California remains heavily dependent on federal lands to meet its conservation targets, with approximately 78% of protected terrain under federal management, including national parks and forests. The state itself oversees roughly 10% of conserved lands, while nonprofits, tribal groups, local governments, and other entities maintain the remainder.
Most of the recent gains in land conservation came from two national monuments established during the closing days of the Biden administration: Chuckwalla National Monument near Joshua Tree National Park and Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in Northern California’s obsidian-rich woodlands. However, these designations have faced uncertainty since the Trump administration took office. Shortly after the 2020 election, the new administration suggested it might revoke the monuments, though it later retreated from that stance. The Justice Department subsequently affirmed the president’s authority to abolish national monuments created by predecessors, prompting Interior Department consideration of expanded resource extraction, such as mining and drilling, within these protected areas.
In addition, the Interior Department acknowledged discussions about selling a small parcel of Yosemite National Park land to a private developer, although it denied that the White House exerted undue influence on the decision. Conservation advocates warn that such moves—along with efforts to reduce the size of conserved lands—could hinder California’s progress under its 30x30 conservation goals, which aim to protect 30% of the state’s land and coastal waters by 2030. To count toward this goal, lands must maintain natural cover with minimal ecosystem degradation, excluding areas subject to intensive logging, mining, or disruptive recreational activities like off-highway vehicle use.
Federal rollbacks have also targeted protections for off-highway vehicle trails, with the Trump administration rescinding Nixon-era directives aimed at minimizing ecological damage in these areas. Concerns have been raised over policies promoting expanded logging in national forests, which could enable practices like clear-cutting and old-growth timber harvests, potentially reversing environmental gains.
Despite these challenges, state officials emphasize that the 30x30 effort is broader than any single administration. Jared Blumenfeld, California’s Secretary for Environmental Protection, underscored the state’s continued commitment to tracking federal land management changes to ensure they align with California’s conservation standards, noting, “At a time when our national leaders are rolling back the clock on environmental protections and attacking public lands, we’re continuing to make unprecedented progress in California.”
Conservation efforts in California’s coastal waters have faced additional obstacles. The Biden administration’s 2024 establishment of the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary marks nearly all of the state’s progress in coastal conservation since formal tracking began. The sanctuary, initially proposed in 2015, saw little advancement during the Trump administration but was reinvigorated under Biden’s tenure. California had paused expansion of its Marine Protected Areas to evaluate management effectiveness, a process spanning from the late 2010s into 2023. Research now indicates these areas are enhancing marine biodiversity.
The state is currently reviewing proposals for new protected coastal areas and aims to support tribal- and community-led conservation initiatives to meet its ambitious goals. In a recent address to conservationists, legislators, and tribal leaders, Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the global attention on California’s environmental efforts and expressed hope that future leadership would continue advancing these priorities.