CDFW News

WCB Approves $59.6 Million for Wildlife Crossings, Salmon Recovery, Biodiversity and Public Access Projects

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 12:01:42 GMT

Photo of mountain lion by Dan Potter.

Funding Supports Biodiversity Hotspots and Expanded Access to Nature Across California

The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved $59,642,096 in grants for 27 projects across 18 counties to protect biodiversity, restore important wildlife habitats and improve public access to nature. Among these, five projects advance the California Salmon Strategy for a Hotter, Drier Future, restoring floodplains, improving stream complexity, and enhancing spawning and rearing habitat for coho salmon, Chinook salmon and steelhead. Projects also include investments in wildlife corridors, oak woodlands and grasslands, and wildlife-oriented recreation.

The board met at the California Natural Resources Agency headquarters in Sacramento.

WCB’s grants advance Gov. Gavin Newsom’s goal of conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030, a globally adopted target known as 30x30. The initiative seeks to protect biodiversity, expand access to nature for all Californians and adapt to climate change.

Advancing Wildlife Crossings in Southern California

A $5.5 million grant to Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) will fund environmental review and design for two wildlife crossings over State Route 62 near Yucca Valley, reconnecting habitat between the San Bernardino and Little San Bernardino mountains, including Joshua Tree National Park. An additional $4 million grant to Temecula-Elsinore-Anza-Murrieta Resource Conservation District (TEAM RCD), in cooperation with The Nature Conservancy (TNC), will advance design of a crossing over Interstate 15 in western Riverside County, restoring connectivity between the Santa Ana and Palomar mountains for mountain lions and other wide-ranging species.

“Desert communities exist at the intersection of people, wildlife and wide-open landscapes,” said Kelly Herbinson, executive director of MDLT. “The proposed wildlife crossings will restore natural movement of animals, reduce dangerous wildlife-vehicle collisions and strengthen the ecosystems that sustain us. Thanks to WCB and our partners, we can invest in solutions that protect wildlife while supporting safer roads and resilient communities.”

“WCB’s support will enhance highway safety and ensure wildlife can continue their path without entering human communities,” said Teri Biancardi, president of TEAM RCD. “This planning effort will demonstrate how restoring wildlife corridors goes hand in hand with local residents’ quality of life.”

Investing in the Governor’s Salmon Strategy

A $2.9 million grant to California Trout Inc. will restore 0.33 miles of the East Fork Scott River at Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve in Siskiyou County. The project, led in part by the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board (NCRWQCB), will add side channels, alcoves and large wood structures, reconnect floodplains and improve summer flows for coho salmon.

"Beaver Valley Headwaters Preserve incorporates multiple cold-water tributaries in one corridor,” said Eli Scott, senior environmental scientist for NCRWQCB. “This project is a huge opportunity to build habitat for coho salmon and give them a foothold."

A $1.1 million grant to Marin Municipal Water District (MMWD) will support Lagunitas Creek Aquatic Habitat Enhancement, Phase 2a, in cooperation with the California Department of Water Resources. The project restores stream habitat for coho salmon, steelhead and other native species.

"We are grateful to WCB for their support on this project," said Jed Smith, president of the MMWD Board of Directors. "Through this collaboration, we are making meaningful progress in enhancing Lagunitas Creek and strengthening our watershed."

A $$1.85 million grant to Chico State Enterprises will restore floodplains and habitat on lower Battle Creek in Tehama County for endangered salmon and steelhead, including construction of a side channel, removal of 1,700 linear feet of defunct levee and placement of large wood and boulders to create salmon habitat.

A $1.5 million grant to Sonoma County Regional Parks will restore stream complexity and spawning habitat for coho, Chinook and steelhead on Mark West Creek in Sonoma County.

A $3.65 million grant to the Yosemite River Alliance will restore nearly a quarter mile of the Tuolumne River near La Grange, reconnecting the river to its historic floodplain to improve spawning and rearing conditions for fall-run Chinook salmon and steelhead.

Enhancing Biodiversity at Pepperwood Preserve

A $1.75 million grant to Pepperwood Foundation (PF), in cooperation with Conservation Corps North Bay, will restore 893 acres of oak woodland and grasslands in Sonoma County. The project reduces fuel loads, enhances biodiversity, restores native grasslands and oak woodlands, and brings back cultural burning as part of land stewardship.

