The conservancy has completed more than 2,400 projects along the California coastline and in the
San Francisco bay. Enacted in 1976, the State Coastal Conservancy Act (Division 21 Section 31000 et al. of the Public Resources Code) calls for the Coastal Conservancy to have a principal role in the implementation of a system of public accessways to and along the state's coastline, including development of the CCT. The Coastal Conservancy pursues this mandate in part by awarding grants to public agencies and nonprofit organizations to acquire land, or any interest therein, or to develop, operate, or manage lands for public access purposes to and along the coast, on terms and conditions the Coastal Conservancy specifies. In addition, the Coastal Conservancy works with other state agencies including the
California Department of Parks and Recreation and the Coastal Commission to coordinate trail development. In 2003, the “Completing the California Coastal Trail” Report described the status of the trail and outlined strategies for its completion. SB 908 also directed the Coastal Conservancy to provide grants and assistance to establish and expand inland trail systems that may be linked to the trail, and directed agencies with property interests or regulatory authority in coastal areas to cooperate with the Coastal Conservancy with respect to planning and making lands available for completion of the trail. In 2007, the Governor signed SB 1396 directing the Coastal Conservancy to coordinate development of the Coastal Trail with the
Caltrans. This bill also required local transportation planning agencies whose jurisdiction includes a portion of the Coastal Trail, or property designated for the trail to coordinate with the Coastal Conservancy, Coastal Commission, and Caltrans regarding development of the trail.
Napa Sonoma Marsh Restoration Project The
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Conservancy, and the
California Department of Fish and Game conducted a feasibility study and preparing an Environmental Impact Report / Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS), which involves the technical
Analysis of Alternatives for the restoration of of wetlands and associated habitats within the former Cargill salt pond complex in the North Bay. The goals of this project are to restore large patches of tidal marsh that support a wide variety of fish, wildlife and plants, including special status mammals and water birds – specifically the
salt marsh harvest mouse,
California clapper rail, and
black rail, endangered fish – specifically the
delta smelt,
Sacramento splittail,
steelhead trout and
Chinook salmon, and aquatic animals. They will also be managing water depth to maximize wildlife habitat diversity, with shallow-water areas for migratory and resident shore birds and deep-water areas for diving ducks.
Carmel River Reroute and San Clemente Dam Removal Project The project involves the Conservancy,
National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the Conservation League Foundation and the Californian
American Water company (CalAm) working together to remove the
San Clemente Dam. Since the dams construction in 1921, the
Carmel River has suffered from accelerated erosion, and the once vibrant steelhead trout run has dramatically decreased. The benefits of the dam removal include recovery of central coast steelhead trout (a threatened species) by proving unimpaired access to over of
spawning and rearing habitat, expansion of public recreation by preserving over of coastal watershed lands, restoration of a natural sediment regime improving the habitat for steelhead trout, reducing
beach erosion that now contributes to destabilization of homes, roads and infrastructure, and improvement of habitat for the threatened
California red-legged frog. focused on pre-implementation activities including designs and permits for nearly 100 critical watershed restoration projects in Santa Cruz County In October 2000,
Cargill proposed to consolidate its operations and sell lands and salt production rights on 61 percent of its South Bay Operation area. Negotiations were headed by Senator
Dianne Feinstein and a framework agreement was signed in May 2002 by the conservancy, the
California Resources Agency, the Wildlife Conservation Board, the California Department of Fish and Game,
United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Cargill and Senator Feinstein. Cordgrasses are highly aggressive invaders that significantly alter both the physical structure and biological composition of our tidal marshes, mudflats and creeks. The control program is the "action arm" of the San Francisco Estuary Invasive Spartina Project, a project of the conservancy. The program uses an Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) approach to prioritize and implement control efforts. Applying this approach, the control program uses all available scientific information regarding the San Francisco Estuary, the invasive cordgrasses, and the likely economic, sociological, and ecological consequences of both the invasion and the treatment program, to develop a management strategy that is effective, economical, and protective of public and environmental health. To implement the site-specific management strategies, the program relies heavily on partnerships developed with the landowners and managers around the Bay that have non-native Spartina growing on their lands. The conservancy provides treatment and eradication grants to these partners, who subsequently select an appropriate aquatic vegetation control contractor through a competitive bid process, or utilize their own equipment and crews in the case of flood control and mosquito abatement districts. These partners are ultimately responsible for the success of the project through the long-term commitment to monitor and maintain the eradication efforts, and ensure that Spartina is not reintroduced to the system.
Explore the Coast program The Conservancy's Explore the Coast Grant program is a small grants program supporting programs that encourage all Californian's to explore and experience the coast, with a focus on under-served communities and young people. Since 2013, the Conservancy has awarded over $4 million in 150 separate grants for programs that bring people to the coast, increase stewardship of coastal resources, and provide educational opportunities. These grants prioritize projects that achieve one or more of these objectives: • Provide coastal experiences to lower-income or other underserved populations; • Increase the number of people visiting the coast; • Improve barrier-free access for persons with disabilities; and/or • Provide a valuable recreational, environmental, cultural or historic learning experience; • Increase stewardship of coastal resources; or • Enhance the public's coastal experience in a way that does not currently exist.
Explore the Coast Overnight program In 2019, the Conservancy introduced its Explore the Coast Overnight program to fund projects and programs to increase Californians' opportunities to stay overnight near or on the coast. The program allocates funding from
Proposition 68, the Parks and Water Bond Act of 2018, to support the construction of cabins, campsites and other lodging as well as overnight programming at the coast. The Explore the Coast Overnight grant program and the Conservancy's Explore the Coast Overnight Assessment, were developed in response to AB-250 State Coastal Conservancy: Lower Cost Coastal Accommodations Program (
Gonzalez Fletcher). == Leadership ==