Governor Gavin Newsom has announced $44 million in funding for 15 projects across California aimed at tribal stewardship, salmon recovery, and desert protection. These investments are part of the state's broader goal to conserve 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030, known as the 30x30 initiative.
These projects, spanning 11 counties, are designed to protect California’s diverse wildlife and expand public access to nature. A core commitment of the initiative is to strengthen partnerships with tribal communities, recognizing their historical role as stewards of the state's lands and waters.
“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,” Governor Newsom said. Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider-Ashtari emphasized the importance of care for lands, waters, plants, and beings for communities to thrive, highlighting the shared commitment to stewarding California's abundant biodiversity.
California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot added that these investments protect vital natural places from the northern border to the deserts, safeguarding natural systems and preserving homes for diverse animal and plant species. The funding, granted through the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB), includes $32 million from voter-approved 2024 Climate Bond dollars.
Notable projects include a grant to the Tribal EcoRestoration Alliance for the purchase of the 80-acre Politsuwi property in Lake County, which will serve as an outdoor learning space for Indigenous-led ecological restoration. An $11.5 million grant to The Wildlands Conservancy will expand the Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve in Siskiyou County, protecting salmon and steelhead runs. Other projects involve restoring stream and floodplain habitat in the Shasta Valley, improving water quality and meadow habitat at Lake Tahoe, and expanding desert habitat and wildlife corridors in the Eastern Mojave through a $7.5 million grant to the Mojave Desert Land Trust.
These efforts build on the administration's ongoing commitment to protecting biodiversity, expanding access to nature, and strengthening tribal relationships, including previous initiatives to restore salmon populations and return ancestral lands to tribal ownership.