From coastal redwoods and Joshua trees to golden poppies and sagebrush, California is a global botanical hotspot.
From coastal redwoods and Joshua trees to golden poppies and sagebrush, California is a global botanical hotspot. It’s also a place confronted with extreme heat, wildfires and crumbling coastlines. The state’s natural beauty and history of pioneering conservation efforts make it a test bed for protecting biodiversity in the face of current and future climate change, argues a study led by the University of California, Davis.
Published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study, “Climate Change and California’s Terrestrial Biodiversity,” is part of a special PNAS issue on California sustainability. The article concludes that California’s 30 x 30 Initiative to preserve 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030, along with efforts to harmonize biodiversity conservation and renewable energy, is a promising step. It also highlights the need for California to shift away from its decades-long fire suppression policies and adopt fire strategies reflective of new fire regimes.
“California has had a history for over 100 years of being a leader in protecting the environment — from setting aside parks for people to climate adaptation,” said lead author Susan Harrison, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Environmental Science and Policy. “The threats are extreme and unprecedented, but California has always been a state where creative new solutions have emerged.”
Read more at University of California - Davis
Image: Wildflowers blanket Molok Luyuk (foremerly Walker Ridge) in the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument. The site was slated for wind energy production despite its rich biodiversity before being protected. (Credit: Jesse Pluim/Bureau of Land Management)
