STATEWIDE RESULTS, LOCAL ACTION
The 98 RCDs in the State of California help solve California’s pressing statewide issues like climate change, reducing the impact of the drought, protecting clean water, creating habitat
for fish and wildlife, restoring critical habitat for endangered and
threatened species like Coho Salmon, and reducing the risk of wildfire. Utilizing partnerships with tribes, fede
ral, state, and local
agencies, they work citizen to citizen to build better communities, better economies, and a better environment. VOLUNTARY CONSERVATION EQUALS REAL AND LASTING CHANGE
RCDs make conservation happen by creating more informed communities that know how to conserve and preserve natural resources. RCDs pass on critical knowledge and create voluntary stewardship of natural resources through conservation projects, education and technical assistance. Their non-advocacy, nonregulatory position makes RCDs approachable and trusted allowing them to engage in resource issues in an objective, science-based manner. DEPENDABLE BECAUSE WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE
RCDs are trusted stewards of public and private funds. As Special Districts, RCDs are subject to state transparency and accountability laws. The Brown Act and Division 9 of the California Public Resource Code require public meetings, open records, annual audits and financial reporting to the State Controller’s Office. BETTER CONSERVATION COMES FROM A
COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH
RCDs develop comprehensive solutions in partnership with their community, landowners, decision makers, and science. They consider the full breadth of resource issues in their geographic district and think systemically about solutions to the critical problems of the day. REAL AND LASTING CHANGE IS BASED ON
STRONG RELATIONSHIPS
RCDs are governed by locally elected or appointed independent boards of Directors. RCD staff and Directors’ relationships with
their communities makes RCDs trusted and efficient facilitators of conservation outcomes. As Special Districts created under Division 9 of the California Public Resources Code, RCDs are local subdivisions of the state.
