Governor Gavin Newsom has announced a $44 million investment across 15 projects in California, focusing on tribal stewardship, salmon recovery, and desert protection. These initiatives are designed to safeguard the state's biodiversity and enhance public access to natural spaces, aligning with California's ambitious goal to conserve 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 initiative.
These investments, made in partnership with the Legislature, underscore a core commitment to strengthening tribal partnerships, recognizing Indigenous communities as the original stewards of California's lands and waters. Governor Newsom emphasized the state's dedication, saying, "California doesn’t back away from protecting what makes this state so extraordinary. These investments are about standing with tribes and communities, restoring the ecosystems we all depend on, and protecting the natural heritage of generations to come. When we act with purpose and invest in the health of our lands and wildlife, we deliver real, lasting results."
Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari highlighted the importance of these efforts, stating, "Tribal communities across the state emphasize the long-held understanding that it is only through care of this place — the lands, waters, plants and beings — that our communities can thrive in return." California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot added that these investments protect vital natural places "from source waters along our northern border to our great deserts," contributing significantly to the 30x30 goal.
The funding, largely from voter-approved 2024 Climate Bond dollars, is granted through the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB). Notable projects include a grant to the Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance for purchasing the 80-acre Politsuwi property in Lake County, expanding an Indigenous-led ecological restoration center. An $11.5 million grant to The Wildlands Conservancy will acquire 14,177 acres in Siskiyou County to protect Scott River salmon and steelhead runs. Additionally, $2.4 million will support California Trout and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in restoring stream and floodplain habitat in the Shasta Valley, while $4 million will improve water quality and meadow habitat along the Upper Truckee River at Lake Tahoe. A $7.5 million grant to the Mojave Desert Land Trust will conserve 1,093 acres near Yucca Grove in San Bernardino County, protecting critical habitat for the Mojave desert tortoise and other species.
These actions build on the Newsom administration's ongoing efforts to protect biodiversity, expand access to nature, and strengthen relationships with tribes, including previous successes in salmon population recovery and ancestral land returns. The state continues to advance programs that place tribal partnership at the heart of land conservation and climate resilience.