Seal Beach Wetlands

A few citizens under the name Seal Beach United have been meeting with the Mola Corp. attempting to come up with a new design for the Hellman Ranch site, which still allows for construction on the major part of the historic wetlands.

All of the environmental groups that we have contacted have been opposed to this new plan or any other plan which would call for the destruction of wetlands. On the surface the new plan looks like a plan which would save about 41 acres of wetlands. The plan actually would destroy wildlife habitat and about 129 acres of historic wetlands.

The wetlands map that our consultant drew up only outlined the existing wetlands vegetation and was not to be construed as the wetlands areas to be restored.

The developer, once at the state and federal levels when permits are being applied for, will use Seal Beach United’s support to try to show community support. Should his project go through because of this, we would end up with a tract of land that in all probability would not support a thriving wetlands.

The result of this would be a net loss of a potential 129-acre wetlands area to Seal Beach and future generations. Gum Grove Park would no longer be a wilderness park because the small acreage left adjoining it, surrounded by humanity, would not provide enough support for any significant animal or bird life or as a stopover for migrating birds.

We strongly urge people to look at the area as a potential for a fully restored 129-acre wetlands and wilderness park. It could be connected to the undeveloped adjoining area in the future as a total wetlands network.

GALEN F. AMBROSE

Seal Beach

Ambrose is a member of the Wetland Restoration Society.