Video & Photos of Bixby Marshland YP Tour
Bixby Marshlands, a 17-acre wetland, located in Carson, Ca, was formerly part of a large fresh water marshland called Bixby Slough. History of the marshlands goes way back as far to the early 1900’s, to where it had stretched out as far from 223rd to the LA Harbor. In the 1970s, after the 110 freeway was built (1960s), when construction of the Wilmington Drain (built to protect flooding), 95% of the marshlands were destroyed by development.
Since then, in 1995, the Sanitation Districts completed the Joint Outfall Systems (JOS) 2010 Master Facilities Plan (certified to restore wetlands). In 2000, the marshlands were filled, & digesters were infiltrated.
According to the March 2009 biological survey, the marshlands is home to 43% of the federal-listed endangered & threatened species & a total of 135 native, non-native plants, 65 species of birds, as well as fish, such as the Western Mosquito Fish, animals; the Desert Cottontails, amphibians; the Pacific Tree Frogs, & reptiles; the Western Fence Lizards, trees such as willows & sycamores.
Why the marshlands are so important, besides providing habitat (homes), its part of the “Pacific Flyway” where birds that are traveling a place to rest. Wetlands are sometimes called “the kidneys of the marshlands” because they receive water the rushes off during storms. In wetlands, water is cleansed of sediments & pollutants before it slowly enters the ocean or underground aquifers.
Today, it is helped run from volunteers from the Audubon Society & it is open to the public of the 1st Saturdays of every month from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. If you are interested in becoming a docent and would like to become an active service crew, you can contact Rupam Soni at (562) 908-4288 ext 2303.
