The Gardena Willows Wetland
Preserve shares a problem with other urban preserves and parks – trash. Whether it blows in on the wind, is tossed
over the fence or washes in with street water run-off, the end result is the
same; either the trash is removed by volunteers or it ends up in the
ocean. Neither option is pretty.
The best long-term solution is to
prevent trash from entering the wetland.
To this end, The Friends of the Preserve installed trash barriers along the
streets bordering the Preserve. This low tech solution decreased the amount of blown-in
trash. But paper, cans and bottles
still wash into the Preserve with every rain storm. Much
of this ends up in wetland areas that are difficult to access for cleanup.
Some of the biggest problem areas
are near the drainage pipes that release street water run-off directly into the
Preserve. The plastic bags and other materials destroy peaceful views and are a
hazard to ducks and other wildlife. That’s why trash removal is an on-going part
of Preserve maintenance.
Picking up trash in a wetland is
not glamorous work. It requires patience, good balance and a high tolerance
for wet feet. In January, a group of community volunteers (including
students from the Gardena High School Interact Club) tried a new approach. First they removed trash brought in by a
recent rainstorm (see above). And then
they installed a fence-weir to trap trash and prevent it from entering the
wetlands.
The fence-weir is constructed of plastic
coated welded-wire fencing material held in place by steel fence posts. It was
installed in an area near new Hampshire Street – an area with significant
street-water run-off. Friends Board Member Kelley Dawdy worked with
students determine placement of the fence-weir. After pounding in the fence posts, students
attached the fencing. The result was a trash collecting fence that
blends into the landscape except when filled with trash.
February 11, 2013
Constance M. Vadheim (Friends of Gardena Willows Wetland Preserve)
