Planting habitat

Evan Marmol

A dozen Boy Scouts brimming with enthusiasm shoveled mud and planted

native pickle weed plants on the Bolsa Chica wetlands under an

overcast sky last week. Scouts carried handfuls of the tiny plants to

the banks of the wetlands by the Bolsa Chica Conservancy and

diligently planted them. Bustling groups of boys intently deposited

the plants into the soil.

An educational video was shown, and a talk given about the native

plant and the endangered Belding Savannah sparrow that nests in it,

that they might understand the significance of their task.

“California is No. 1 for many things, including the destruction of

the marshlands,” the conservancy’s executive director, Adrianne

Morrison, told the Scouts. “We have destroyed 90% of the marshlands.

The land belongs to the animals foremost and then people. It is our

responsibility to keep it clean.”

The purpose of the pickle weed Troop 314 was so carefully planting

is to attract the Belding’s Savannah sparrow, an endangered species

that nests in the foliage. Attracting the sparrow is one of many

steps to restore the area to the pristine marshland that it once was,

she said.

“Plans are in motion to have this area fully restored within three

to five years,” Morrison said.

The Boy Scouts, with beaming smiles, were proud to be the saviors

of this pudgy little sparrow. The Belding Savannah sparrow is

distinct from its prolific cousins because of a yellow smear above

its eye. The eager scouts trekked the muddy marshes planting the

hardy salt water plant along the outskirts of Bolsa Chica.

“I feel that it is good for the environment,” Jacob Kirk, 12,

said. “It also helps to be an Eagle Scout, so I get to kill two birds

with one stone.”

It was a familiar refrain among the boys.

“I’m here just to help,” Eric Holt said. “I would just be sitting

around at home if I wasn’t here.” The small troop of only 11 Boy

Scouts and two trek leaders managed to plant 504 plants in just a

couple of hours.

Bolsa Chica Conservancy is at 3842 Warner Ave. They can be reached

by phone at (714) 846-1114. The conservancy is doing a cleanup at

Rabbit Island. The conservancy provides all the tools; all you need

is a set of old clothes.