Technical Memorandum: Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve Vegetation Alliance and Habitat Crosswalk

This document serves as a reference for a vegetation alliance and association to habitat crosswalk at an impacted and degraded salt marsh system in Los Angeles County. Surveys were conducted at the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve (BWER) by The Bay Foundation (I. Medel and team) from May – October 2013 in accordance with methods created by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (DFW) Vegetation and Classification Mapping Program with supplemental information derived from previous monitoring surveys (2009-2013) conducted throughout the site (Johnston et al. 2011, 2012). The BWER has experienced hydrological restrictions, dumping of dredge spoils, Non-native species invasions, habitat fragmentation, and development. Habitat categories were highly variable from subtidal to high elevation upland and are classified on an individual basis based on georeferenced polygons classifying dominant vegetation community and physical characteristics such as soil and hydrology. Habitat categories represent functionally distinct ecological communities and are described in this document specifically for the BWER.