BALLONA WETLANDS

     The Ballona Wetlands is located near Marina del Rey and Playa del Rey, just south of Santa Monica and Venice.  In the middle of urban Los Angeles is the remnants of a vast wetlands.  Some of this area has been restored into a Freshwater Wetlands/Marsh.  I pass by this area every day to and from work, and have been eyeing it as a potential banding site for several years.

    Thus, I have begun jumping through the hoops of setting up a banding station.  I have gotten permission from the Conservancy that oversees the  wetlands and the person who manages the wetlands.  I have the state and federal permits.  Now I need to get the appropriate MOUs to band, as there are Federal and state listed species found on the site.  If all goes well, I should be able to start banding in the fall.

Walt

UPDATE:  Well, I submitted paperwork to request an MOU to the California Department of Fish and Game to band Belding's Savannah Sparrows, as I will undoubtedly capture some sooner or later even though I am not necessarily trying to capture them.  That was back in early August.  It is now early February.  Things do not look too hopeful that I will get the MOU anytime soon (mostly bureaucracy). 

UPDATE of the UPDATE:  It has now been some three years... or is it four (I can't remember as it has been so long).  The CA DFG never gave me the courtesy of a reply to my request for the MOU.  One of the ladies from the Friends of Ballona Wetlands (you know the real pushy rich types) was asked to be an advocate for me to check into the MOU.  She obviously got nowhere, so I have given up hope.  Banding at Ballona Wetlands is also a mote point, as my family and I have moved out of the Westside to Thousand Oaks.
       It probably is not a good idea for me to post this, as I will now be on CA DFG's shit list, but I need to vent.  I'll remove this in a while :).

Last updated on:  14 Jul 2008