There’s More Than One Way to Repair Harbor for All Creatures

Re “This Harbor Cries Foul,” July 20:

One of the potential projects to help reduce the amount of urban runoff that pollutes Huntington Harbour is to acquire the Shea Parkside property and restore it to function as a natural treatment wetlands.

Neighbors for Wintersburg Wetlands Restoration believe this property is an ideal candidate for helping to improve the harbor’s water quality because:

1) The property is adjacent to the Wintersburg Channel, so construction costs of diverting dry-season channel flows onto the property would be minimal.

2) Although the property has been degraded through farming and other uses, 20 wetland vegetation species still survive there today, hinting at a rich restoration outcome.

3) As an integral part of the Greater Bolsa Chica ecosystem, restoration of this property would dovetail nicely with the restoration work about to get underway in the Bolsa Chica lowlands.

Mark D. Bixby

Huntington Beach

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Congratulations to your staff writers for their articles concerning the detritus and debris in Huntington Beach and Huntington Harbour. But there is another side of the story: the impact on the nearby wildlife refuge and the state beach.

The toxic trash in the urban runoff results in dead fish, birds, plants and plankton. Though only humans buy newspapers, our current national environmental policy is to protect all species, not just humans. Property owners are doubtlessly concerned, but don’t we also want the bays and beaches clean, as well as healthy natural settings?

Stewardship of public lands and waters is primarily a responsibility of each resident, family and neighbor, not government alone.

Hopefully your readers will be moved to participate in the Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept. 20. We welcome their help at the Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge from 8 a.m. to noon. By assuming stewardship for natural places, all citizens can participate in keeping the coast healthy and desirable.

Bruce Monroe

Seal Beach