Prop. 20, Coastal Commission, Local Coastal Plan, Los Cerritos Wetlands Trust Wetlands Restoration, Coastal Access, etc. …
Do any of these “buzz words” peak your interest? They should, because they impact many Californians—past, present and future. How did it all come about? Why, and what’s their impact? Are we, here in Seal Beach, isolated from their purpose? Their grasp? Their benefits? The obligations?
Not a bit!
I just finished going to a special screening of the film, “Heroes of the Coast.” The showing was sponsored by the Los Cerritos Wetlands Land Trust, which is dedicated to purchase, preservation, protection and historic restoration of the San Gabriel river coastal wetlands in Seal Beach (the Hellman property) and Long Beach (behind Pacific Coast Highway).
Loosely paraphrasing a synopsis from Earth Alert (www.earthalert.org), the hour-long documentary tells the story of 50 years of California coastal protection activism and legislation, with emphasis on the events leading up to the passage in 1972 of Proposition 20 and the subsequent Coastal Initiative. These, in turn, lead to the creation of the California Coastal Commission.
The film is mostly based on the video archives of 59 interviews with California coastal groups and individuals, Coastal Commission staff, as well as activism originating from the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill. It highlights the leadership that focused and coalesced the concerns of many to preserve the beauty and availability of the coast for everyone.
Producer/director/writer Janet Bridgers said, “Forty years later, most young people are unaware of this legacy. This hour-long documentary brings the story back to life on the screen with beautiful coastal footage and images and the dynamic personalities of those who made it happen.”
While the documentary is not generally available yet on DVD, there is a link to it on the Internet at www.heroesofthecoast.com. The film really helps one understand and to not take for granted the coastal access that we all greatly enjoy in California and especially in our little “Mayberry by the Sea” here in Seal Beach.
The film also helps us see how our decisions and expenditures related to the sand berm, lifeguards, maintenance, fishing on the pier, the pier restaurant building, events such as the kite festival, parking, revenues, etc. are issues that impact a larger populace including all of us taxpayers and beach users. In the final analysis, we are all trustees of our coast.
The film is very informative on a matter that is probably close to all our hearts, our wallets and pocketbooks.
You may wish to take a look.
Ken Kropf is a longtime resident of Seal Beach’s Marina Hill neighborhood.
