Sand dunes restored near LAX

PLAYA DEL REY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Five years ago, a plan was put in place to restore the dunes near Los Angeles International Airport.

Today, conservationists are calling the LAX Coastal Dunes Improvement Project a success.

In 2013, the area consisted of abandoned streets, sidewalks, foundations and other infrastructure. The "ghost city" was removed and the entire six acres were then regraded and seeded with native dune and coastal prairie species.

Over the last five years, more than 80 restoration events have been held to remove non-native vegetation.

More than 2,000 volunteers participated, putting in more than 6,000 hours of work.

According to the Ecological Monitoring Report, 2,500 bags of invasive plants were removed.

The project is adjacent to the El Segundo Butterfly Preserve.