The Nature Conservancy Urban Strategies Program
California Council of Land Trusts
Jill Sourial, Director of Urban Strategies March 8, 2016 The Mission
The mission of The Nature Conservancy is to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends. Our Science-Based Approach Tehachapi Mountains Amargosa River, Mojave Desert
Santa Clara River, Ventura Co. Irvine Ranch, Orange Co. Evolution of Our Approach
TNC remains focused on protection of biodiversity
• Historically, we protected biodiversity through acquisition • Over the years, we got better at zeroing in on where to work and leveraging opportunities • We also added policy and financing capacity
Los Angeles River Exurban Projects in Southern California • Regional Habitat Conservation Planning • Coachella Valley, San Diego • Small Reserves in Urbanized Areas • Big Bear Valley • Project Work in Natural Portions of Urbanizing Areas • Los Angeles/Ventura Project The Missing Piece
Active Projects • Channel Islands Program • LA/Ventura Project • Coastal Resilience • Santa Rosa Plateau and Tenaja Corridor work • Irvine Ranch • San Diego MSCP • Tehachapi Mountains Connectivity work • LEAF • What about this place? Urban Strategies Program Urban Strategies Program
Los Angeles program in context • largest cities in the U.S. • launched in 2013 Los Angeles program goals • Immediate: more support for conservation • Ultimate: biodiversity conservation itself
8,336,697 population (high to low) 413,892 Need for Urban Conservation • urban areas contain important biodiversity • urban growth and expansion • rural to urban population shift, demographic shifts • lack of connection to nature • support for conservation in the future? Actual Biodiversity in Greater Los Angeles
Photograph by Steve Winter for National Geographic Biodiversity Potential in Greater Los Angeles Develop a Regional Conservation Vision Grow Native Plants and Incubate Ideas at Griffith Park Griffith Park
• Native Plant Propagation
• Research and Education
• Stormwater Capture Restore the Los Angeles River Restore the Los Angeles River Los Angeles River Feasibility Study Enhance Biodiversity with Green Infrastructure Backyard Scale Biodiversity Urban Strategies: Work Plan
• Develop a Regional Conservation Vision
• Incubate ideas at Griffith Park
• Restore the Los Angeles River
• Enhance biodiversity with Green Infrastructure Questions?