California’s Conservation Goals Depend on the People Who Carry Them Out

Governor Newsom’s May Revise budget raises urgent concerns about California’s ability to protect birds, restore habitat, and maintain public access to nature.

California has made critical commitments to conserve biodiversity, restore wetlands, expand outdoor access, build climate resilience, and conserve 30 percent of its lands and coastal waters by 2030. But these goals depend on state agencies with the staff and resources to turn public investments into real protections for birds, habitat, and communities.

Audubon California recognizes that the state is facing difficult budget decisions. Still, reducing staff at the very agencies responsible for protecting wildlife, managing parks, reviewing habitat impacts, enforcing environmental laws, and advancing restoration will make California’s conservation challenges more difficult and more costly over time.

What Audubon California is Tracking

As the Legislature and Governor negotiate a final budget deal, Audubon California is closely tracking proposals that would affect birds, habitat, and public access, including:

• Proposed reductions to more than 360 positions across the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, State Water Resources Control Board, California Coastal Commission, and California State Parks, including park rangers and staff who support maintenance and outdoor public access projects;
• Proposed cuts to California State Parks positions, including park rangers and staff who support maintenance and public access projects;
• Delayed decisions around voter-approved Proposition 4 (climate bond) spending;
• Additional climate bond funding proposed for the Salton Sea Conservancy.

Among the most concerning proposals are reductions to vacant positions within the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. These include staff who support:

• Lake and streambed review
• Salton Sea restoration
• Land management
• Timber harvest and wildfire review
• Wildlife law enforcement

Some proposed reductions would affect game warden positions, which help enforce wildlife laws and protect vulnerable species, including birds.

These positions may be vacant, but the work is not optional. These agencies need adequate staffing to carry out their critical missions. Eliminating positions would reduce the state’s ability to carry out essential conservation work at a time when birds and other wildlife are already facing growing threats.

State Parks Cuts Could Affect Public Access

Audubon California is also concerned about proposed staffing reductions at California State Parks, including cuts to state park rangers and staff who support maintenance and access projects. These reductions could directly affect Californians’ ability to safely access and enjoy state park properties.

State Parks protect habitat and give millions of Californians the opportunity to experience birds and wildlife close to home. Reduced staffing can mean fewer visitor services, delayed maintenance, and less capacity to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources.

Public access and habitat protection should go hand in hand. Well-managed parks can welcome people while protecting the birds and ecosystems that make these places special. Many of the positions proposed for elimination are paid for through special funds rather than the General Fund, meaning these cuts may provide little to no General Fund savings while still undermining programs and services.

Meeting California’s ambitious 30x30 goals will require sustained capacity across the agencies responsible for protecting habitat, wildlife, and public access.

Voter-approved Proposition 4 (Climate Bond) Investments Remain Essential

We are grateful that the May Revise includes $25 million in Prop 4 funding for the California Natural Resources Agency to support Central Valley Joint Venture projects and work connected to the Lower Klamath region. These investments would benefit wetlands and refuges that are essential to migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. The additional $3 million proposed for the Salton Sea Conservancy is also a welcome investment in a region where habitat restoration, public health, water management, and community needs are deeply connected.

However, the broader Prop 4 spending plan has been delayed again. California voters approved Prop 4 to fund a wide array of climate resilience priorities, and these investments are urgently needed as climate change continues to intensify.

California has voter-approved funding and partners ready to restore habitat, protect wildlife, improve public access, and build climate resilience. What it cannot afford to lose is the public workforce needed to fulfill these commitments.

Audubon California joined conservation partners in a joint letter calling on the Governor and Legislature to protect critical conservation and parks staffing, release voter-approved Prop 4 funding, and ensure California has the capacity to deliver for birds, habitat, and communities.

What’s Next?

The Legislature must pass the full state budget by June 15, but key decisions around Prop 4 spending and budget trailer bills are expected to continue in the coming weeks and months. Audubon California will keep tracking these negotiations and advocating for the investments, staffing, and policies birds and communities need.

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