Celebrating California Biodiversity Day 2023
Biodiversity pertains to the wide array of life existing on our planet across all levels, ranging from genetic variations to entire ecosystems. It encompasses the evolutionary, ecological, and cultural mechanisms that uphold life. Biodiversity encompasses not just the species considered rare, threatened, or endangered, but all living organisms, from humans to microbes, fungi, and invertebrates. Biodiversity holds significant importance across various aspects of human existence. The appreciation for biodiversity stems from a mixture of practical and intrinsic reasons. This implies that we treasure biodiversity both for its contributions to humanity and for its inherent value. Practical benefits encompass fundamental necessities like food, fuel, shelter, and medicine, all of which are sourced from biodiversity. Additionally, ecosystems deliver vital services including pollination, seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and management of agricultural pests. Beyond these known benefits, biodiversity holds potential value in uncharted territories, such as undiscovered medicinal resources and other unforeseen services. The inherent value of biodiversity alludes to its essential worth, irrespective of its usefulness to others. This concept holds a philosophical nature, representing an undeniable right to exist. Moreover, the value of biodiversity is also perceivable through the lens of the relationships we establish with one another and the natural world. The appreciation for biodiversity might emerge from its influence on our identities, our interpersonal connections, and the social norms we adhere to. These relational values contribute to individuals' or communities' sense of well-being, obligation to, and interconnection with the environment. The diverse range of values attributed to biodiversity is significant as it can shape the daily conservation choices individuals make.
California is home to more species of plants and animals than any other state in the nation, and is considered a global biodiversity “hotspot”. It’s varied geography (including the highest and lowest places in the continental U.S.) and proximity to both the ocean and mountains are the foundation for this exceptional natural heritage.
-CDFW
September 7 of each year is California Biodiversity Day, a time to celebrate our state’s unique biodiversity and encourage actions to protect it. California Biodiversity Day is celebrated state-wide through events hosted through the week of Biodiversity Day. Event hosts include State and federal agencies, NGOs, museums, zoos, and academia to invite the public to participate in biodiversity-oriented activities.
Preserving the rich variety of life across California, a vast and intricate landscape, requires collaboration and innovative strategies. The California Biodiversity Initiative, launched in 2018, was a response to the input of scientists and conservation experts across the state. This initiative aims to ensure the long-term vitality of California's biodiversity by integrating protection measures into the state's environmental and economic goals.
Running in parallel with this initiative is the state order for specific government departments to implement the Biodiversity Initiative. The goal is to achieve objectives aligned with the Convention on Biological Diversity and promote cooperation among all state agencies toward these shared goals. This was accompanied by the release of the California Biodiversity Initiative Roadmap, a strategic document outlining incremental steps for achieving the initiative's objectives.
In October 2020, Executive Order N-82-20 was issued, setting a significant target for California: conserving 30% of its land and coastal waters by 2030, referred to as the "30x30" goal. This objective seeks to expedite conservation efforts through voluntary and collaborative actions with stakeholders across the state. The core aims are threefold: conserving and revitalizing biodiversity, expanding public access to natural spaces, and addressing the impacts of climate change. Notably, California's commitment to 30x30 aligns with global efforts to enhance biodiversity conservation.
Information credited to CDFW and the American Museum of Natural History.
Image taken on Portal Ridge Wildlife Preserve by Dr. José Gabriel Martínez-Fonseca.
