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Volunteers plant native buckwheat in LAX Dunes to help endangered El Segundo blue butterfly
Summary
Volunteers working with Los Angeles World Airports removed invasive plants and planted native species, including sea cliff buckwheat, in a 50-acre LAX Dunes restoration project aimed at helping the endangered El Segundo blue butterfly; organizers said larger planting goals run into early 2025.
Natasha Gascon, a reporter for El Segundo media, described a volunteer habitat-restoration event at the LAX Dunes on the western edge of Los Angeles International Airport, where participants removed invasive plants and planted California native species to help the endangered El Segundo blue butterfly.
The work supports the LAX Dunes Habitat Restoration Project, a core 50-acre area of the dunes that Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has designated as an El Segundo blue butterfly habitat restoration area. Gascon said the larger dune system is about 307 acres and that the project aims to remove roughly 18 acres of invasive plants and install thousands of native plants, including the sea cliff buckwheat, the butterfly’s host plant. "With a lot of of ground to cover, LAWA hosts several volunteer events each year," Gascon said.
"The sea cliff buckwheat is the host plant for the El Segundo blue butterfly," Gascon said, explaining that the butterfly spends most of its life cycle in or immediately around that plant. She said volunteers and LAWA staff plan to plant 23,000 plants in the restoration area and that a goal exists to plant 12,000 plants between January 2025 and March 2025.
Gascon described the volunteer events as educational opportunities because much of the LAX Dunes is typically fenced off and not open to the public. She said volunteers spent the day clearing invasives and replanting natives to help rehabilitate the butterfly’s habitat. "So our hope is that by installing all of the sea cliff buckwheat ... we can help that population rehabilitate and help boost their numbers," she said.
Speakers at the site emphasized the hands-on nature of the work and the role volunteers play in land stewardship. Gascon said the effort both helps preserve local biodiversity in Los Angeles and gives community members a chance to learn about and support an endangered species that has strong local ties.
Organizers did not provide funding-source details or list other partners in the transcript. The reporting did specify project-area totals (307 acres for the larger dune system; a 50-acre core restoration zone), the acreage of invasive plants targeted for removal (about 18 acres), and planting targets (23,000 plants overall; 12,000 plants targeted from January–March 2025). There were no formal votes or government actions reported during the segment.
