Summit Program - In Depth

Opening Plenary (Theater, Atrium & Zoom)

Building Conservation Legacy

• Dr. Stanley Rodriguez, Kumeyaay Santa Ysabel Band of the Iipay Nation

• Assemblymember Tasha Boerner, Representing California’s 77th District

• Judy Gradwohl, President and CEO, San Diego Natural History Museum

• California Natural Resources Agency, Deputy Secretaries Jenn Eckerle and Meghan Hertel (emcees)

Join us for a warm welcome to the 2025 30x30 Partnership Summit!

Keynote  (Theater, Atrium & Zoom)

Nature: From Nicety to Necessity 

• Collin O’Mara, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Wildlife Federation

An inspiring look at how conservation can move forward through inclusive, “big tent” approaches that welcome diverse voices, build resilience in the face of challenges, and uncover emerging opportunities to spark new action.

Keynote Panel (Theater, Atrium & Zoom)

• Secretary Wade Crowfoot, California Natural Resources Agency (moderator)

• Valérie Courtois, Executive Director of the Indigenous Leadership Initiative

• Exequiel Ezcurra, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Ecology, University of California, Riverside. Director, UC-MEXUS (UC Institute for Mexico & the United States)

• Tom O’Shea, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game

A dynamic conversation showcasing strategies from across North America driving 30x30 and biodiversity conservation, with an eye toward accelerating progress, adapting to change, and keeping momentum strong.

Different Paths, Shared Purpose: Concurrent Sessions #1 

Ahead of the Curve: The Power and Promise of Advance Mitigation (Coast to Cactus Exhibit, Level 2)

Frances Appiah (Caltrans)

Sara Johnson (California Ecological Restoration Business Association)

Skip Moss (Natural Resources Group)

Dan Silver (Endangered Habitats League)

David Smith-Ferri (Dry Creek Racheria Band of Pomo Indians)

California has many housing, infrastructure, and renewable energy goals that will require mitigation for their impacts. Advance mitigation is gaining momentum as a powerful tool to protect natural resources ahead of these impacts, improve habitat and species planning, and increase permitting efficiencies. This panel will explore the spectrum of advance mitigation approaches—such as sales tax measures, mitigation/conservation banking, infrastructure-led planning, in-lieu fee programs, RCIS’s, and NCCP/HCPs. Panelists will highlight how these mechanisms can durably achieve habitat and biodiversity conservation objectives through tools like conservation easements, deed restrictions, and restrictive covenants—contributing directly to California’s 30x30 goals. Attendees will gain insights into funding strategies for long-term management that ensure also funding durability. Each speaker will share key lessons learned from decades of mitigation implementation and real-world examples that illuminate who’s doing this work, how, and where it’s working best. Whether you’re navigating early pitfalls or seeking a clear pathway to success, this session offers a comprehensive look at the who, what, where, why, and how of advance mitigation. 

From Protection to Perennial: Growing a Stewardship Movement (Unshelved Exhibit, Level 2)

Claire Arre, Marine Protected Areas

Heather Bernikoff, CA Association of Resource Conservation Districts

Lily Carlson, LA Dept. of Sanitation and Environment

Shelena deSilva (moderator - CA State Parks)

Dr. Stan Rodriguez, Santa Ysabel Band of Iipay Nation Council Member)

Stewardship is not a phase—it’s a forever commitment. As California works toward the ambitious 30x30 goal, ensuring long-term care and management of conserved lands is not optional; it is foundational. Yet stewardship is not one-size-fits-all. It takes many forms across California’s diverse regions and communities, shaped by local ecosystems, histories, and capacities. This panel will explore the shared needs that unite stewards across the state—funding, workforce, and policy support—while also examining how stewardship must remain flexible and responsive to place-based differences. Panelists will discuss what must be amplified, catalyzed, or done differently in the next five years to set the stage for enduring care. How do we create systems that support stewards not just today, but decades from now? How can we ensure that the success of 30x30 is measured not just in acres conserved, but in the vitality and sustainability of those lands over time? 

All Hands on Deck: Charting Our Course Toward 30x30 in Coastal Waters (Fossil Mysteries Exhibit, Level 2)

Maria Brown, Former Superintendent of Greater Farallones and Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuaries

Mike Esgro, California Ocean Protection Council (moderator) 

Lillie Mulligan, WILDCOAST 

Evyan Sloane, State Coastal Conservancy

Councilmember Jaytuk Steinruck, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation

21.9% of California’s coastal waters are currently under long-term conservation and care, bringing our state well within reach of its goal to conserve 30% of coastal waters by 2030. But state agencies cannot achieve 30x30 alone. Sustaining and strengthening partnerships with local communities, the federal government, and California Native American tribes are essential to the success of the 30x30 movement. Join the California Ocean Protection Council and the California State Coastal Conservancy for a dynamic panel discussion that will spotlight coastal waters leaders from across our state working on the ground and in the water to protect biodiversity, expand access to nature, and build climate resilience. This panel will provide an exciting opportunity for Summit attendees to hear more about key partnerships, celebrate recent successes, and learn what’s next for 30x30 in coastal waters. 

