About Us

The Friends of Madrona Marsh History

In 1972, a meeting of more than 50 people was held in the old City Hall Council Chambers to organize a support group for the preservation of a potential wildlife park (future site of the Preserve) in Torrance, as identified in the Griffenhagen-Kroeger Report in February 1971.

On September 20, 1973, a group of people attended a meeting called by the City of Torrance to discuss community involvement in saving the wildlife area. The group was then called the Friends of Madrona Pond.
Sam Suit was elected president of the group. Katy Geissert, then a member of the Parks and Recreation Commission, was on the first board of directors. Grace Lear took over Sam Suit’s position when he moved to Australia.

From then on, and with a name change, the Friends of Madrona Marsh continued lobbying to obtain the dedication of 35 acres for the marsh. Venora Lee, Dr. David Morafka, and Edith Simplaar wrote a grant proposal for State License Plate funds totaling $1.5 million, earmarked for purchasing the Madrona Marsh Preserve.

On August 30, 1974 The Friends were officially incorporated in the State of California with tax exempt status from the IRS.
In June 1975, Friends of Madrona Marsh paid $1,000 for a study to be made by graduate students at Madrona.
In September 1976, the “Wildlife Habitat Study” was completed by graduate students with assistance from the Long Beach Audubon Society. A consultant was hired from the Audubon Society to produce a site development map, interpretive building design, and external renditions for the Preserve.

In the early 1980’s, the Torrance Investment Company, a partnership of Watt Homes, Anderson Properties, Sherl Curci and Santa Fe Energy (landowner), became seriously interested in developing the property north of Sepulveda Blvd., between Madrona Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard, which included the Madrona Marsh land. In the early 1980s, the Torrance Investment Company, a partnership of Watt Homes, Anderson Properties, Sherl Curci, and Santa Fe Energy (landowner), became seriously interested in developing the property north of Sepulveda Blvd., between Madrona Avenue and Crenshaw Boulevard, which included the Madrona Marsh land.

On September 25, 1980, Watt Industries offered the Friends of Madrona Marsh 15 acres with a land value of $400,000 an acre. In December, the developers withdrew their offer and thereafter, offered to “move” Madrona Marsh to Columbia Park. When Park del Amo Development, on behalf of Watt Industries, presented its plans to the City Council in February 1982, 350 supporters of the Madrona Marsh swamped the meeting. The City Council favored the developers.

On May 4, 1982, the Friends of Madrona Marsh, the League of Women Voters, and homeowners’ groups gathered 14,000 signatures (more than twice the required number) to petition the City to stop the development. While signatures were being solicited for a ballot referendum, Betty Shaw, who took over Grace Lear’s position as the President, with a committee, negotiated with the developers, and an agreement to save the Marsh was reached before the referendum was filed.

On November 14, 1984, when the dedication ceremony was completed, it was discovered that the deed contained a reversionary clause that transfers the land back to the developers if the land was not used for a nature center and preserve. Friends of Madrona Marsh sued for a Fee Simple Deed and, after two years, for the City of Torrance to receive title to the land and for Madrona Marsh to be saved in perpetuity.
On July 6, 1998 The Friends received an official determination letter from the IRS recognizing the Friends as a 501c3 private not for profit organization.
In 2001 the Nature Center was completed. The Friends partnered with the City of Torrance to secure funding for the construction of the Nature Center, exhibit hall and surrounding water wise gardens.

In the early 2000s the Friends spearheaded the installation of a bio-filter on the Preserve to clean the sump water of nitrates and phosphates.
Beginning in 2012, the Friends began publishing an annual report to document our history and our activities supporting the Friends’ Mission.

Land Acknowledgement

The Friends of Madrona Marsh recognizes that the Madrona Marsh Preserve sits on the territory of the Tongva people, the original inhabitants of the Los Angeles Basin and the four Channel Islands, and that these lands were, and continue to be, of great importance to them.  Every member of the Madrona Marsh Preserve community has and continues to benefit from the use and stewardship of these lands.  Consistent with our values of community and diversity, we acknowledge with gratitude and make visible the Marsh’s relationship to Native people.