2. California Council of Land Trusts
CALIFORNIA LAND TRUSTS – OUR FIRST AGE
Land trusts conserved over 1.7 million acres in California
(c) 2014

3. OUR FIRST AGE Since 2000, $15 billion voter-approved funds Spurred:
growth of land trusts
growth of state and regional agencies
Results:
1.5 million acres conserved
created huge stewardship need

4. WHERE WE ARE TODAY Population Majority non-white; Latinos
Over half of children are Latino
95% live in urban areas
Nearly a quarter live below the poverty line

5. WHERE WE ARE TODAY Culture and Attitudes
Over half of children cite “lack of interest” for outdoors
Nearly half speak language other than English at home
Poor areas have fewer parks; poor have less mobility to access
People interact with the outdoors differently

6. WHERE WE ARE TODAY LTs hold over 1.7 million acres in fee and easement
more acres given to public land base
Protected lands not where people live

7. WHERE WE ARE TODAY
Small number of land trusts hold majority of fee lands and conservation easements

8. California Council of Land Trusts
WHERE WE ARE TODAY
LT leadership does not look like California
(c) 2014

9. WHAT OUR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE
Population
older, heavier & poorer
super-majorities of non-whites, Latinos
Millennials
add another metropolitan LA
¾ of population in So-CValley

10. WHAT OUR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE
Millennials Figure Prominently
Great buying and political power
Will shape California in the next 40 years
Only 4% rank environment as a top cause

11. WHAT OUR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE
Climate Change – bigger & worse
Fires, storms
Water supply, demand, quality
Public health
Habitat & farmland losses
invasives, extinctions
food supply

12. WHAT OUR FUTURE LOOKS LIKE
Generational changes with donors, institutional funders
Demands to meet pressing public problems
climate change, food security, public health, water
Cross-sector competition requiring quantifiable demonstration

13. California Council of Land Trusts
THE QUESTION
California is changing.
Industries change.
Will we change, expand and be relevant?
Relevance = Sustainability
(c) 2014

14. California Council of Land Trusts
THE CONSERVATION JOB AHEAD
As a community, we are at a reflection point.
What is the future we want for conservation?
How do we make outdoors and conservation relevant to Californians?
(c) 2014

15. California Council of Land Trusts
THE CONSERVATION JOB AHEAD
We must ask and answer:
What additional lands do we need to acquire?
How do we take care of our conserved lands?
What will we do on our conserved lands?
How will our institutions deliver the necessary solutions?
(c) 2014

16. WHERE DO WE START? Recognize current realities and the choices we make
Embrace a broader tent for land conservation
conservation relevance - serve our local communities, serve all Californians
realize diversity & leadership within staff and boards
Talk with new sectors – begin new partnerships
4. Regional profiles

17. FINAL THOUGHTS
We are facing a second age for California land conservation.
We want support, relevance, embrace of land trusts and protected lands to continue – increase!
We can be pro-active.
How can we make conservation relevant to all Californians?
Individual land trust
Land trust community
Help solve pressing societal problems

18. Please share your ideas, comments and questions.
THANK YOU
Please share your ideas, comments and questions.