Sonoma Land Trust and 30×30
California has joined over 190 countries in setting a goal of conserving 30% of our lands and coastal waters by 2030. Achieving this goal will allow California to protect biodiversity, expand equitable access to nature, and build resilience to climate change. Scientists warn that we must meet the 30×30 goal to avoid the worst impacts of a warming planet.
From the San Pablo baylands, through the Marin Coast-Blue Ridge Critical Linkage, and into the Russian River watershed, Sonoma Land Trust has projects and programs focused on our most threatened species and habitat areas. Sonoma Land Trust is playing a key role in helping the state and the nation achieve the 30×30 goal through purchase of land and stewardship of our 17 nature preserves managed for biodiversity conservation, and most of our conservation easements which were originally identified for their unique biological value.
Our programs are designed to get us to our 30×30 goal of conserving 30% of Sonoma County’s land base – the gateway to larger, connected systems – by 2030. And we have already begun work. With community support and adequate funding, we are confident that we can achieve the 30×30 goals in Sonoma County and conserve this biodiversity hotspot for future generations.
Climate resilience
One key goal of the state’s 30×30 initiative is conserving places that help California achieve carbon neutrality and/or build climate resilience. Sonoma Land Trust is implementing several landscape-scale strategies that address climate resilience in a region of California that has endured an increasingly challenging cycle of wildfires, drought, sea level rise and flooding.
These regional initiatives are examples of the types of programs that should be candidates for programmatic, multi-year funding through 30×30:
Photo credit: Stephen Joseph
1. Russian River Watershed
- The Russian River Coho Water Resources Partnership is protecting natural diversity and building climate resilience by increasing water reliability for our communities as well as the natural environment, with a focus on preserving endangered keystone salmon.
- The Green Valley Creek Restoration Project is a priority for SLT, Sonoma Water and private landowners to protect critical habitat for Coho salmon recovery and address road flooding.
2. San Pablo Baylands
- Through the Resilient SR37 Project, Sonoma Land Trust is partnering with the Sonoma County Transportation Agency to balance transportation needs with protecting and enhancing sensitive marshland habitats. State Route 37 passes directly through the San Pablo Baylands, where SLT is working to protect and restore at least 20,000 acres to tidal marsh wetlands by 2030.
- As part of the Sonoma Creek Baylands Strategy, we plan to protect and restore over 10,000 acres of tidal wetlands.
3. Protect the Marin-Coast to Blue Ridge Critical Linkage
- Through strategic land acquisitions in the Sonoma Valley region, SLT has increased the protected land base of a regionally important wildlife corridor that connects large habitat areas on the Marin Coast with the Blue Ridge mountains of Napa and Lake Counties. Current acquisition projects in the corridor include the Sonoma Developmental Center, McCormick Ranch and the Sonoma Mountain Vernal Pools property.
4. Living with Fire
- Working with local communities and landowners, local governments and other NGO’s, the Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative is restoring fire’s historic ecological role on up to 20,000 acres of Sonoma County’s wildlands, thereby mitigating impacts of climate change, promoting biodiversity, and improving the safety of human communities.
Action alert
Please contact your State Senator or Assemblymember and ask them to support robust funding for the state’s 30×30 initiative. Find your representative here: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
Photo credit: Stephen Joseph
Sample message
Sonoma County is one of the most beautiful and biologically diverse counties in the United States. Our land, plants, wildlife, and other natural resources are threatened by climate change and other stressors. Conserving our natural areas is essential for protecting biodiversity, building climate resilience, and reducing climate change impacts.
We urge you to support robust funding in the FY 2024-25 state budget for implementation of the state’s 30×30 initiative as outlined in the Pathways to 30×30 document. We ask you to support some specific projects that can help Sonoma County achieve the 30×30 goal, such as Sonoma Land Trust’s Russian River Coho Water Resources Partnership, the Green Valley Creek Restoration Project, the Resilient SR37 Project, the Sonoma Creek Baylands Conservation Strategy, and the Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative.
Sonoma County land managers need stable and dedicated funding for restoration, stewardship, maintenance and operations. With political and financial support, these projects will help the state achieve the ambitious 30×30 goal and conserve our biodiversity hotspot for our community and future generations.
Contact info for state representatives
Senator McGuire: senator.mcguire@senate.ca.gov
Senator Bill Dodd: https://sd03.senate.ca.gov/contact
Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry: https://a04.asmdc.org/contact
Assemblymember Damon Connolly: https://a12.asmdc.org/
Assemblymember Jim Wood: https://a02.asmdc.org/contact
Oportunidad para la acción
Póngase en contacto con su senador o asambleísta estatal y pídales que apoyen una financiación sólida para la iniciativa estatal 30×30. Encuentre a su representante aquí: https://findyourrep.legislature.ca.gov/
Ejemplo de mensaje
El condado de Sonoma es uno de los más bellos y biológicamente diversos de Estados Unidos. Nuestra tierra, plantas, vida silvestre y otros recursos naturales están en peligro debido al cambio climático y otros factores de amenaza. La conservación de nuestras áreas naturales es fundamental para proteger la biodiversidad, crear resiliencia climática y reducir los impactos del cambio climático.
Le instamos a que apoye una financiación sólida en el presupuesto estatal del año fiscal 2022-23 para la implementación de la iniciativa 30×30 del estado, como se indica en el documento Pathways to 30×30. Le pedimos que apoye algunos proyectos específicos que pueden ayudar al condado de Sonoma a alcanzar el objetivo 30×30, como la Asociación de Recursos Hídricos Coho del Río Ruso de Sonoma Land Trust, el Proyecto de Restauración de Green Valley Creek, el Proyecto Resiliente SR37, la Estrategia de Conservación de la Bahía de Sonoma Creek y el Sonoma Valley Wildlands Collaborative.
Los gestores de tierras del condado de Sonoma necesitan financiación estable y comprometida para la restauración, la administración, el mantenimiento y las operaciones. Con apoyo político y financiero, estos proyectos ayudarán al Estado a alcanzar el ambicioso objetivo 30×30 y a preservar nuestro sitio clave de biodiversidad para nuestra comunidad y las futuras generaciones.
Información de contacto de los representantes estatales
Senador McGuire: senator.mcguire@senate.ca.gov
Senador Bill Dodd: https://sd03.senate.ca.gov/contact
Asambleísta Cecilia Aguiar-Curry: https://a04.asmdc.org/contact
Asambleísta Damon Connolly: https://a10.asmdc.org/
Asambleísta Jim Wood: https://a02.asmdc.org/contact