Photo by USDA Forest Service
California is a leader not only in [1]agricultural production and exports[2] but also in conservation, as evidenced by a report released by Governor Gavin Newsom. The 2024 Pathways to 30×30 Annual Progress Report shows that California is on track to meet its ambitious goal of conserving 30% of state lands and coastal waters by 2030. With just over five years to go, it has conserved more than a quarter of its land (25.2%) and 16.2% of its coastal waters.
30×30 is California’s plan to accelerate the conservation of its lands and coastal water through voluntary, collaborative action with partners across the state with three objectives:
- Conserve and restore biodiversity
- Expand access to nature, and
- Mitigate and build resilience to climate change.
It is part of a global effort to increase biodiversity conservation, including in the United States. In January 2021, the Biden administration made a national commitment to 30×30 with its America the Beautiful initiative.
30×30 Milestones
Since the 30×30 effort started in 2022, California has added almost 1.5 million acres of 30×30 Conservation Areas or roughly 0.6 million hectares of conserved lands. This year alone, 861,000 acres of conserved lands, or just under 35,000 hectares, were added.
“In 2020, I signed an executive order to conserve 30% of lands and 30% of coastal waters in California by 2030. And four years into this effort, we’re on track to achieve this target, with over a quarter of our lands protected. We won’t stop working to protect California’s unparalleled natural beauty for generations to come,” said Governor Gavin Newsom.
California says that its progress is down to the partnership and commitment of state leaders, the federal government, and the hard work of on-the-ground practitioners, land managers, tribal governments, and communities.
Major 30×30 milestones over the past year include:
- California’s first-ever ancestral land return effort through the Tribal Nature-Based Solutions Grant Program, which provided $100 million in funding for the return of roughly 40,000 acres (16,000 hectares) to indigenous communities.
- Thanks to the Biden Administration, the expansion of two National Monuments – San Gabriel Mountains and Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monuments – enhancing protections for approximately 120,000 acres (48,500 hectares) of federal lands.
And the roll-out of much of the almost $1.3 billion in Nature-Based Solution state funding that the Governor and the Legislature allocated over the last three years – acquiring and conserving properties, restoring habitat, and more. This funding will help California achieve its 30×30 conservation goals.
[1] https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/ag-and-food-statistics-charting-the-essentials/agricultural-production-and-prices/
[2] https://ustr.gov/map/state-benefits/ca#:~:text=California%20is%20the%20country%27s%20largest,of%20Agriculture).