Where Nature Works: Production and Biodiversity Together (Living Lab, Level 1)

Kevin Conway, CAL FIRE

Michael Delbar (moderator), California Rangeland Trust

Lauren Fety, The Conservation Fund

Karin Roux, California Department of Conservation

Jeremy Walker, Rancho Corta Madera Inc.

This panel will explore the vital yet often overlooked role of California’s working lands—timberlands, family ranches, rangelands, and other mixed-use landscapes—in advancing the state’s 30x30 goal. Far from being obstacles to conservation, these places can be powerful contributors to biodiversity, climate resilience, and long-term stewardship, all while supporting local economies and sustaining rural communities. Panelists will examine how to bridge the gap between perception and reality, challenge lingering biases against working lands, and highlight real-world examples of how productive landscapes are integrating conservation into their core practices. The conversation will focus on pathways to ensure that these lands remain economically viable, ecologically valuable, and community-supported well into the future. 

Nature’s Pulse: Monitoring California’s Living Landscapes with Sentinel Sites (Smargon Learning Lab, Level 1)

Gary Bucciarelli, University of California, Davis Natural Reserve System

Dena Spatz, California State Parks

Dr. Laura Ward, Pepperwood

California biodiversity is in steep decline, with more than 30% of species considered at risk. Biodiversity monitoring is central to detecting changes across California’s living landscapes and responding rapidly to prevent further loss of the species and ecosystems that make California so special. The California Sentinel Sites for Nature (CA-SSN) is a multijurisdictional, collaborative initiative to perform standardized long-term climate and biodiversity monitoring across California. Envisioned through the California Biodiversity Network’s hundreds of public participants and implemented via public and private partner organizations, the network is scalable and cost-effective, providing approaches to measure biodiversity baselines, assess ecological changes, guide conservation strategies, and ensure the sustainability of California’s natural resources. During this session, we will host a panel discussion about the CA-SSN, how it is being applied, and ways to get involved. Importantly, this session will touch upon open questions and gaps that require the insight and drive of the California 30x30 initiative’s participants to ensure the network remains efficient, accessible, inclusive, and able to meet the growing needs to track and maintain California’s biodiversity for generations to come.  

BiodiverCITY: Where Nature and Neighborhoods Thrive (Theater, Level 1)

Dr. Jun Bando, CA Native Plant Society

Mark Beringer, City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Dept. 

Dr. Dan Cooper, Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica

Dr. Kendall Helm, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Dr. Rachel Larson (moderator), San Diego Natural History Museum

Juan Rosas, Hispanic Access Foundation 

This panel will highlight the critical role of urban biodiversity in achieving and sustaining California’s 30x30 goal, demonstrating how nature in cities is not only compatible with conservation but essential to it. Panelists will showcase effective models for community engagement; uplift emerging champions within state and local agencies; and explore cutting-edge research at the intersection of biodiversity, public health, access, and climate resilience. By emphasizing the policy-relevant connections between urban ecosystems and broader 30x30 objectives, the discussion will also consider how to embed these priorities in our work to help ensure long-term impacts. 

Finding Common Ground in an Uncharted Federal Landscape (Parker French Learning Lab, Level 1)

Sara Aminzadeh, California Natural Resources Agency 

Janessa Goldbeck, Vet Voice Foundation

Jacob Huls, Office of U.S. Senator Alex Padilla

Devin O’Dea, Backcountry Hunters & Anglers 

In recent months, leaders in Washington D.C. have proposed unprecedented changes to federal natural resources agencies, programs, and practices. The cancellation of the America the Beautiful Initiative, the proposed sale of public lands, and changes to National Park operations are just a few notable examples. However, the proposed changes have uncovered a strong—and in many cases bipartisan—ethos that values public lands and access to nature. This panel will discuss how the conservation community can meet this moment by seizing opportunities in policymaking and movement building. 

Different Paths, Shared Purpose: Concurrent Sessions #2

Surprising Co-Benefits: The Transformational Power of Integrating Social Justice and Conservation (Coast to Cactus, Level 2)

Jay Chamberlin, California State Parks

Teddy Cruz, University of California, San Diego

Fonna Forman, University of California & UCSD Center on Global Justice

Clayton Tschudy, San Diego Canyonlands

Five climate and conservation visionaries working throughout California will discuss the growing movement linking conservation and social justice. The session will include examples from: the Climate Resilient California Initiative’s cross-disciplinary partnerships, a community-led, equity-focused effort to protect a local watershed, the U.C. San Diego-Earthlab Community Station’s exploration of the socio-ecological interdependence between the U.S. and Mexico, how the San Diego Multiple Species Conservation Program supports equitable workforce development and underserved communities, and the Redwoods Rising partnership’s work to create a sustainable economy based on landscape-scale restoration of forests and streams.

