Happy California Biodiversity Week!
Learn how you can help protect California’s biodiversity.
California is like no other place in the United States. It is home to more species of plants and animals than any other state! In fact, more than 30% of all plant and vertebrate species in the U.S. occur in California. We have more than 6,500 species of plants, 1,000 species of vertebrates, 650 birds, 220 mammals, 100, reptiles, 100 marine fish and mammals, 75 amphibians, and 70 freshwater fish all native to this wonderful state we call home!
California Biodiversity Week is from September 7-15, 2024.
However, if we do not do our part to protect this wonderous biodiversity and the land and water in which it is found then we will lose it. In October 2020, Governor Newsom issued Executive Order N-82-20 which established a state goal of conserving 30% of California's land and coastal waters by 2023 – known as 30X30. This was a lofty goal, but we have made amazing strides towards these goals since 2020 – to learn more about our progress please read the 2024 Pathway to 30X30 Annual Progress Report.
But we are not there yet! We still have work that needs to be done. On November 5th the California Proposition 4 Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 will be on the ballot.
If you are wondering why a Land Trust would be so passionate about passing a bond act, we want you to know exactly how our region will directly benefit from passing this critical investment in conservation. Conservation Easements take time, partnership, hours of title and deed work to establish binding legal documents, and due diligence work to acquire and protect land in perpetuity. NCRLT and other entities that acquire easements rely on state funding from programs that fund nature-based climate solutions, especially from Wildlife Conservation Board and Department of Conservation. Without a robust general fund appropriation, our conservation and land protection efforts could stall indefinitely just at the time we have momentum and community support for protecting more land. Read on for more reasons…
Yes on Prop 4 will Prevent Wildfire, Provide Clean Drinking Water, and Protect California
As California faces devastating wildfires, vulnerable drinking water supplies, extreme summer heat, and other major threats from a changing climate – Yes on Prop 4 makes urgent investments in proven solutions to protect our communities, health, and economy. It addresses threats to our iconic landscapes, coast, and biodiversity before the damage becomes too costly and unmanageable.
Yes on Prop 4 is particularly special because it allocates at least 40% of its funding to underserved and climate vulnerable communities, many of which have not received funding in past bond efforts. It will benefit communities throughout the state with the below major funding categories, including:
• Safe drinking water, drought, flood, and water resilience: $3.8 billion
• Wildfire and forest resilience: $1.5 billion
• Sea level rise and coastal resilience: $1.2 billion
• Protect biodiversity and implement nature-based climate solutions: $1.2 billion
• Clean air programs: $850 million
• Park creation and outdoor access: $700 million
• Climate-smart and sustainable farms, ranches, and working lands: $300 million
• Extreme heat mitigation: $450 million
YES on Prop 4 marks a historic shift from investing in disaster response to investments in disaster prevention, saving billions of dollars in future costs from devastating fires and water shortages. Wildfire risks are already driving up insurance and utility bills. Droughts, floods, rising sea levels, and extreme heat are poised to inflict billions more in damages.
How can you help? Prop 4 is an essential investment in our amazing and diverse natural resources, benefitting both human and wildlife communities across California. By making your voice heard at the ballot box on November 5th, you can help share a better future for California. Please vote YES on Proposition 4.
For more information on Prop 4, visit the official Prop 4 Website.
