Ammy Rojas: Protecting Los Angeles’s Last Coastal Wetlands

Ammy Rojas is the Environmental Education Coordinator at Friends of Ballona Wetlands, where she leads efforts to connect local students with the last remaining coastal wetlands in Los Angeles. Through hands-on field trips, she helps young people explore the importance of wetland ecosystems, while introducing them to native plants and animals. Wetlands are not only rich in biodiversity; they are also a powerful climate solution. Acting as natural carbon sinks, they absorb CO₂ emissions, help filter water pollution, and support healthy habitats for wildlife. Wetlands also serve as natural buffers, protecting the land and nearby communities from increasingly frequent and intense storms made worse by climate change. Friends of Ballona Wetlands also honors and teaches the history of the land as the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary homelands of the Gabrielino-Tongva people, who have long lived in harmony with the wetlands’ land and waters. The educational programs at Ballona are complemented by action towards preserving the future of the wetlands, through opportunities for students and community members to participate in restoration and conservation efforts. Through their work, the Friends of Ballona Wetlands are helping to equip the next generation of environmental stewards with the knowledge, connection, and tools for the ongoing care of this vital natural resource.

One of the most important things you can do about climate change is talk about it.

• Ammy emphasizes the urgency of protecting wetlands, pointing to the startling fact that Southern California has already lost 95% of its wetland areas, primarily due to urban development, agriculture, and river modifications. With climate change and growing environmental pressures, why is it important to protect the natural spaces we still have? What do you think future generations will need from us when it comes to preserving beautiful and ecologically important ecosystems like wetlands?
• Ammy is a creative person who enjoys singing, dancing, drawing, and has a background in musical theater. She brings that creativity into her work at Friends of Ballona Wetlands by illustrating educational materials and comics that support their environmental education efforts. For Ammy, it’s a joyful way to blend her love for the outdoors with the artistic expression that’s central to her identity – making learning both fun and meaningful for the students she engages. How can creativity be paired with science and conservation efforts to help reach and inspire more people to care?
• Ammy is proud to represent two cultures as part of her heritage: El Salvadorian and Mexican. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, she was surrounded by a Spanish-speaking community that shaped her sense of identity and belonging. She fondly recalls early memories with her grandmother, who made it a priority to connect Ammy with the outdoors, even through something as simple as walking to the store. These early experiences nurtured Ammy’s love for nature and instilled in her a deep understanding of the importance of cultural relevance when engaging communities in environmental work. Can you recall an early memory where you felt a connection to the outdoors? Was there a person who helped nurture that for you?
• Ammy first discovered the Ballona Wetlands during a high school field trip. At the time, she had no idea that such a wild, natural space existed in Los Angeles and described the experience as an eye-opening, memorable moment. What she didn’t realize then was that this visit would spark a deep love for the wetlands and shape the future of her career. During that trip, she met Patrick, then the Manager of Habitat Restoration, and remembers telling him, “I really want to volunteer here – can I please get involved?” She recalls his response: “Yeah, sure!” That simple moment opened the door to an internship and a part-time job, launching her journey into environmental education and conservation. Now, as an educator herself, Ammy says, “I want to create those memorable moments for the students that come out here.” Thinking about advice that she would give to her younger self, Ammy says, “try new things even if it’s scary, even if you might not see people who look like you… If there wasn’t a reflection of you in that area, now you get to be that reflection.” Who is a mentor in your life, or someone who inspires you to see a new possibility for your future? What impact have they had on the way you think about your goals or path?

Learn about the solutions in this story.

• Solutions Sector: Food, Agriculture, Land & Oceans
• Solutions Clusters: Restore & Manage Ecosystems; Protect & Manage Ecosystems
• Solutions: Restore Coastal Wetlands; Protect Coastal Wetlands
• For more on all of Project Drawdown’s climate solutions, visit drawdown.org/explorer
• Learn more about Ammy’s work at Friends of Ballona Wetlands

Explore Climate Solutions 101, the world's first major educational effort focused solely on climate solutions. This video series combines Project Drawdown’s trusted resources with the expertise of inspiring, scientifically knowledgeable voices from around the world: drawdown.org/climate-solutions-101.

Visit the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, a resource that shares research, communications strategy, and opinion polling on climate communications.

• Subscribe to the Project Drawdown newsletter to receive biweekly insights and inspiration to guide your own climate solutions journey. 
• Drawdown Ecochallenge, presented by Ecochallenge.org, is a fun and social way to take measurable action on the top climate solutions. Take the challenge, and see how a few weeks of action add up to a lifetime of change for you and the planet. If you want to take action on climate solutions like Ammy, start a challenge today. 
• The Drawdown Labs Job Function Action Guides are practical resources that highlight specific, high-impact climate actions employees in common corporate professions can take at work. 
• ChangeX connects people with proven ideas for strengthening communities with the resources needed to implement those changes. Explore countless ways to improve your community and help the world reach drawdown.
• Climate Generation's Green Careers for a Changing Climate Instructional Supplement (for Grades 6-8) contains resources to help young people learn about Green STEM Careers—paths that use STEM skills to help reduce the impacts of climate change. Throughout this instructional supplement, students use Project Drawdown resources to make important connections between climate solutions and different careers.
• Solutions Journalism Network highlights the importance of reporting stories of climate solutions in the media to create a more equitable and sustainable world. Visit their Teaching Climate Solutions resource to find curated collections and the latest examples of climate solutions journalism.
• SubjectToClimate (StC) is a nonprofit online connector for K-12 leaders of all subjects to find materials on climate change at no cost. Explore StC’s educator-generated database to connect to Project Drawdown-based climate education resources.