Retired LMU professor explores beach environment near Ballona Wetlands

Join retired Loyola Marymount Professor Dr. John Dorsey on a short weekend excursion to explore the Del Rey Lagoon and the beach environment near the Ballona Wetlands on Friday, April 11 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. The tour is hosted by Friends of Ballona Wetlands, a nonprofit focusing on the stewardship of the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve just south of Marina Del Rey.

After a successful first iteration of the tour was held on February 8, Dorsey's tour will be held monthly as one of several specialty offerings the organization hosts to showcase the many features of the Ballona Wetlands, Los Angeles' last coastal wetland habitat and the natural estuary for Ballona Creek.

Teaching people about the various aspects of the Ballona Wetlands environment is essential to the mission of Friends of Ballona Wetlands. The organization has been fighting to preserve the Wetlands since 1971, serving as both a steward of its health and an advocate of its importance.

The organization regularly hosts weekly tours, most of which are Freshwater or Saltwater Marsh tours. These tours cover various topics about the Wetlands, including plants, birds, habitat, and the space's history.

They also hold specialty tours like Dorsey's — aptly named "Sandy Shores and More with John Dorsey" — focusing on particular aspects of the Wetlands or their care. Beginner Birding and Birding with Bob focus on bird watching, while the Nature Walk for Photographers tour is geared towards finding good photos.

While many of these tours have set dates each month, Dr. Dorsey's tours are expected to be held somewhat irregularly, subject to the whims of nature.

"We will be more beholden to tide times and will be coordinating with Dr. Dorsey on what time he thinks will have the best view of the spaces he wants to see," Friends of Ballona Wetlands Manager of Communications and Community Engagement Samaya Rubio told Culver Crescent.

Dorsey's tour — Sandy Shores and More with John — explores the Del Rey Lagoon and the adjacent beach ecosystem. Guests will learn about the plants and animals that live in these ecosystems and the impact of human activity on the lagoon, beach, and Wetlands as a whole.

Dorsey is a Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering and Environmental Science who has published several papers related to bacteria in Ballona Creek. He has also worked with Friends of Ballona Wetlands on various projects in the past, but this is the first tour that he has given with the nonprofit.

As part of the arrangement for this and other tours, Friends of Ballona Wetlands trains its docents to lead them. While Dorsey has the knowledge necessary to tackle questions from "Why does the mud smell like sulfur?" to "How do tide channels work?" docents for Friends of Ballona Wetlands tours are also taught more about the organization and its history to prepare to host these tours.

"With this particular tour, Dr. Dorsey had never led a public tour," Rubio said. "We did a practice run with our staff and then a practice run with some of our frequent tour attendees to see if the content matched the audience for our tours."

While his research focuses on a specific niche of the Ballona Wetlands, Dorsey will take attendees on a trip to learn about the broader ecosystem of the lagoon and beach in and around the Ballona Wetlands.

The tour initially starts off the sand on the Del Rey Lagoon with apartment buildings still visible in the distance, Dorsey will take on the sandy beach, so those in attendance must be prepared for the terrain.

Online registration is required to attend, with a suggested donation of $5. An adult should accompany those who are 16 and under. The tour will begin around the parking lot next to Del Rey Lagoon at 6520 Pacific Ave.

For more information and to register, visit the Friends of Ballona Wetlands website here.