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Sharing stories of 30x30 in action, highlighting funding opportunities, and connecting with each other to inspire new partnerships.
Happy Earth Month! Let’s keep the Earth Day celebrations going all year long.
This Earth day marks the 3rd anniversary of the Pathways to 30x30 report—Happy B-Earth Day 30x30!
Did you participate in the City Nature Challenge this month? Your contributions to community science projects like this help track plants, animals, and fungi. Keep it up by snapping photos of what you see and uploading to iNaturalist any time of the year!
This month we held an important Secretary Speaker Series conversation on Protecting Our Public Lands. These places have been called "America’s Best Idea." They provide jobs, support rural economies, and connect people from all walks of life to America’s natural wonders and its history. Now, federal layoffs threaten to close campgrounds, trails, and other outdoor areas this summer. Proposals are circulating to roll-back their protections, and some have even called for selling-off public lands. You can stand up for your public lands by engaging with your lawmakers about protecting their funding, urging congress to keep the Antiquities Act, calling your Senators and Congress members to advocate for protecting National Parks, participating in town halls, and visiting the local offices of your representatives. If you love these places, make your voices heard!
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30x30 in Action
Highlighting conservation successes that will help us reach 30x30.
| | | | Conservation and Indigenous Land Return on the North Coast – The State Coastal Conservancy awarded over $13.6 million to 13 projects to expand public access, enhance climate resilience, mitigate wildfire risk, and facilitate tribal land return. This included roughly $1.2 Million to the City of Fortuna (including ~$970K) from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program) to acquire 237 acres along the Lower Eel River in Humboldt County. The City will retain 7.2 acres for public open space, and the remaining 230 acres will be transferred to the Wiyot Tribe for habitat conservation, restoration, public access, and tribal cultural use and access. | | | | State Funds to Protect Wildlife Corridor Near Joshua Tree National Park – As part of CNRA’s transportation and environment mitigation program, two California desert conservancies were granted over $2 million to acquire and conserve critical habitat connecting to Joshua Tree National Park. Newly conserved areas include desert and montane ecosystems, which are home to pinyon-juniper and Joshua tree woodlands, as well as several reptile species, over 20 bird species, and nine mammal species. | | | | 2025 Annual Report on the Salton Sea Management Program – 2024 marked the largest single year for Salton Sea restoration and management funding in the history of the Salton Sea Management Program. The annual report—submitted by CNRA to the State Water Resources Control Board—incorporates input from Salton Sea community members. Land stewards and managers can now use this information to shape projects that support ecological restoration and community well-being. | |
Community Conversations
Sharing voices from partners across California committed to the 30x30 goal.
| | | | Partners in Maryland hit 30x30 Goal – A partner in the High Ambition Coalition Subnational Taskforce with California, Maryland was the first state to reach their 30x30 target, with nearly 1.9 million acres of land permanently protected from development. Since California committed to 30x30 in 2020, nine other U.S. states have committed to this global conservation goal. Read more from Cara Buckley at the New York Times. | | | | Indigenous Stewardship Practices Mitigated Damage on Tongva Land Burned in Eaton Fire – A recent article in the Los Angeles Times covered how the work of the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy— including the removal of fire-prone eucalyptus trees, dead wood, and debris—helped reduce the Eaton fire’s impacts in the area. The Conservancy is dedicated to restoring and protecting the land and cultural heritage of the Tongva people in Los Angeles, including Indigenous land stewardship practices. This success story underscores the critical role of these practices in supporting the health and resilience of our natural lands. | |
Funding Opportunities
A space to share funding opportunities that will support 30x30.
| | | | 2025 Catalyst Fund Grant Cycle – The Network for Landscape Conservation’s Catalyst Fund couples financial support through a competitive grant process with an in-depth peer learning and capacity building experience. These funds strengthen the ability for local conservation organizations to connect and form effective partnerships. The 2025 grant cycle is currently open and accepting proposals through May 16, 2025. | | | | Golden Eagle Conservation Grant – CDFW is accepting applications for projects under a one-time Golden Eagle Conservation Grant to help protect this species, primarily in the Altamont Pass Wind Resource Area in Alameda and Contra Costa counties, as well as the Tehachapi Wind Resource Area in Kern County. The Public Solicitation Notice outlines the background, eligibility information, grant requirements, schedule, and review process. Applications are due June 16, 2025 at 5:00 pm. | | | | Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation Program – CNRA will soon be accepting proposals for the Environmental Enhancement and Mitigation (EEM) Program, which seeks projects to mitigate environmental impacts caused by new or modified public transportation facilities. Eligible applicants are local, state, and federal government agencies, federally recognized Native American tribes, and nonprofit organizations. Approximately $8 million dollars will be available. Grant Solicitation Technical Assistance Workshops will be held on May 6, 2025, 1:00 – 3:00 pm; May 13, 2025, 10:00 – 12:00 pm; or May 19, 2025 1:00 PM – 3:00 pm. | |
California Biodiversity Network (CBN) News
Bringing together environmental experts and community leaders to conserve California’s biodiversity.
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Join the California Biodiversity Network (CBN)! – Sign up to receive CBN updates and participate in the equity forum and collaborative roundtables on biodiversity protection, stewardship, environmental education, and scientific inquiry.
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Want to find out more? View the recording of our virtual town hall to learn about CBN, and how to join us to support biodiversity conservation to help meet California’s 30x30 targets.
| | | | Innovations in Conservation Practice – Professor Mark Schwartz brings his 15+ years as a lead editor to hosting this YouTube series that shares 3–7-minute reviews of newly published conservation papers followed by author discussions on their discoveries and significance to conservation practitioners. | |
Take Action
Highlighting opportunities to get involved to help advance 30x30.
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Volunteer Opportunity: Community Climate Action Days – Opportunities for Californians to work on projects that will protect their communities against the harshest impacts of climate change while improving quality of life and access to green spaces.
Upcoming events:
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Stay Connected
Find more information and reach out to us.
| | | | Film Screening of Sequoias of the Sea – Leading up to California Ocean Day (May 6, 2025), Ocean Protection Council and CNRA will host a screening of Sequoias of the Sea at the California Natural Resources Agency building (715 P St. 1st Floor Sacramento, CA), on May 5, 2025 from 4 – 5 pm. Sequoias is a new, award-winning documentary that tells the story of the environmental, cultural, and economic destruction impacting a Northern California coastal town that lost its kelp forests. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion on kelp protection and restoration in California, featuring agency partners, scientists, fishermen, and tribal members. Register here! | | | | California Wildlife Reconnected – With keynote speeches by Caltrans Director Tony Tavares and CNRA’s Secretary Wade Crowfoot, the California Wildlife Reconnected event sparked incredible conversations on ways people and nature can thrive together. | | | | |
