At ReWild Mission Bay we’ve demonstrated the restoration of green infrastructure and functioning wetlands reconnected to their primary fresh water source at the mouth of Rose Creek will result in cleaner water, expanded recreation opportunities, preservation of critical wetland habitat for threatened and endangered species, increased shoreline resiliency, greater public access to Mission Bay Park, and unparalleled carbon sequestration for our region as a world-class recreation, conservation, and research destination.
We’d like your help in keeping the pressure on by reaching out to your city councilmember and Mayor Gloria to let them know what Mission Bay means to you and your family, and why maximum wetland restoration is so important.
Maybe you’ve helped on a restoration effort at Kendall-Frost Marsh. Maybe you were at Love Your Wetlands Day. Maybe you want our city’s Climate Action Plan to succeed and reach its legally-binding goals. Maybe you want to ensure the survival of the endangered Ridgway’s rail or California least tern. Insert those passions and concerns into the heads of our elected officials today.
We’ve included some talking points below, but first, here is a list of contact information for all nine San Diego City Councilmembers and Mayor Todd Gloria.
Mayor Todd Gloria
(619) 236-6330
mayortoddgloria@sandiego.gov
Councilmember Joe LaCava (Dist. 1)
(619) 236-6611
joelacava@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 1
Councilmember Jennifer Campbell (Dist. 2)
(619) 236-6622
jennifercampbell@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 2
Councilmember Stephen Whitburn (Dist. 3)
(619) 236-6633
stephenwhitburn@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 3
Councilmember Monica Montgomery Steppe (Dist. 4)
(619) 236-6644
mmontgomerysteppe@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 4
Councilmember Marni von Wilpert (Dist. 5)
(619) 236-6655
marnivonwilpert@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 5
Councilmember Kent Lee (Dist. 6)
(619) 236-6616
kentlee@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 6
Councilmember Raul Campillo (Dist. 7)
(619) 236-6677
raulcampillo@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 7
Councilmember Vivian Moreno (Dist. 8)
(619) 236-6688
vivianmoreno@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 8
Council President Sean Elo-Rivera (Dist. 9)
(619) 236-6699
seanelorivera@sandiego.gov
Visit this page for the communities in District 9
In addition to your own thoughts and concens, here are some talking points we’ve mentioned over the last several weeks. We’ve shared versions of these concerns before regarding the city’s De Anza Natural proposal.
- The final EIR for the De Anza Natural restoration project must prioritize water quality by adding a specific project objective to improve the water quality of the study area, and Mission Bay, through natural, resilient infrastructure. Water quality is a crucial component of the 1994 Mission Bay Park Master Plan, and water quality can best be guaranteed by the kind of green infrastructure restored wetlands will provide.
- The city’s draft EIR for the De Anza plan is missing details on the foreseeable impacts from sea level rise. How can the public, the city, or anyone in or out of City Hall be expected to determine the best land-use plan without knowing how climate change will affect the public assets of Mission Bay Park?
- The city’s Climate Action Plan calls for 700 acres of restored tidal marsh by 2035, but only the ReWild Mission Bay Wildest plan provides the most direct pathway to achieve this goal with maximum wetland restoration. Unfortunately, what we’ve seen so far for the De Anza Natural plan fails to evaluate its proposals against the city’s own Climate Action Plan goals.
- The city’s proposal fails to analyze the recreational and cultural opportunities of connecting Mission Bay Park to a restored tidal ecosystem. Doing so would better balance and expand the park’s recreational offerings. All San Diegans, including our Kumeyaay neighbors and those in underserved communities, will benefit with access to a vibrant tidal marsh with expanded recreation opportunities like kayaking and paddle boarding.
- The ecological component of sea level rise is critical, and time is wasting. Kendall-Frost Marsh Preserve provides the best Ridgway’s rail habitat anywhere in the city, yet these endangered birds (which were one of the original species listed as part of the Endangered Species Act 50 years ago) will lose their habitat over the next several decades as sea levels rise and their habitat is inundated. Unless we begin the ReWilding process now, these and other threatened and endangered native species will be lost, when they could’ve readily been saved.
Photos by Tommy Hough and Tammy Kokjohn