Think Different: Expanding Views of Ecological Connectivity (Unshelved Exhibit, Level 2)

Amy Hutzel, State Coastal Conservancy

Beth Pratt, National Wildlife Federation

Gloria Roberts, Caltrans

Robert Rock, Rock Design Associates

This dynamic session invites attendees to rethink what connectivity means for biodiversity in today’s complex landscapes. It will spotlight often-overlooked aspects of ecological connectivity—from human-made barriers like noise, light, and infrastructure, to ecological strategies that support both movement and habitat. By integrating new tools, perspectives, and species into the connectivity conversation, this panel offers a more holistic and inclusive approach to conservation in an increasingly fragmented world. 

How Unique Moments of Wow and Wonder Cultivate 30x30 Leaders: The Role of Museums, Zoos, and Aquariums (Fossil Mysteries, Level 2)

Megan Adcock, San Diego Natural History Museum

Laurie Egan-Hedley, Barona Cultural Center & Museum

Alex Feltes, Birch Aquarium

Lila Higgins, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County

Maggie Reinbold, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance

Join museum, zoo, and aquarium professionals from southern California, as they share innovative approaches that connect the public to nature and inspire action to address critical environmental challenges.  This session will highlight exhibits and programs from 5 different institutions.  We will explore Kumeyaay ethnobotany, urban biodiversity and community science, and native plant gardens.  We will share nature exploration activities that inspire pro-environmental behaviors, and even tell you how to elicit climate conversations with poop facts!  You will leave the session with evidence-based approaches you can apply at your own site to engage early learners, youth, and families, growing the conservation leaders of tomorrow.

Advancing Tribal Stewardship Through Tribal Access, Collaboration, and Ancestral Land Return (Living Lab, Level 1)

Chairman Kevin Osuna, Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel

Geneva E. B. Thompson, California Natural Resources Agency

Join us for a workshop on the California Natural Resources Agency’s draft Tribal Stewardship Strategy. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from tribal leaders on their ancestral land return projects and the importance of tribal partnership in reaching the goal of 30x30. At this workshop, participants will learn about current efforts to advance tribal access, collaboration (including co-management) and ancestral land return and provide direct feedback on the draft Tribal Stewardship Policy and Toolkit. This will be an exciting space to have conversations where tribes, federal, state, and local governments, non-profits, land trust, and private landowners can work together to uplift meaningful tribal stewardship for the care of lands and waters across the state!   

Wired for the Wild: Tech Tools for a Thriving Planet (Smargon Learning Lab, Level 1)

Carl Boetteger, Schmidt Center for Data Science & Environment at UC Berkeley

Daniel Martin, Esri

Nate Roth, CA Department of Conservation

Get ready to explore how digital magic can save our planet! Dive into exciting stories of how geospatial tech is boosting biodiversity efforts and learn how your data can be unlocked in new ways to help conserve California’s biodiversity. The presentation will discuss common problems we all work through and how technology can make the complex simple, the heavy light, and the hidden apparent. And with all this at our fingertips, what’s next? 

From Maps to Memes: Creative Tools to Build Power and Raise Awareness for 30x30 (Parker French Learning Lab, Level 1)

Moises Cisneros, Sierra Club

Katie  Hawkins, Outdoor Alliance in California

Pamela Heatherington, Power in Nature

Krystian Lahage, Mojave Desert Land Trust

Liv O’Keeffe, California Native Plant Society

Charles Rilli, Sierra Club San Diego

Melanie Schlotterbeck, Hills For Everyone

This interactive workshop equips participants with creative, practical tools to drive engagement, build influence, and elevate their campaigns to advance 30x30. Through mini-workshops in a “speed dating” style, participants will rotate between topics that provide real-life examples of campaigns that harness both traditional tools like on-the-ground organizing, mapping and grasstops outreach with digital strategies like partnering with influencers, collaborating on posts, and creating memorable memes. Attendees will learn about inexpensive or free tools and resources that can be easily integrated into existing campaigns to build power and raise awareness for 30x30. 

Metrics with Meaning: Assessing, Tracking, and Supporting 30x30 Biodiversity Conservation (Theater, Level 1)

Cassie Buhler, Environmental Data Science Innovation & Impact Lab

Jeanette Howard, The Nature Conservancy

Rachael L. Olliff Yang, technical consultant

The California Biodiversity Network (CBN) is composed of academic institutions, NGOs, government agencies, and private entities with expertise in conservation science and practice.​ This year, a CBN working group conducted a rapid biodiversity assessment of California’s natural lands and freshwaters, both within and beyond 30x30 Conservation Areas. This assessment offers a first glimpse into how the 30x30 initiative has been supporting statewide biodiversity and landscape connectivity. Join us to learn about the results and discuss the implications of this assessment.  We will also present an interactive AI-powered tool for exploring these implications.

Closing Plenary (Theater, Atrium & Zoom)

• Featuring: Kumeyaay Bird Singers 

• Armando Quintero, Director California State Parks (moderator) 

• Sustain Music and Nature 

• San Diego Circus Center 

A thoughtful exploration of how creative and cultural practices deepen our emotional bond with nature, nurture care and wonder, and inspire the collective commitment essential for conservation success.