The Madrona Marsh Preserve, located in Torrance, California, is the last
vernal marsh remaining in the South Bay area of Los Angeles and one of
few wetlands located within an urban landscape.
Formed eons ago when the mountains of the Palos Verdes Peninsula
rose to the south, Madrona Marsh is a shallow depression fed by wet
season (spring) storms as the name "vernal" indicates. After the rainy
season, evaporation, percolation and transpiration reduce the water
depth by about one-quarter of an inch (6 mm) per day. By the end of
August, the wetland is dry and remains so until the following rainy
season. Situated on land that was set aside for oil production in 1924,
Madrona Marsh was never developed—unlike the surrounding
city—and remains a valuable natural habitat for birds, reptiles, insects
and even small mammals.
Ongoing e orts are restoring native plants including wild owers and
butter y species. The area has long been popular with bird watchers and
The Audubon Society has used Madrona Marsh for their annual bird
census since 1967. El Camino College uses it as an outdoor biology and
botany lab. Public access to the Madrona Marsh trails is o ered Tuesday
through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and guided tours can be arranged
by calling the Nature Center (310) 782-3989.
Activities include bird and nature walks, natural history classes and
workshops, habitat restoration, science and astronomy programs, art
exhibits, and children's nature programs. The center opened in 2001 and
features exhibits about the plants, birds and animals of the marsh.
The marsh and nature center are closed to the public on Mondays.
From Wikipedia
Taken from our monthly e-Newsletter.
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