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Strategy 5A

Increase ecosystem function, habitat quality, and connectivity, and prevent the loss of native biodiversity in the region

Los Angeles County is an international biodiversity hotspot, and maintaining a high level of biodiversity requires effective and efficient management. For example, the linkages between habitats are critical to maintaining healthy populations of many species, especially large carnivores that require substantial space. Habitat linkages also provide opportunities for species’ ranges to shift in response to climate change, urbanization, or other disturbances.

Biodiversity is also an essential part of combating climate change. The destruction of forest ecosystems is responsible for 11 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions caused by humans. Conserving forests and
supporting healthy ecosystems, such as wetlands and healthy soils, will prevent the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Los Angeles County is home to a diverse array of native plants and animals,
which are inseparable from our regional identity.

The County government has a large role to play in protecting our diverse and rich habitats. The County has influence over large swaths of unincorporated land including many of the region's waterways, such as the LA River, that were heavily altered through channelization to provide flood protection. While flood risk management is critical, these alterations can also result in disruption of natural processes such as sediment transport, leading to cascading effects throughout the watershed all the way to the coast. The County also has influence over smaller pieces of land interspersed throughout urban spaces where urban habitats can thrive.

One of the first steps is to develop a better understanding of baseline biodiversity through the completion of a Countywide Biodiversity Index.

Targets
Countywide

Baseline
There were 4,256 distinct species in LA County as of 2018. (iNaturalist; U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; eBird; Consortium of California Herbaria)

Ongoing
No net loss of native biodiversity

Baseline
Only 57.4% of critical habitat linkages were protected at any level in LA County as of 2018. (CalVeg; U.S. Geological Survey Gap Analysis Project; California Protected Areas Database; Los Angeles County Significant Ecological Areas Program)

2025
Increase the percentage of protected wildlife corridors to 75%

2035
Increase the percentage of protected wildlife corridors to 100%

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