Editing Long Beach, California (section)

==Parks and recreation==
Long Beach led Southern California in parks access, size and spending, ranking 16th among a survey of 75 large U.S. cities, with Los Angeles and Anaheim tied for 51st and Santa Ana 69th, according to a study released by a national conservation group.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.presstelegram.com//lifestyle/20150519/survey-of-best-cities-for-parks-lists-long-beach-ahead-of-los-angeles-anaheim|title=Survey of best cities for parks lists Long Beach ahead of Los Angeles, Anaheim|work=Press Telegram|date=May 20, 2015|access-date=May 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150522183429/http://www.presstelegram.com/lifestyle/20150519/survey-of-best-cities-for-parks-lists-long-beach-ahead-of-los-angeles-anaheim|archive-date=May 22, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> The Long Beach Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine received a Gold Medal award from the [[National Recreation and Park Association]] in 2002, 2003, and 2004, recognizing the Department's "outstanding management practices and programs". The department manages 92 parks covering over {{convert|3,100|acre|km2}} throughout the city. The department also operates four public swimming pools, and four launch ramps for boaters to access the [[Pacific Ocean]].

[[File:A Squirrel On The Path (143026077).jpeg|thumb|right|Walking trail in the [[El Dorado Park, Long Beach, California#El Dorado Regional Park|El Dorado Nature Center]]]]
The {{convert|815|acre|km2}} [[El Dorado Regional Park]], which features fishing lakes, an archery range, youth campground, bike trails, and picnic areas. The {{convert|102.5|acre|km2|1|adj=on}} El Dorado Nature Center is part of the El Dorado Regional Park. The center features lakes, a stream, and trails, with meadows and forested areas.<ref name="ednc" /> After an original hands-off approach, the center has begun to actively introduce indigenous species.<ref name="ednc">{{cite web | url=http://longbeach.gov/Park/Park-and-Facilities/Parks-Centers-Pier/El-Dorado-Nature-Center/ | title=El Dorado Nature Center | work=City of Long Beach website | access-date=February 24, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080223081256/http://www.longbeach.gov/park/facilities/parks/el_dorado_nature_center.asp |archive-date = February 23, 2008}}</ref>

[[Willow Springs Park]] was founded as a part of the Willow Springs Wetlands Restoration Project which opened in October 2017. The project restored 11 acres of a 48-acre degraded oil well site into wetlands. These highlight the pivotal role the ecosystem played in the City of Long Beach's establishment in the late 1800s and helps preserve the site's history and unique topography. It is now at about 16 acres restored and, in August 2024, it began the process of being dedicated as an open space by the city council, which will make it the largest green space in Central Long Beach once done.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://lbwatchdog.com/long-beach-will-permanently-dedicate-willow-springs-park-as-open-space/ | title=Long Beach will permanently dedicate Willow Springs Park as open space | date=August 14, 2024 }}</ref> It is run in collaboration with the city's office of Climate Action and Sustainability which was established in 2008 to support and advance environmental stewardship and equity in the City of Long Beach.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.longbeach.gov/sustainability/about-us/about-climate-action/ | title=About Climate Action }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.longbeach.gov/park/park-and-facilities/directory/willow-springs-park---longview-point/ | title=Willow Springs Park - Longview Point }}</ref>

The [[Long Beach Green Belt path]] is a section of the old Pacific Electric right-of-way, restored by community activists as native habitat. The right-of-way was cleared of nonnatives, planted with indigenous plants, and made accessible with foot and bike paths. It supports approximately 40 species of California native plants as well as urban wildlife. The city and its residents have initiatives underway to revegetate the Long Beach stretch of the [[Los Angeles River]] with indigenous plants.<ref>{{cite news |title=RiverLink |url=https://www.longbeach.gov/mayor/news/riverlink/ |work=www.longbeach.gov |date=August 11, 2015 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Golden Shore Marine Biological Reserve, Long Beach, CA.jpg|thumb|400px|Golden Shore Marine Biological Reserve<ref>{{cite web |title=Golden Shore Marine Biological Reserve Park |url=https://www.longbeach.gov/park/park-and-facilities/directory/golden-shore-marine-biological-reserve-park/ |website=www.longbeach.gov |language=en}}</ref>]]
The [[Los Cerritos Wetlands]] Study Group, state government agencies, and grassroots groups are collaborating on a plan to preserve Long Beach's last remaining [[wetlands]].<ref>[https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.7565,-118.104&ie=UTF8&ll=33.756886,-118.103993&spn=0.008385,0.014462&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr Overhead view of ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111023724/https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.7565,-118.104&ie=UTF8&ll=33.756886,-118.103993&spn=0.008385,0.014462&t=h&z=16&iwloc=addr |date=January 11, 2014 }}[[Los Cerritos Wetlands]].</ref> Long Beach is the first city in California to join the 'EcoZone' Program, intended to measurably improve environmental conditions through public-private partnerships. Other places in Long Beach to see natural areas include [[Bluff Park]] (coastal bluffs), [[Colorado Lagoon]], the Golden Shore Marine Biological Reserve, the Jack Dunster Marine Reserve, Shoreline Park, and DeForest Park.

