The 163-acre Forrestal Canyon is part of the sprawling Portuguese Bend Nature Preserve. Conservation groups hope to expand the preserve’s total size to 1,400 acres. (Mark Boster / LAT)
A snowy egret at the Bolsa Chica reserve, where conservationists have sought for 30 years to restore wetlands. (Mark Boster / LAT)
Mist rises at dawn over Forrestal Canyon, where the endangered California gnatcatcher and other birds thrive. (Mark Boster / LAT)
A hummingbird is among the many species that find a home in the Portugese Bend Nature Preserve. (Mark Boster / LAT)
Bolsa Chica’s tidal marshes provide a haven for shorebirds. (Mark Boster / LAT)
