Earth Day, officially held on April 22, might become the biggest fundraiser in Bolsa Chica history.Making a difference in the environment will not only mean picking up trash and replanting native vegetation, but also helping to pay for it.
The Bolsa Chica Land Trust is organizing a massive single-day donation to help preserve and restore the Bolsa Chica this Earth Day. This will be the largest single-day donation to help save and restore an ecosystem in U.S. history, the organization states, also saying that 95 percent of the coastal wetlands in California have been destroyed.
"Maybe we can't undo all the injustice we have done to this earth, but we can start here in our community. We can show others as well that they, too, have the power to help preserve, maintain and restore our earth," the Land Trust says.
The trust is asking 100,000 people to donate at least $50 or more on April 22 to reach a goal of $5 million in one day.
"Achieving this goal will help us further restore this salt marsh ecosystem and fund the Bolsa Chica Project. It will launch us on the path towards funding the complete restoration and protection of Bolsa Chica, which has been estimated at 50 million dollars.
After the Bolsa Chica Land Trust was formed in 1992, the trust embarked on a campaign to save the wetlands from development, 4,884 houses and a four-lane highway across the wetlands, with 900 houses on the wetlands themselves, the trust says. Now the trust is "fully committed to preserving and restoring the entire 1,700 acre Bolsa Chica."
Volunteers are expected to also attend a clean up day on April 18 at the Bolsa Chica State Beach park from 9 a.m. to noon.
Meanwhile, the Bolsa Chica Conservancy held their Earth Day 2009 festival at the Bolsa Chica Wetlands sponsored by the Bolsa Chica Conservancy and the Amigos de Bolsa Chica, attracting nearly 800 participants.
Engaging booths that provided a diverse variety of information that engaged the young and not-so-young to learn about the many aspects of the wetlands. From birds of prey to reptiles and marine animals, children and adults participated at the Earth Day 2009 festival that allowed them a chance to experience the wonder that is Bolsa Chica.
Congressman Rohrabacher and his children came to join the crowd at the wetlands that were amazed at seeing birds of prey and reptiles up close and personal. The Acjachemen tribe was also represented by educating the public about their history at the wetlands. Conservancy staff talked about animals and critters, while the Amigos helped children count birds and the Colorado Lagoon staff and volunteers taught the public about native plant restoration.
