Accelerating 30x30 through a collaborative regional prioritization partnership

Team: Elizabeth Hadly, Deborah Sivas, Sarah Billington, Nicole Ardoin, Mele Wheaton, Kelly Chauvin
Planning (Scoping)

To achieve California’s goal of preserving 30% of its ecosystems by 2030 (“30x30,” SB 337), the state needs to coordinate local conservation actions. Since effective conservation requires addressing ecological, political, and social viability, researchers must collaborate with local and regional networks and engage with communities. This team identified a 30x30 conservation plan for the Santa Cruz Mountains and elsewhere in California that focuses on conserving elk (Cervus canadensis), which reduce fire fuels by browsing and grazing. The team’s approach involves geospatial data analysis, collaborative mapping, participatory workshops, and integrated research and education. This comprehensive strategy has fostered an inclusive and engaged conservation prioritization process. It will provide a novel approach and accelerate the implementation of 30x30 across the state. 

During the project, the team listened to communities, conducted surveys, and interviewed experts and tribal leaders. They identified historic factors that caused the elk population to decline in California, reviewed previous elk reintroductions, outlined the legal landscape for wildlife reintroductions in California, and compared California policies to those of other states with elk. The team is studying elk diet in northern California from scat samples using environmental DNA techniques and produced five working papers on policy, ecological impacts, and community attitudes toward elk reintroduction.

To implement this inclusive approach, the team will continue to build trust and engage with external partners (Santa Cruz Mountains Stewardship Network, The Nature Conservancy, California landowners, etc.). Initial results were presented at the National Conservation Ecosystem Restoration conference, the topic was central to a lively discussion at the San Francisco Night of Ideas, and papers are now being prepared for publication.