State and Local
Environmental Organizations in California
State and local organizations often focus on a single locality or issue, such as a particular river, a county, or a a specific plant or animal. There are many such organizations active in California, and they are valuable sources of information on their area of interest. This page is a small sampling of the many organizations in the state. It is roughly broken down into statewide organizations, and those that focus on a region, either in Northern California or Southern California.
Statewide Organizations Northern California Southern California
California Wilderness Coalition is a grassroots, non-profit organization that works to protect the "wildest and most pristine areas remaining in California"
California League of Conservation Voters is a political action organization that "mobilizes California voters to support environmentally responsible candidates and issues, and serves
as a watchdog to hold elected officials accountable for their environmental votes".California Native Plant Society seeks to increase understanding of California's native flora and to preserve its diversity. The Society works through education, conservation, and scientific research.
Friends of the River
is "California's Statewide River Conservation Organization", and is very active
in working to protect and restore rivers. Their quarterly Headwaters is available
online. Read their Top Ten Dam Removal List.CalTrout: If you are not familiar with this organization, but have any interest in wild trout, fish or fishing in general, or in streams and their ecosystems, you should find out more about CalTrout. This group played a very important role in helping to protect and restore Mono Lake and the ecosystem of the Mono Lake watershed, and they continue to work to maintain and restore streams throughout California.
Organizations in Northern California:
Mono Lake Committee. Dedicated to protecting and restoring Mono Lake, in the Eastern Sierra.
Mount Diablo Interpretive Association is a volunteer organization focused on Mount Diablo State Park, with a very informative web site on the natural history of the area, including geology, plants and animals..
Sierra
Nevada Forest Protection
Campaign is a coalition of conservation groups and individuals that have the goal of
protecting the forests and watersheds of the Sierra Nevada. They study and monitor
the forests of the Sierra, and are involved in the planning process through education and
legal and political activism. Here is their Blueprint for management of
the Sierra Nevada.The Mendocino Environmental Center promotes "the conservation, restoration and appropriate use of the Earth's natural resources". They have a list of environmental groups in Mendocino County, and many links to environmental resources.
South Yuba River Citizens League is dedicated to the protection and preservation of the Yuba River watershed. Here is their Fact Sheet.
Elkhorn Slough Foundation, Monterey County, works for the conservation of Elkhorn Slough, and has educational programs, as well as a website with a lot of natural history information.
The Big Sur Land Trust works to set aside land in the Big Sur coast and the Monterey Peninsula for open space and natural preserves. So far, they have arranged for the protection of 15,000 acres.
The Sierra Foothill Conservancy works to preserve open space in the Sierra foothils in Fresno and Madera Counties.
Restore Hetch Hetchy is an organization dedicated to planning for "the decommissioning of the dam, replacing water and power with downstream supplies, and restoring Hetch Hetchy Valley."
Organizations in Southern California:
Friends of the Los Angeles River, Los Angeles County. For other information on the Los Angeles River, see this bibliography prepared by a librarian at the L.A. Public Library.
Heal the Bay, Los Angeles County, focuses on Santa Monica Bay, Los Angeles County.
Ballona Valley Preservation League is dedicated to preserving the remaining wetlands at the mouth of Ballona Creek, in Los Angeles.
San Dieguito River Park, San Diego County. If completed, the park will preserve habitats from the ocean to the mountains of the Peninsular Ranges.
San Diego Zoological Society. More than just a place to keep animals for display, modern zoos are very important in efforts to preserve endangered species, both local species and those from other parts of the world. The San Diego Zoo's Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species is an example.
San Diego BayKeeper,
San Diego County, is a non-profit environmental organization
that is a coalition of local groups working to keep San Diego Bay and
associated habitats
clean and free of pollution, by monitoring compliance with water quality
regulations and by supporting community conservation programs.Surfrider Foundation, San Diego County, is a very active organization dedicated to protecting waves and beaches through conservation and political action. And their home page has a really beautiful photo of a wave.
San Diego Clean Water Alliance, San Diego County, is a coalition of environmental groups working to keep San Diego's beaches and bays clean.
Friends of Famosa Slough work to to protect and restore the Famosa Slough as a natural wetland preserve. The slough is located in an urbanized area near the mouth of the San Diego River. This site has photos, location and history of the wetlands, and some natural history information.
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Comments, Questions, or Suggestions? Email: J.R. Thorngren
(but I can't do calculations for you...or do your homework)
06/07/06
The grizzly bear is the state animal of California, and is the bear on the California flag. There are no grizzly bears in the wild in California today. The last one in the state was killed in 1922, or possibly in 1924.