Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center — Attraction in Torrance

This is for Friday fun class: I was debating whether to leave a review, especially one of the teachers (an older lady in glasses) was so sweet to my son which I really appreciated, but the other main teacher was so impersonable and passive aggressive with my son that it was the opposite of fun. In general I think this class is not suitable for toddlers. There are too many explicit and implicit rules.. sit down and listen without too many questions (or else teacher will ignore you or snap at you), do not pick up and carry around stick during class hike (or else teacher will try to pull it out of your hand), do not talk loud (both inside building and outside at preserve), do not step onto coyote footprint on preserve (or else get chastised by teacher in front of everyone).. I did my best to force my toddler into compliance but the more I think about it, I'd rather keep my child out of this class so he keeps his free spirited curious self than bring him so he learns tons of different types of ducks and duck parts that even I don't care to know while getting treated with frustration by his teacher for every little thing (basically just being himself) which in turn makes him feel frustrated. If you don't like little kids being little kids and don't know how to treat them with dignity at their level then don't invite and teach them. The preserve itself is as dry and boring as...

Sat 1/12/2019, 11 am Beautiful, sunny after a rainy morning. thought it would be fun to go to marsh and see the water, find frogs etc... Checked Madrona Marsh website open 10am-5pm. Went to marsh with 2 older kids. We found the front gate locked and while waiting for light to cross street back to car, kids were interrogated rudely by female volunteer because my son had a small net. I bought the net in the Madrona Marsh gift shop... We did not say anything and just left. On way out we saw at least 2 kids and 4 adults playing in the marsh. Went to the store & back, checked gate and it was still locked. One volunteer said the marsh was too dangerous to open and they always close the march on rainy days. Another said "people were in the marsh to take photos and conduct counts". As this man was speaking I saw the 2 kids come out behind some bushes with a long stick wacking weeds and having a great time. We looked at them and he just walked away. The mantra for all these workers is "I am sorry you feel that way". This is Marsh clearly being managed as a private playground. I don't care if volunteers have unlimited access - good for them, throw parties in there for yourselves, but during normal operating hours on beautiful days after a rain, don't turn the marsh into your members...

One of my favorite places to go walking (and photographing) in the South Bay. It's the last remnant of the seasonal marshes that once covered the western part of the LA basin. (Basically a large city block that was set aside as a nature preserve.) It's carefully maintained to assist the natural environment. Ponds form naturally during the winter and spring rains and dry out over summer. All kinds of waterfowl visit the pools during the wet season. There is a broad path suitable for strollers (and possibly wheelchairs?) that runs around the edges and through the center, and depending on the time of year and how much rain there's been lately, smaller footpaths run between the ponds and through the wooded area. Very flat, mostly open, shade in the wooded corner where the ponds tend to last longest.

Great for spotting birds and small animals in all seasons, butterflies and dragonflies in spring/summer, and for hearing tiny frogs that hide very effectively in the grass and stop croaking when you try to locate them. Worth visiting in multiple seasons, too.

There's a visitor center (with restrooms!) and a garden of local native plants across the street, and the gates...