The Nature Conservancy in California

08/19/2026

For World Photography Day, we asked our team in California to share the moments in nature that inspire them most — from a striking Great Blue Heron posing in San Francisco to a beautiful sunset at Big Sur.

These images remind us how lucky we are to protect places this beautiful and how much wonder waits when we pause and look closely.

08/19/2026

08/11/2026

Ten years ago, the Santa Cruz Island fox made conservation history.

On August 11, 2016, the Santa Cruz Island fox, found only on Santa Cruz Island in Channel Islands National Park, was removed from the endangered species list, marking the fastest recovery of any mammal protected under the Endangered Species Act.

The comeback followed years of science, collaboration and coordinated conservation with partners including the National Park Service, Institute for Wildlife Studies, Santa Barbara Zoo, University of California, the Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to restore balance to Santa Cruz Island.

A decade later, TNC and our partners continue monitoring and vaccinating Santa Cruz Island foxes, learning how this isolated species responds to disease, drought, intense rainfall and other environmental changes.

As restoration continues, we’re celebrating how far this small but mighty species has come and looking ahead to the next chapter.

Learn more about this incredible story of recovery: https://nature.ly/3UBRrgz

08/06/2026

Pronghorn, the fastest land mammal in North America and one of the last survivors of the Ice Age, once thrived on the Carrizo Plain, a vast grassland 60 miles east of San Luis Obispo. But a fractured landscape, changing climate and shrinking habitat threaten the livelihood of the Plain’s local population.

If the pronghorn are struggling, other animals that call Carrizo Plain home may soon be as well.

In Red Canary Magazine, reporter Nikolai Barkats joins TNC California’s Scott Butterfield and Ethan Inlander, as well as partners from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife and Cal Poly, on a journey into “California’s Serengeti” to spot the elusive pronghorn and learn more about the plant and animal conservation work happening on this extraordinary landscape.

Read the full story: https://nature.ly/4bvyANd

Photo 1 and 5: Brandon Swanson

Photos 2-4: Nikolai Barkats

08/04/2026

On July 10, 2026, the Trump administration announced a final rule that will rescind the longstanding definition of what it means to “harm” a plant or animal under the Endangered Species Act. The final rule, which will take effect in 60 days, says that habitat destruction is no longer a prohibited form of harm to an endangered species. One week later, the administration announced two additional rules that will weaken protections for endangered species.

In order to survive and thrive, animals and plants need habitat. These rules will make it harder for them to find shelter, food and places to mate.

California is home to more endangered species than most other states, and we've been a pioneer in effectively implementing the Endangered Species Act for almost four decades. We need more, not fewer, effective protections and incentives for habitat restoration. This is not the time to weaken the Endangered Species Act, which for more than 50 years has prevented the extinction of approximately 99% of all species that have fallen under its purview.

Science increasingly points to the importance of healthy and connected habitat as essential for the long-term survival and recovery of species. The Nature Conservancy supports improvements to the ESA so the policy can be the best chance for recovery for species facing threats of extinction.

07/29/2026

Olympia oysters, the only native oyster on the West Coast, were once a thriving part of California’s ocean ecosystem. But we’ve lost nearly 95% of our historical population due to overharvesting, pollution and habitat modification.

What was once a key player in our estuaries and coasts is now absent.

In response, TNC partnered with the Elkhorn Slough Foundation National Estuarine Research Reserve, Amah Mutsun Land Trust, California Sea Grant and Moss Landing Marine Laboratories to bring Olympia oysters – or “Olys” – back to Elkhorn Slough, one of California’s largest and most ecologically diverse coastal salt marshes.

The group’s near-term goal is to restore 2.5 acres of oyster bed in the slough – the largest bed restoration in the state to date.

On a foggy morning in early July, KQED joined us for an outplanting led by the Amah Mutsun Land Trust tribal stewardship program. The day was filled with science, community engagement and optimism for the future of Olys in California.

🦪 Read the full story here: https://nature.ly/4vQqTrX

07/28/2026

What if we could see how California's ecosystems are changing before those changes become visible to the human eye?

We collaborated with NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, UC Santa Barbara and Columbia | SIPA to use advanced airborne imaging to create an unprecedented view of biodiversity across California landscapes, including our Jack & Laura Dangermond Preserve. By combining high-resolution imaging with on-the-ground science, researchers can better understand how climate change is affecting plants and ecosystems, helping land managers make more informed conservation decisions.

Learn how this innovative partnership is helping shape the future of biodiversity management in California: https://nature.ly/3RxG0J1

Photo: © Bill Marr/The Nature Conservancy

07/22/2026

Today, we’re celebrating an incredible accomplishment as our own Lynn Lozier celebrates 50 years of work with TNC in California 🎉

Lynn has been an invaluable leader in guiding our organization’s evolution from a land trust to an innovator in conservation.

In her time at TNC, Lynn:

📚 Launched one of the first experiential environmental education programs in Northern California, which is also 50 years old!

🤝 Was part of the evolution of landscape-scale conservation and the diverse public and private partnerships they involve

🦊 Served as director of TNC’s Santa Cruz Island preserve, where she played an integral role in saving the Santa Cruz Island fox from extinction

🌐 Pioneered the application of early web technology to ensure the staying power of conservation easements state-wide

🌾 Manages the oversight and monitoring of the TNC California's 150 conservation easements and 50 preserve properties

We’re so grateful for Lynn’s amazing knowledge and work over the last half-century.

Read on to learn more about Lynn’s illustrious career, how conservation has evolved, and what challenge TNC is tackling next: https://nature.ly/4wga2QD

07/20/2026

Across California, world-class scientists at The Nature Conservancy are working to protect our wild, wonderful natural world.

"We're building a movement of people," says Executive Director Chuck Bonham. "We can get this job done."

Hear more about our reasons for hope in the Golden State and view the full video here: https://nature.ly/4fofr0M

07/17/2026