Part 7 - BIODIVERSITY

California Public Resources Code — §§ 71450-71453

Sections (4)

Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 392, Sec. 1. (SB 337) Effective January 1, 2024.

(a)For the purposes of this part, the following definitions apply:

(1)“30x30 goal” means the goal to conserve 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030 established in subdivision (b) and by Executive Order No. N-82-20.

(2)“Pathways to 30x30 Report” means the report entitled “Pathways to 30x30 California: Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature” that was issued by the Natural Resources Agency on April 22, 2022.

(b)It is the goal of the state to conserve at least 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.

§ 71451

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 716, Sec. 2. (AB 2440) Effective January 1, 2025.

In implementing the 10 pathways and specific near-term priority actions described in the Pathways to 30x30 Report to achieve the 30x30 goal, the Natural Resources Agency shall prioritize the following actions:

(a)Creating and facilitating the 30x30 Partnership, which includes the Ocean Protection Council, 30x30 Coordinating Committee, California Biodiversity Council, and California Biodiversity Network.

(b)Conducting public outreach to engage historically marginalized communities in the planning and implementation of the 30x30 goal.

(c)Identifying and promoting regional 30x30 goal efforts, including efforts that enhance equitable public access to

nature.

(d)Supporting tribal engagement and leadership in implementing the 30x30 goal.

(e)Enhancing coordination between state, local, and federal agencies and departments to ensure that relevant state programs and actions are complementary to, and assist achieving, the 30x30 goal.

(f)Partnering with federal agencies to leverage strategic funding and resources in achieving the 30x30 goal.

(g)Promoting and supporting partnering state agencies and departments that acquire and steward state land, including, but not limited to, the Department of Parks and Recreation, in the acquisition of new state land and responsible stewardship of state land, as feasible.

§ 71452

Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 716, Sec. 3. (AB 2440) Effective January 1, 2025.

(a)Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, the Secretary of the Natural Resources Agency shall prepare and submit, on or before March 31, 2024, and annually thereafter, a report to the Legislature on the progress made in the prior calendar year toward achieving the 30x30 goal. The report shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following information:

(1)The number of acres conserved in the prior calendar year and the number of acres remaining that need to be conserved to meet the 30x30 goal, including information on how that goal is conserving California’s imperiled biodiversity.

(2)A summary of the progress made in the prior calendar year to advance toward the 30x30 goal and

the near-term priority actions identified in the Pathways to 30x30 Report.

(3)How and where state funding that was expended in the prior calendar year was used in furtherance of the 30x30 goal, including the amount of funding expended by each partnering state agency and department for land and water conservation, science and research, public outreach and engagement, and managing, monitoring, and restoring conserved lands and water.

(4)The progress made by the 30x30 Partnership in the prior calendar year, including by the 30x30 Coordinating Committee, California Biodiversity Council, and California Biodiversity Network.

(5)The status of, and progress made by, CA Nature, which is the suite of interactive mapping and visualization tools developed pursuant to the 30x30 goal, and other scientific research or tools

developed in the prior calendar year to support the 30x30 goal.

(6)The coordination between local, state, and federal agencies in support of the 30x30 goal.

(7)The progress made in the prior calendar year to address equity as part of the 30x30 goal, including state funding invested in community engagement, planning, acquisition and restoration, equitable outdoor access, and expenditures for efforts by tribes or community-based groups.

(8)Identified barriers to implementing the 30x30 goal and recommended actions taken or needed to address those barriers.

(9)Interim benchmarks for the next calendar year to help meet the 30x30 goal and specific actions to implement the 30x30 goal.

(b)A

report to be submitted pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

§ 71453

Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 385, Sec. 1. (AB 900) Effective January 1, 2026.

(a)The Natural Resources Agency shall develop strategies to reduce barriers and increase support for stewardship of conserved lands in order to further the findings from the Pathways to 30x30 Report, which provided that designating an area as conserved is only the beginning of effective conservation and that protected areas require ongoing stewardship and monitoring.

(b)The Natural Resources Agency shall collaborate with stakeholders, California Native American tribes, and relevant state agencies to prepare a section on

stewardship as part of the 2027 annual report required pursuant to Section 71452 that shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following information:

(1)An estimate of backlogged, critical, recurring, and future stewardship needs throughout the state with associated costs. The Natural Resources Agency may use datasets, that are in existence on or before March 31, 2027, from federal, state, and local governments,

California Native American tribes, private entities, and tribal landowners and managers to complete this estimate.

(2)Case studies of effective stewardship.

(3)A review of stewardship best practices for conserved lands that includes, but is not limited to, new technology and innovative practices that improve outcomes and cost-effectiveness.

(4)A valuation of the benefits of stewardship on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

(5)Identification of the ecological workforce needs for stewardship and opportunities to support workforce training.

(6)A review of the

cobenefits of stewardship that includes, but is not limited to, recreation and public access, the provision of habitat and resources for wildlife, carbon sequestration, water and air purification, and climate regulation.

(7)Recommendations to increase and improve stewardship of 30x30 lands, including innovative ways to reduce barriers and increase federal, state, and local support for stewardship.

(8)Recommendations to increase ancestral land return.

(9)Recommendations to increase consultation and partnership with California Native American tribes and tribal cultural

practitioners throughout the state, including, but not limited to, support for tribal stewardship activities, traditional ecological knowledge, and cultural practices.

(c)The update required pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be posted on the Natural Resources Agency’s internet website.

(d)For purposes of this section, “stewardship” includes, but is not limited to, science-based management, adaptive management, traditional ecological knowledge, and best land management practices across all land types.