Preserving the Natural Beauty of California's Coastline
Terranea Resort retains the essence of the unspoiled beauty of California's coast, meticulously designed with the utmost reverence for its native environment. Guided by the philosophy of ecological sustainability, our luxury resort's aesthetic embraces a continuous interplay with nature and the coastal habitat of the Pacific Ocean. Every effort has been made to protect and steward this unique environment on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, preserving one of Southern California's most scenic and coveted coastlines for future generations.
These efforts include preserving open space, enhancing wildlife habitats, and improving local water quality. Today, Terranea occupies only one-quarter of its 102-acre site, leaving more than 75 acres of natural landscape for guests to explore and enjoy.
Eco-Friendly Practices for a Sustainable Future
Eco Friendly For Minimal Impact
Terranea is dedicated to protecting the coastal resources of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, one of the world’s most valued natural destinations. The resort minimizes its environmental footprint through transparent, eco-friendly practices that preserve open space, support wildlife habitats, and improve local water quality. Occupying just one-quarter of its 102-acre site, Terranea offers guests more than 75 acres of natural landscape.
Additional environmentally friendly measures at Terranea include:
- Recycled Materials: During development, no land was removed, and over 65,000 tons of on-site stone were quarried, crushed, and reused beneath roads and walkways.
- Mature Tree Preservation: Approximately 45 mature trees from Marineland of the Pacific were carefully preserved and replanted throughout the site as a tribute to the area’s history.
- Natural Water Treatment: Bioswales—wet ponds and vegetated channels—are used to naturally treat water while providing habitat for native birds. Additionally, first-flush rainfall collection systems reduce runoff pollutants.
- Native Plant Palette: The landscape features coastal species indigenous to Palos Verdes and the Channel Islands. Non-native plants were replaced with local varieties grown by the Palos Verdes Land Conservancy to promote biodiversity.
- Saltwater Pools: All four resort pools use saltwater treatment instead of chlorine, offering a more environmentally friendly and healthier pool experience.
Natural Encounters
Terranea Resort encourages guests to explore its unique ecology and embrace environmentally friendly practices through a variety of conservation programs, as well as exciting and educational activities. More than 14 acres of wildlife habitat surrounding the resort make it easy to observe the local fauna at Terranea. The resort offers many opportunities to view a range of wildlife in their natural environment, from tracking whale migrations to spotting the endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly, and more.
Wildlife Experiences
- Naturalist-led tours guide visitors along the resort's extensive walking, hiking, and bird-watching footpaths along the scenic Discovery Trail, part of the Palos Verdes Peninsula trail system. The tours help further the awareness of the land's ecology, educating guests on the resort's coastal flora and fauna, such as the California crabapple, a rare species that grows only on the Peninsula and Catalina Island.
- California Blue and Pacific Gray whales migrate through the waters just 50 yards offshore, within view of Terranea nearly year-round.
- The Experience Concierge specializes in unforgettable indigenous recreational excursions, ranging from ocean kayaking, to tide pool treks through diverse marine habitat at the Terranea Beach Cove, and even falconry.
- For guest enjoyment and in support of the local community, several telescopes are set along Terranea's coastal bluffs to view the whales, sea lions, and dolphins ever-present offshore. Proceeds from the coin-operated telescopes support area non-profit environmental organizations: The Palos Verdes Land Conservancy, Marine Mammal Care Center, and Algalita Marine Research Foundation.
Green Measures
Terranea Resort continually strives to reduce its environmental impact. Our green initiatives include:
- Energy and Water Conservation: We focus on reducing energy and water usage while increasing recycling and composting. We also prioritize purchasing local and organic food and beverages whenever possible.
- Hybrid and Low-Emission Vehicles: We use hybrid and low-emission vehicles for our shuttle service, encouraging sustainable transportation on the property.
- Sustainable Lighting: Dimmers, motion detectors, low-voltage devices, and fluorescent bulbs reduce total lighting energy consumption across the resort.
- Eco-Friendly Amenities: Guestrooms feature biodegradable amenity containers, and we offer a voluntary linen and towel reuse program to conserve water.
- Plastic-Free Practices: Plastic straws were replaced with paper straws in 2017, and balloons are prohibited on property to minimize waste.
Traveler's Insights
Terranea is committed to eco-initiatives, including habitat restoration, water conservation, waste reduction, and sustainable dining practices to protect the natural environment.