditions of beach life, including salt spray, wind, and intense sunlight. As the plants of the coastal strand habitat grow, they capture windblown sand beneath their branches and leaves. Over time, they build dunes that prevent waves and extreme tides from flooding the beach and nearby infrastructure. By reestablishing this habitat, TBF and its partners can affordably create beaches that are naturally resistant to sea level rise, while creating refuge for endangered species and adding natural beauty to our beaches. Today, small dune hummocks are slowly forming that stand one to three feet tall. Scientific monitoring of this pilot project is being used to inform other projects in development by TBF across the Los Angeles County coast. Sea level rise and more frequent large-wave events are a result of global climate change impacting our coast. These projects, taken together, are the start of a significant effort to locally adapt to climate change. The beaches of Los Angeles are iconic. This effort uniquely preserves our beaches and gives them the capacity to protect us from climate change.
View the site in person by joining us at an upcoming volunteer restoration event!