“The Pepperwood project will enhance wildlife habitat in a biodiversity ‘hot spot’ in the Mayacamas Mountains of Sonoma County,” said Michael Gillogly, preserve manager for PF. “Oak woodlands and native grasslands provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators threatened by poor stewardship and development. The project includes indigenous cultural fire, forest thinning, grassland restoration and invasive species treatments.”

Expanding Public Access at Watsonville Slough

A $4.88 million grant to the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County (LTSCC) will construct a five-mile trail network and new visitor amenities at Watsonville Slough Farm. The project will provide free access to wetlands, grasslands and working agricultural lands, with bilingual interpretation, educational programming and improved connections for underserved communities.

“I am so pleased that the Watsonville Slough Trails project has been approved!” said Sen. John Laird, D-Santa Cruz. “The project will open the outdoors for young people and others who have historically been excluded from such opportunities. Hats off to WCB for its vision and support, which will enable people to explore and feel inspired by the natural world in this beautiful region of the Central Coast."

“At LTSCC, we believe everyone should be able to connect with nature and learn from our incredible wild and working lands,” said Sarah Newkirk, executive director of LTSCC. “This funding from WCB will help people of all ages immerse themselves in nature and learn about the native habitat and sloughs that make Santa Cruz County special.”

About the Wildlife Conservation Board

Established in 1947, the Wildlife Conservation Board protects, restores and enhances California’s spectacular natural resources for wildlife and the public’s use and enjoyment. WCB works in partnership with Tribes, conservation groups, government agencies and the people of California to safeguard biodiversity and expand access to nature.

For more information about WCB, visit wcb.ca.gov. To explore the newly funded projects, visit WCB’s StoryMaps pages.

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Media Contact:
Mark Topping, WCB Communications, (916) 539-4673

Wildlife Conservation Board Awards $52.3 Million in Grants to 24 Habitat Conservation and Restoration Projects

Fri, 22 Nov 2024 09:50:50 GMT

Awards Include Funding for the Restoration of 67 Acres of Wetland Habitat in the City of Salinas, Providing Park Space and Recreation Access to Disadvantaged Communities in Monterey County

The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved 24 habitat protection and restoration projects spanning 25 counties across more than 21,600 acres at its Nov. 21 quarterly meeting.

One of the grants restores 67 acres of wetland, riparian, and upland habitat at Carr Lake in the heart of the city of Salinas, providing much needed open space to a community area with limited access to parks and nature.

The WCB’s $4 million grant to the Big Sur Land Trust—in a cooperative project with the California Natural Resources Agency, the California Department of Water Resources, and the State Coastal Conservancy—increases biodiversity, decreases and treats stormwater flows and improves public access to nature.

More than 1.7 miles of trails will be constructed, providing access to disadvantaged and severely disadvantaged communities in the area to participate in recreation such as hiking and birdwatching.

“After 8 years and with over 6,000 residents weighing in on a community-led process to design a new multi-benefit wetland restoration and park development project in Salinas, we are grateful to WCB for considering a grant for the project that will close our funding gap, allowing us to move forward to create a place in the heart of the city for residents to enjoy and learn about the natural world while helping strengthen the city’s resiliency to climate change,” said Jeannette Tuitele-Lewis, president and chief executive officer of Big Sur Land Trust.

WCB’s grants advance Gov. Gavin Newsom’s goal of conserving 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030, an initiative known as 30x30. The initiative seeks to protect biodiversity, expand access to nature for all Californians, and fight and adapt to climate change.

Other funded projects include:

• A $2.4 million grant to the Tule River Indian Tribe—in a cooperative project with the California Natural Resources Agency—for the return of 14,675 acres of ancestral lands, restoring Tribal sovereignty and conserving habitat in Tulare County. The Hershey Ranch project reconnects the Tribe with their ancestral land, increasing connectivity between the San Joaquin Valley and Sierra Nevada Mountains, conserving grassland, blue oak woodlands and riparian habitat. This area also represents a potential summer range for the Yowlumni wolf pack and provides the opportunity for future stream restoration and managed public access.

