California has added over 1 million acres of protected land and coastal waters in the past year, pushing the state closer to its ambitious “30×30” goal—conserving 30% of its lands and waters by 2030.
The newly released 2025 30×30 Progress Report highlights the progress made since its launch in 2020 towards protecting and restoring biodiversity and promoting access to nature.
“Being at the halfway point provides a moment to reflect on the solid foundation we have built in the last five years, share lessons learned, and look ahead to how we can accelerate our efforts over the next five years,” the report said.
The report shows that 26.1% of California’s land and 21.9% of its coastal waters are now under long-term conservation.
“We’ve conserved millions of acres of lands and coastal waters—adding an area equivalent to Glacier National Park in just the last year—and bolstered our partnerships with tribal nations and local communities,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom (D). “We’re proving that conservation isn’t just good for nature. It’s critical for people, too.”
This year’s additions include nearly 853,000 acres of newly conserved land—expansive rangelands, deserts and grasslands—and 191,000 acres of coastal waters.
Among the most notable agriculture-related actions is the permanent conservation of more than 10,000 acres of working rangeland on the Waltz-Turner Ranch, a multi-generational cattle operation in Merced and Mariposa counties. Secured through a public-private partnership involving the Sierra Foothill Conservancy and the California Rangeland Trust, the agricultural conservation easement ensures the land remains available for grazing while protecting critical habitat for species such as the California tiger salamander and San Joaquin Orcutt grass.
“This project has permanently protected grazing lands that also provide critical habitat for numerous pollinators and special-status species,” the report said.
Working with the California Rangeland Trust, the state identified private rangelands that support ecosystem health and biodiversity. These voluntary agreements protect working lands from development while maintaining their agricultural use. In the past year, approximately 131,000 acres of such lands were added to the CA Nature database as official 30×30 Conservation Areas.
“This progress report reflects years of hard work by thousands of Californians, from tribal leaders to ranchers, scientists to surfers,” said California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot. “But it’s a midpoint, not a finish line but through continued work together we will achieve this important target.”
Other key acts in 2025 include:
• The state funded record levels of land protection, including Wildlife Conservation Board grants that supported the acquisition of approximately 50,000 acres, using $180 million in state funds to leverage an additional $120 million from other sources. These investments safeguarded wildlife corridors, wetlands and creeks; improved access to nature; and supported the return of ancestral lands to Native American Tribes, the state said.
• Tribal partnerships expanded through historic land returns, co-management agreements and the revival of cultural burning practices. In February, the Karuk Tribe became the first to sign an agreement allowing the use of Traditional Ecological Knowledge to restore healthy forests.
• Voter approval of Proposition 4, a $10 billion climate bond, will further advance the state’s 30×30 conservation goals, wildfire preparedness and climate adaptation.
• The state also launched a new marine conservation framework and added thousands of acres of coastal waters as 30×30 Conservation Areas. California’s Marine Protected Area Network earned international recognition with its inclusion on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Green List, marking it as a global leader in ocean biodiversity conservation.
“With less than 4 million acres of land and 283,000 acres of coastal waters left to conserve, we are well on our way to reaching 30×30!” the report exclaimed. — Charles Wallace, WLJ contributing editor
