Sonoma County Agricultural Preservation & Open Space District

Integrated Approach to Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation

Land Conservation Mission• Diverse, multi-sector: agriculture, open space, biodiversity,

water, recreation, local economy• 84,000 acres to date • Significant influence on climate change mitigation &

adaptation– Mitigation:

• Sequestration via avoided conversion• GHGs: bikeways/alternative transport routes• GHGs: Reduction in ex-urban development

(VMT/water use)– Adaptation:

• Habitat connectivity, population resiliency, dispersal corridors

• Protection of coastal ecosystems & riparian corridors

An Integrated Approach Climate Change Mitigation & Adaptation

• Planning and execution context: multi-objective/multiple benefits • Ecosystem services (climate, water, biodiversity, agriculture)• Viable human communities and ecosystems are not mutually

exclusive• County-wide focus, watersheds/sub-regions = demonstration • Relies on high quality/high resolution, foundational data• Economies of scope and scale• Successful examples: North Coast Integrated Regional Water

Management Plan (lots of work, lots of funding)

Context for Successful Integration

• all nine cities and the County adopted the boldest community greenhouse gas reduction target in the nation – 25% below 1990 levels by 2015.

• Regional Climate Protection Authority (RCPA) – unique in nation• Sonoma County Community Climate Action Plan, Climate Protection

Campaign• District, Water Agency, Regional Parks, RCPA – collaborating on

integrated watershed/land conservation framework• Very sophisticated NGOs and community foundation (PRBO,

Sonoma Land Trust, Pepperwood, Laguna Foundation, Sonoma Ecology Center, NBCAI)

• Part of the Bay Area (connections to academia, foundations, BAOSC)• Invested and knowledgeable community

Watershed Partnership/Ecosystem Services Initiative

• County agencies, cities, NGOs, RCDs, landowners• Demonstration watersheds/test beds• Integration of multiple objectives:

– Climate change mitigation and adaptation– Biodiversity protection/enhancement– Connectivity of urban streams/trails with watershed lands– Recreation– Agricultural viability (bio-char, bio-energy, C markets)– Integration of land use planning– Economic benefits (articulation, quantification, funding tools)– “green infrastructure”

Climate Change Mitigation & AdaptationWatershed Conservation & Enhancement

• adaptation:– dispersal corridors– climatic and habitat diversity– flood attenuation– water supply reliability– resiliency: ecosystems and

downstream communities• mitigation

– sequestration via protection– sequestration via afforestation– forest management: avoidance of

catastrophic wildfire

Foundational Data/Analyses• High resolution/quality• Supports multiple objectives• Ground-based LiDar

– Fluvial-geomorphic analyses– Biomass

• County-wide vegetation map– Biodiversity protection & enhancement– Climate change resiliency– County-wide assessment of sequestration potential

• Monitoring and integration of new research• Integrate new criteria for land acquisition & stewardship based upon climate

change vulnerability

enhanced connectionsin support of an integrated program

• define and map relationship between climate change mitigation/adaptation and other land conservation activities – where are the connections the strongest?

• outline opportunities for more efficiency, economies of scope and scale

• connect past accomplishments with future strategies• define role of District in relation to partners

quantifyin support of an integrated program

• evaluate the impact of program to date (GHGs, adaptation, ecosystem services, local economic development)

• identify gaps in current program strategies• quantify economies of scope and scale derived from integration• modeling of climate benefits: acquisition & stewardship• demonstration projects & evaluation thereof (adaptive)• economic, regulatory, legislative evaluation:

– nexus of land conservation with AB 32/SB 375– novel funding strategies (Prop 218)– ecosystem services (carbon markets/offsets)

articulatein support of an integrated program

• communicate the connection between land conservation and community objectives/benefits (climate change, water supply reliability, flood control, biodiversity, recreation, public health……)

• Articulate the economic efficiencies associated with an integrated land conservation program – economies of scope and scale, bang for the buck