“The Tule River Tribe expresses its gratitude to the Wildlife Conservation Board for aiding the Tribe in its efforts to restore its ancestral homeland,” said Charmaine McDarment, chairwoman of the Tule River Tribal Council. “As the climate crisis brings new pressures to address the effects of environmental mismanagement and resource degradation, the Tribe’s partnership with WCB is an important example of building relationships based in collaboration and trust.

“The Tribe remains committed to supporting co-stewardship efforts and fighting to ensure that disproportionate harms to Native American lands, culture, and resources are resolved in a manner that centers and honors Native American connections to ancestral lands.”

• A $4.5 million grant to The Nature Conservancy to restore delicate habitats on two Channel Islands off the coast of Santa Barbara. These islands are a biodiversity hotspot, hosting nearly 1,000 species and subspecies of native plants, many of which are classified as endangered or threatened.

The islands were once on the brink of ecological collapse from the effects of overgrazing and browsing by introduced herbivorous animals. The project, known as Building Resilience on Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands, is a cooperative project with the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, State Coastal Conservancy, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California Institute of Environmental Studies.

“The Channel Islands hold a special place in the heart of many Californians and are home to more endemic species than anywhere else in the state including 28 Californian special status species,” said Jennifer Baker, program director for The Nature Conservancy.

“The Nature Conservancy and Channel Islands National Park are invigorated by the Wildlife Conservation Board’s ongoing partnership to magnify the rich vibrancy of these islands with projects that will restore the water cycle, stabilize soils, and rebuild the abundance of plants and wildlife, ensuring this biodiversity hotspot continues to thrive.”

• A $4.9 million grant to the Sonoma Land Trust—in a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy—to preserve and protect 1,459 acres of tidal wetland habitat within the Bay Area, benefiting several listed wildlife species and protecting a key stop along the Pacific Flyway. Future work will reestablish tidal flow and habitat connection between the ranch and other protected areas, providing contiguous habitat and protecting local communities from flood and sea level rise.

“The acquisition of Kiser Ranch signals a major milestone in realizing the vision of restoring the vast marshes and wetlands where Sonoma Creek flows into San Pablo Bay,” said John McCaull, land acquisition director for the Sonoma Land Trust.

“Restoration of the property will boost San Francisco Bay biodiversity by converting this hay farm to mixed tidal wetlands, providing habitat for special-status plants, fish, birds, and other wildlife. Without the support of WCB we could not have achieved this important milestone.”

• A $5 million grant to the Santa Clara Open Space Authority to preserve and protect 142 acres of wetland, oak woodland and riparian habitat between the Santa Cruz and Diablo mountain ranges, serving as a key migration corridor for wildlife. This area, known as Coyote Valley, is home to several listed species, including the western burrowing owl and the American badger. The property serves as a key area for flood mitigation for downstream urban centers, including the city of San José.

“As Coyote Valley's permanently protected lands continue to grow, the Open Space Authority is dedicated to planning the restoration of these precious areas that provide important climate resilience for both people and wildlife,” said Andrea McKenzie, general manager of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority.

“As part of the Fisher Creek floodplain, these lands serve as a natural guardian that absorbs and regulate water flow, especially during heavy rains. Coyote Valley also serves as a vital lifeline for wildlife traveling between the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west and the Diablo Range to the east.”

For more information about the WCB, please visit wcb.ca.gov. To learn more about the newly approved habitat conservation and restoration projects, please visit our StoryMaps pages.

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Photo courtesy of Big Sur Land Trust.

Media Contact:
Mark Topping, Wildlife Conservation Board, (916) 539-4673

Grant Award Leads to Historic Acquisition by California’s First Black-led Land Conservation Organization

Thu, 31 Aug 2023 08:43:16 GMT

Wildlife Conservation Board Awards $163.5 million in Grants to 37 Habitat Conservation and Restoration Projects

The Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) provided a $2.27 million grant to the 40 Acre Conservation League, California’s only Black-led conservation group, for the Tahoe Forest Gateway Leidesdorff Property in Placer County, a cooperative project with the Sierra Nevada Conservancy. The conservation group acquired approximately 650 acres of land near the Tahoe Lake area for the purposes of wildlife-oriented education and research, wildlife habitat preservation, restoration and management.

