Nominations for Steering Committee
The CBN is recruiting nominations of individuals interested in joining the Steering Committee. This voluntary Committee includes 5 at large positions including the Chair and Co-Chair as well as a chair/liaison for each Roundtable. The committee meets for one hour twice a month on zoom in addition to the work done on special topics off-line. We are seeking nominees for co-chair as well as people to focus on Equity/Inclusion/Diversity, Partnerships/Members, and Funding opportunities. Please note the co-chair serves for 2 years and then rotates to chair for a 2 year term. Nominations close at midnight March 3, 2023; all nominations will be reviewed and the new committee members will be finalized by the CBN steering committee before April, 2023. The 2 year term is set to begin July 2023. Please contact CAbiodiversitynetwork@gmail.com if you have any questions about the committee or the nomination process. Interested in joining the Steering Committee? Know someone who would be an asset to the CBN? Nominate yourself or others here.“
Request for Proposals
The Stewardship Roundtable of the California Biodiversity Network is seeking consulting services to describe the existing Stewardship workforce training opportunities in California and facilitate a planning process for a new or improved training opportunity. Please help us circulate this Request for Proposals outlining this 2 year project and if interested submit a proposal letter by February 28, 2023.
CBN Funding Webinar
CBN hosted a Funding Webinar on Thursday, December 15th, 2022, focused on new state funding opportunities, administered by the Wildlife Conservation Board, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the University of California. The Webinar featured short presentations by each funding entity followed by audience Q&A. A recording of this webinar and accompanying transcript is available here.
Information about upcoming funding opportunities administered by the Department of Conservation was covered in a 30×30 Virtual Expo on November 29th 2022 (See recording here).
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation Grant
CBN is pleased to announce that we have been awarded $500,000 from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation to advance the work of the CBN – see a summary of the grant support here, which will support the activities of all Roundtables as well as a CBN science symposium in 2023.
Systematic Conservation Planning
This Systematic Conservation Planning roundtable webinar, led by Nate Roth, Chief Scientific and Data Advisor for the California Department of Conservation, provides an overview of the CA Nature, the set of visualization and analytical tools developed by the California Department of Natural Resources and ESRI, the leader in GIS software. Nate provides an introduction to the website and demonstrates the power of this site for guiding 30×30 investments and tracking progress over time.
CBN Celebrates California Biodiversity Week – Watch the Recording
During CA Biodiversity Week, CBN hosted Prof. Erika Zavaleta for a discussion with two of our steering committee members: Dr. Ana Alvarez and Prof. Adina Merenlender. The conversation addressed the future of conservation, in relation to the inclusion and representation of historically marginalized communities, and the novel paradigms of ecosystem stewardship. In the final 30 minutes, chairs of the CBN Roundtables provided brief updates on the activities of their groups.