The Municipal Fly Casting Pool<ref>Grobaty, Tim. (July 22, 2002) ''[[Long Beach Press-Telegram]]'' ''[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F4F4C1DE3C55E76&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D What's Up: Forever Fun in the Sun.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809033945/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F4F4C1DE3C55E76&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |date=August 9, 2011 }}'' Section: Local news; Page A3.</ref> at [[Recreation Park (Long Beach, California)|Recreation Park]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.77667,+-118.13386&ie=UTF8&ll=33.776719,-118.133859&spn=0.001048,0.001808&t=h&z=19&iwloc=addr |title=Municipal Fly Casting Pool overhead view |publisher=Google Maps |date=January 1, 1970 |access-date=July 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111012952/https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=33.77667,+-118.13386&ie=UTF8&ll=33.776719,-118.133859&spn=0.001048,0.001808&t=h&z=19&iwloc=addr |archive-date=January 11, 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> in East Long Beach is a 260-by-135-foot clear water, fishless pond built and operated since 1925 by the Long Beach Casting Club as only one of two [[Southern California]] city operated [[Casting (fishing)|casting ponds]] (the other being in [[Pasadena, California|Pasadena]]).<ref name="hooked">Russell, Kelle. (February 5, 1993) [[Long Beach Press-Telegram]] ''[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAE8EB38CA11232&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D Getting Hooked on Fly-Fishing.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809033937/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAE8EB38CA11232&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |date=August 9, 2011 }}'' Section: Local news; Page D3.</ref> Described recently as a serene pond "surrounded by a seemingly endless stretch of green grass against a backdrop of mountains and palm trees",<ref name="hooked" /> several [[movie stars]] from the 1940s were taught to [[Fly fishing|fly cast]] at the pond, including [[Robert Taylor (American actor)|Robert Taylor]], [[Clark Gable]], [[Jimmy Durante]], and [[Barbara Stanwyck]].<ref>Welsh, Jed. (August 23, 2001) [[Long Beach Press-Telegram]] ''[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EE1DDD54C021F56&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D Experts to Teach Fly Casting.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110809034019/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EE1DDD54C021F56&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |date=August 9, 2011 }}'' Section: Sports; Page B7.</ref> In 1932, the fly fishing clubhouse adjacent to the fly fishing pond was used for the [[1932 Summer Olympics|Summer Olympic Games]] and housed military personnel during [[World War II]].<ref>Gewirtz, Jason. (July 27, 2000) [[Long Beach Press-Telegram]] ''[http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAE8B449BB9C3B8&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D City Council Eases Off Certain Restrictions on Skateboarding.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514033434/http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LB&p_theme=lb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EAE8B449BB9C3B8&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D |date=May 14, 2011 }}'' Section: Local news; p. A3.</ref>

Rosie's Dog Beach in [[Belmont Shore, Long Beach, California|Belmont Shore]] is the only legal off-leash beach area for dogs in Los Angeles County.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://longbeach.gov/Park/Park-and-Facilities/Directory/Rosies-Dog-Beach/ |title=Rosies Dog Beach |publisher=Longbeach.gov |access-date=May 16, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190512042935/http://longbeach.gov/Park/Park-and-Facilities/Directory/Rosies-Dog-Beach/ |archive-date=May 12, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref> This {{convert|3|acre|m2|adj=on}} area is situated between Roycroft and Argonne Avenues.