The WCB approved approximately $163.5 million in grants to 37 projects at its Aug. 24, 2023, quarterly meeting that will help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California. The grants will also provide new and improved public access, recreation and educational opportunities.

“I am so thrilled that I was able to help secure $3 million for 40 Acre Conservation League’s first land acquisition,” said Assemblymember Mike A. Gipson (D-Carson). “This remarkable achievement is a gateway for more people of color to enter the conservancy space, and it demonstrates that when like-minded organizations unite for a common cause, they can achieve remarkable results. The $3 million secured for the 40 Acre Conservation League is not just a financial milestone; it is an investment in the future of our environment and a testament to the potential of dedicated conservationists working together.”

Other funded projects include:

A $779,000 grant to the Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy for a project to restore a sage scrub ecosystem in Altadena, Los Angeles County, that will serve as a valuable agricultural learning process for Tongva Community Members to revitalize culture, language and traditional land stewardship. This site will represent the first community-owned gathering space for the Tongva community since the Spanish Mission system in 1771.

“This funding from WCB gives us, a Tongva-led land conservancy, an opportunity to start fresh,” said Tongva Taraxat Paxaavxa Conservancy, Land Return Coordinator Samantha Morales Johnson. “At Huhuunga, the first site since colonization returned to Tongvetam, over 90 percent of the plants present are non-native species. This first project with WCB allows us to remove invasive trees and pay Tongva people to remove the understory taking over our oak grove. This is a vital part of our community healing with the land, and we hope to continue to receive support toward more land returned and funding of California-Native led projects throughout the state.”

An $8.7 million grant to the Big Sur Land Trust for a cooperative project with the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County to acquire 5,100 acres of land for the protection of riparian chaparral, oak woodland and perennial grassland habitats. The Basin Ranch property will be co-managed with the Esselen Tribe of Monterey County, who will provide access to other tribes in the region.
A $5.8 million grant to the Regents of the University of California at Davis for a project to develop the plans, designs and environmental review necessary to create a wildlife crossing over Interstate 8 for Peninsular bighorn sheep in Imperial County that will allow bighorn sheep to safely continue their seasonal migrations. This has led the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to include this area as a “Top Priority,” for Restoring California’s Wildlife Connectivity (PDF), which places it among the 12 barriers most in need of improvement throughout the state.

"Wildlife in the desert are constantly stressed by drought and temperature and must move,” said Fraser Shilling, the director of UC Davis’ Road Ecology Center. “The Interstate 8 wildlife crossings will provide critical flexibility for the endangered Peninsular bighorn sheep and other wildlife to move more freely.”

A $7 million grant to the Land Trust of Napa County for a cooperative project with the State Coastal Conservancy, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and The Conservation Fund to acquire 2,300 acres of land for the protection of wildlife habitat in response to climate change, expansion of wildlife corridors, restoration, wildlife-oriented education and future wildlife-oriented public use opportunities, located in the Napa River watershed.

“Walt Ranch is a top priority for conservation,” said Doug Parker, president and CEO of Land Trust of Napa County. “It has everything – large size at 2,300 acres, adjacent to over 5,500 acres of existing protected land, several rare species, water resources including a municipal water supply, and it is located at the junction of two priority wildlife corridors.”

A $12 million grant to the Los Angeles County Public Works to create engineering designs and permits to enhance and restore habitat for the unarmored three-spined stickleback and other rare, sensitive, threatened, and endangered riparian and aquatic species. Bouquet Creek Canyon, located five miles north of Santa Clarita within the Angeles National Forest, will receive other enhancements including increased water supply, sediment management and conveyance, flood protection and increased public access to multiple day-use areas and trails.

For more information about the WCB, please visit wcb.ca.gov.

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Media contacts:
Mark Topping, Wildlife Conservation Board, (916) 539-4673
Rebecca Fris, Wildlife Conservation Board, (916) 212-5637

Wildlife Conservation Board Funds Environmental Improvement and Acquisition Projects

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 15:31:12 GMT

A restored meadow along Yellow Creek in Tasmam Koyom (aka Humbug Valley) in Plumas County with Meadow Penstemon blooming in the foreground. Photo © Ryan Burnett.

