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 Education at the Colorado Lagoon  has been occurring for centuries, if not millennia. Part of the historic Los Cerritos Wetlands which once encompassed over 2400 acres, the Colorado Lagoon was undoubtedly a place of exploration for our local Native Peoples, the Tongva. In more recent times, modern Long Beachians have been utilizing the Lagoon as a place for recreation and leisure. FOCL believes that education should be fun and utilizing the natural resources of the Lagoon facilitates that enjoyment.
FOCL started programs in January of 2006 with the opening of the Wetlands and Marine Science Education Center (WAMSEC). The WAMSEC has been the hub for involvement at the Colorado Lagoon and with the instructional mural enveloping the façade, it is also the catalyst for creativity.
In January 2007, FOCL decided that Education had to be one of the main concerns of the group and pursued establishing these thoughts. All events and classes by the FOCL education program are free to the community, open to the general public and school classes of all levels and disciplines.
Since 2007, the education program has been successful with four distinct components: Instruction, Events, Service-Learning and our Innovators Program. Each component is unique with different objectives yet they overlap in many of the goals and services.
The Colorado Lagoon is an incredibly dynamic site with the ability to host multiple educational events. If you or your group is interested in organizing an educational adventure at the Lagoon, please contact our educational committee at: education@coloradolagoon.org
Some of our goals include the following but all are focused upon the community and understanding the Lagoon as a crucial part of our neighborhood.
Our Goals:
- Provide free place-based nature education
- Host regularly scheduled after-school and weekend WAMSEC hours (during both the Summer time and School year)
- Engage local public, private and charter schools, afterschool programs, colleges and universities
- Host Estuary Exploration events on the Second Saturday of the month
- Provide opportunities for professional development through our Innovators program
- Host four EcoEvents each year
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 Through the Colorado Lagoon Champions Curriculum, volunteers experience hands-on participation in restoring the Colorado Lagoon. Volunteers learn the difference between native and non-native plant species and gain an appreciation for the special adaptations of native salt marsh plants. We instruct students about plant morphology and taxonomy, salt marsh community ecology, and invasive weed science. Most importantly, instituting community and youth involvement at an early stage in this large-scale restoration project reinforces public support as the larger restoration project ensues.
The Champions Curriculum is FOCL’s way of rallying the community and restoring the Lagoon. Since the inception of the Champions Curriculum in November of 2008 we have had over 2,000 volunteers assist with our projects. Contributing over 5,000 hours of service, our Champions have truly made a difference at the Colorado Lagoon.
FOCL was awarded a grant from the Southern California Wetlands Recovery Project (SCWRP) in July to get this project off the ground. Carrying the community-based restoration further, FOCL received a grant from the United States Fish and Wildlife’s Coastal Program for plant installation. We are very thankful to SCWRP and F&W for all of their assistance and continued support through our restoration. |
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