Conserving California – 30% by 2030

An exciting new plan to conserve 30% of  lands and waters in California by 2030 needs your input! 

The Plan

30 x 30 aims to conserve 30% of the planet’s lands and waters by the year 2030. President Biden has embraced the plan, and Governor Gavin Newsom’s executive order makes California the first state in the nation to formally adopt the plan. Now it is time for the rubber to meet the road as a “biodiversity collaborative” is formed to come up with the “Pathways to 30 by 2030” plan with specific actions to make the plan a reality. This is your opportunity to contribute to the plan!

Why California matters

California is one of only 36 biodiversity hotspots in the world! But it has lost over 1 million acres of natural lands in the last 20 years, and species diversity has declined 20%, with 305 species currently on the endangered species list. Habitat loss and fragmentation are the leading causes for the declines. Ensuring species viability reduces the likelihood of injunctions against productive economic activities.

Why biodiversity matters

Healthy diverse ecosystems are more resilient to climate change, and they provide ecosystem services such as clean air and water for our communities. Access to nature positively influences communities, especially in low-income neighborhoods that traditionally lack that access.

What you can do –

• Tell California you support the 30 x 30 initiative! First and foremost the State should know its constituents support conservation and value healthy diverse ecosystems. 
• Choose from the talking points below and make them your own! Choose the values that matter most to you and elaborate about why they matter, and what you envision conservation to look like in 2030. 
• Attend the workshop(s) about the region you care most about and share your input! A workshop specific to the Sierra Nevada region will be held April 28th from 4 pm to 6 pm. Click here to register for the April 28 Sierra Nevada meeting. For those who are concerned with other regions in the state, see the graphic below for more region specific dates. 
• If you can’t attend the workshop, Input by the public can also be provided through the following options:
  • By email: CaliforniaNature@resources.ca.gov
  • U.S. Postal Mail: 
    • California Natural Resources Agency
    • California Nature
    • 1416 9th St #1311, Sacramento, CA 95814
  • Voicemail:  1-800-417-0668

We want the State of California to…

Prioritize:

• Lands that are high in diversity
• Connecting existing blocks of conserved lands
• Conserving wildlife corridors
• Conserving and creating green spaces near under-served communities and schools
• Native species propagation, non-native species reduction
• Expansion and creation of wildlife refuges
• Conserving habitats that are under-represented in conserved lands
• Encouraging conservation easements connected or adjacent to conserved lands
• Working with indigenous leaders to implement traditional ecological knowledge
• Protection of upstream habitat to improve water quality and ecosystem health
• Funding public lands agencies so they can properly protect those lands

Make a plan to:

• Manage conserved areas sustainably for the long term
• Implement specific priority actions
• Support current legislation and help create new legislation to protect lands
• Engage in federal lands processes to advocate for 30×30 goals
• Educate local elected officials such as County Supervisors about 30×30 goals and how and why they should implement them
• Oppose destructive projects that destroy critical habitat and harm communities
• Appoint a science advisory panel to inform conservation priorities
• Incorporate 30×30 values in wildfire planning to encourage diversity of habitats and improve community resilience
• Help youth experience public lands in person, educate them about public lands and waters
• Keep public lands fees from becoming prohibitive

Please be sure to send us a copy of your comments!

We would love to thank you for your contribution and share it on our website. We are stronger together! calaverascap@gmail.com