Bay Area Open Space Council – Cannabis & Conservation Gathering on Sept 28
On November 8, 2016, 57% of voters in California cast their ballot to pass Proposition 64, legalizing cannabis for recreational adult-use statewide. But what that means for Bay Area land conservation is still unfolding.
You’re invited to join us at our Fall Gathering on September 28, 2017 for what is sure to be a lively discussion on the implications of cannabis legalization for regional lands. You will hear about how policies could affect land management and agriculture, strategies to deter illegal grows, and opportunities for funding to restore impacted lands.
There’s more for you in this email on what we’ve been up to (pssst, the Conservation Lands Network Science Expansion Steering Committee has lift off!) as well as some important news and dates. Keep reading and doing the important work you do to support the Bay Area’s vibrant lands.
Happy August,
Deb Callahan
Executive Director
Sarah Noel Ross
Community Engagement Manager
Conservation and Cannabis: A Complex and Timely Matter for Bay Area Lands Photo by Prachatai, Flickr Creative Commons
There is an increasing awareness that illegal cannabis operations are having negative impacts on many Bay Area public and private lands. They impact the environments where they are located, often introducing chemicals that harm plants and wildlife, diverting water from creeks and streams, and creating areas that are unsafe to manage. The statewide legalization of recreational cannabis could address issues like these in a number of ways. Land managers and government officials are working to determine what the future holds — Will illegal grows decrease? Will agricultural land decrease? How much tax revenue will generated by cannabis sales?
Join us at our Fall Gathering on September 28, 2017 for a discussion on what legalization means for Bay Area lands. You will hear perspectives on:
If legalization and regulation will make land management challenges easier to address for Bay Area conservationists and agriculturalists, or if things will stay status quo?
Scenarios on how it might impact regional land values, land use, and agriculture.
How on-the-ground strategies can deter illegal grows.
Funding available to restore habitats impacted by grows, and how to obtain it
Our panelists are:
Bill Keene, Moderator, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Hezekiah Allen, California Growers Association
Leslie Lew, Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation and Open Space District
Mark Fenstermaker or Alfredo Arredondo, Conservation Strategy Group
The Gathering will be held September 28, 2017 from 9:30am-1:00pm at the David Brower Center in downtown Berkeley. Lunch will be served and we’ll be using#OSCCannabis to talk about the event on social.
CLN Science Expansion Steering Committee Kicks Off
The Conservation Lands Network turned six this year. To celebrate, the CLN is receiving a complete refresh of the underlying data, a reconfiguration of the network, and an expansion to communicate conservation co-benefits, relevant climate data, and key funding opportunities.
The 32-person Steering Committee representing numerous areas of scientific expertise met last week for the kick-off meeting. The project team presented the guiding principles to shepherd the update, what we’re calling the Science Expansion, and sought input from the Steering Committee on the methodological and strategic decisions ahead.
Do you want front row seats to the Science Expansion? Then sign up for our CLN blog and we’ll keep you informed every step of the way.
Plan Bay Area 2040 was adopted by the boards of the Association of Bay Area Governments (ABAG) and Metropolitan Transportation Committee (MTC). An Action Plan will be used to guide its implementation.
Bay Area Monitor’s cover feature on how the Bay Area Greenprint can make planners’ lives easier and an easy-to-follow tutorial that puts the tool into action.
GreenInfo Network released a major update to the California Protected Areas Database (CPAD) following the recent Bay Area Protected Areas Database (BPAD) update. It includes the addition of 10,415 acres and 5 agencies, with significant revisions to a number of Bay Area counties.
September 28, 2017 from 9:30am-1:00pm at the David Brower Center in downtown Berkeley – Gathering on cannabis legalization (see above for more details)
November 16, 2017 from 9:30am-1:00pm at the David Brower Center in downtown Berkeley – Future Gathering details to follow.
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