Land Acquisition

Land acquisition is an important part of habitat conservation planning. State funds are used to protect habitat areas that are home to sensitive plant and wildlife species. State acquisition of habitat is often focused on lands that are at risk of conversion to some other land use such as intensive agriculture or urban development. The Department of Fish and game seeks partnerships with other organizations interested in habitat protection and often shares the cost of the acquisitions. These partnerships also provide opportunities to receive grant funds from federal land acquisition fund sources and foundations.

Department Strategic Land Acquisition Planning Procedures

The Wildlife Branch takes the lead in developing uniform, statewide policies relative to the acquisition, protection, maintenance, and enhancement of lands and facilities for the Department.

The Habitat Conservation Planning Branch helps coordinate and provides a statewide perspective in the development of regional land acquisition strategies among regional offices. Regional offices develop their regional strategies and use them to guide the submission of acquisition proposals to the Department’s Lands Committee.

The Lands Committee advises the California Wildlife Conservation Board (WCB) on the Department’s land acquisition priorities. One of WCB’s primary responsibilities is the selection, authorization, and allocation of funds for the purchase of land and waters suitable for preservation, protection and restoration of wildlife habitat. WCB also acquires lands for recreational purposes such as piers for fishing access, boat ramps, and wildlife areas for hunting access.

Some of the other organizations who actively acquire lands to protect native natural resource values in California are:

• Coastal Conservancy
• California Department of Parks and Recreation
• The Nature Conservancy
• Trust for Public Lands