Project Level Advocacy
Standing up for plants and habitat when threats emerge.
Human beings are part of nature, but we also impact nature. We need infrastructure and natural resources. And we make decisions that affect natural habitats. Sometimes our choices support nature, and sometimes they hurt it. CNPS monitors and responds to projects across the state, at the local, state, and federal level. From local development decisions to public lands management plans, we work for solutions that support human needs while minimizing harm to the native plants upon which we all depend.
How we work
CNPS tracks and carefully reviews proposed projects for potential impacts to native plants and habitats. These projects could range from proposed fuel breaks to newly proposed cities.
Enacted in 1970, the California Environmental Quality Act requires state and local agencies to disclose and address the environmental effects of projects before they approve them. CNPS participates in this important process by reviewing environmental impact reports and providing public comment on potential impacts to native plants and habitat.
At moments of key land-use decisions, CNPS shows up. From the Board of Supervisors to the Board of Forestry, CNPS provides testimony and presence on behalf of the plants who can’t speak for themselves. Read how CNPS and partners rallied to defend oak habitat in Sacramento County.
Litigation
When all else fails, legal action is an important tool for accountability. CNPS works through its Litigation Committee and Board of Directors to determine which lawsuits to enter and when or how to reach settlement agreements. Just recently, CNPS defended the world’s oldest living oak, estimated to be at least 13,000 years old!
Learn how to protect irreplaceable habitat and plants using this helpful CNPS website. You’ll find a step-by-step guide to CEQA, a comment letter database, tips for crafting comment letters, and more!