At its Jan. 13, 2023 meeting, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved approximately $70.14 million in grants to help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California. The three approved projects will benefit fish and wildlife through funding mechanisms that support biodiversity, watershed restoration, climate resiliency and working landscapes that integrate economic, social and environmental stewardship practices beneficial to the environment, landowners and the local community.

Funding for these projects comes from the General Fund, Budget Act of 2022 and supports the 30x30 Initiative (the goal to conserve 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030) and nature-based solutions.

Funded projects:

A $26 million grant to Point Blue Conservation Science for a cooperative project with local volunteer educators and students to implement wildlife habitat restoration on working lands in multiple counties across California.
A $24.73 million grant to Point Blue Conservation Science for a cooperative project with National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and Sierra Meadows Partnership to plan, implement and monitor meadow restoration in the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains spanning 23 California counties.
A $19.41 million grant to the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts for a cooperative project with California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, California Department of Conservation, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and USFWS to expand monarch, pollinator and other wildlife habitat on public and private lands and to assist landowners in the implementation of carbon farm practices that create habitat and sequester carbon in multiple counties across California.

For more information about the WCB please visit wcb.ca.gov.

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Media Contacts:
John Donnelly, Wildlife Conservation Board, (916) 445-8448
Amanda McDermott, CDFW Communications, (916) 738-9641

Wildlife Conservation Board Funds Environmental Improvement and Acquisition Projects

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 15:05:20 GMT

At its Nov. 15, 2022 quarterly meeting, the Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) approved approximately $24.46 million in grants to help restore and protect fish and wildlife habitat throughout California. Some of the 16 approved projects will benefit fish and wildlife — including some endangered species — while others will provide public access to important natural resources. Several projects will also demonstrate the importance of protecting working landscapes that integrate economic, social and environmental stewardship practices beneficial to the environment, landowners and the local community.

Funding for these projects comes from a combination of sources including the Habitat Conservation Fund and bond measures approved by voters to help preserve and protect California’s natural resources. The General Fund is also being used, which will help to achieve the 30x30 Initiative (the goal to conserve 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030) and nature-based solutions.

Funded projects include:

A $650,000 grant to California Rangeland Trust (CRT), the acceptance of a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Habitat Recovery Land Acquisition grant, and the approval to subgrant these federal funds to CRT to acquire a conservation easement over approximately 4,503 acres for the protection and preservation of threatened and endangered species habitat, rangelands and grasslands, and habitat linkages located near Hollister in San Benito County.
A $1.1 million grant to the Tehama County Resource Conservation District to conduct the planning, design, impacts analysis and permit implementation actions necessary for the reconnection and restoration of salmonid rearing habitat in a historic side channel immediately downstream of Battle Creek’s confluence with the Sacramento River in Tehama County.
A $2.38 million grant to the Feather River Land Trust for a cooperative project with the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to acquire a conservation easement over approximately 4,101 acres of working landscape to protect and preserve open waterways, emergent wetlands, wet meadows, perennial native grasslands, dry meadows and the open-space characteristics which support numerous sensitive species along with providing future potential wildlife-oriented, public-use opportunities located in Plumas County.
A $2.4 million grant to California Waterfowl Association for a cooperative project with California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to enhance 798 acres of wetlands and 17 acres of native upland habitat for the benefit of migratory birds located at the Imperial Wildlife Area in Imperial County.
A $3.17 million grant to Caltrans for a cooperative project with CDFW, Eastern Sierra Land Trust and U.S. Bureau of Land Management to complete the designs and environmental compliance necessary to install a wildlife crossing corridor consisting of two enhanced undercrossing structures and exclusion fencing along U.S. Highway 395, 10 miles southeast of the town of Mammoth Lakes in Mono County.
A $4.72 million grant to the Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains for a project to develop the planning, designs and environmental review for a wildlife overpass across Interstate 5 in the Newhall Pass Region near Santa Clarita in Los Angeles County.

For more information about the WCB please visit wcb.ca.gov.

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Media Contacts:
John Donnelly, Wildlife Conservation Board, (916) 445-8448
Amanda McDermott, CDFW Communications, (916) 738-9641