California Institute for Biodiversity

Saving Californias Biodiversity: Following a period of extensive stakeholder engagement and strategic planning, CIB moved forward swiftly to secure transformational change in Biodiversity education, research, and action. California All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory: organizing a working group of leading scientists, CIB scoped an ambitious effort to secure a specimen of every insect in California (including the 70% of insect species not yet discovered by science), and sequence DNA for every species to develop a comprehensive DNA Barcode Library, funded by the State of California. Saving Insects: working with coalition partners we advanced substantive change to address the rapid decline of insects (e.g. the Insect Apocalypse), successfully securing millions of dollars of funding in the California budget to rescue and restore declining monarch butterflies and their habitat; supporting the transition to sustainable agriculture by creating an Ecological Monitoring program in the Department of Pesticide Regulation, including $10M for monitoring statewide. Pay Equity for State Scientists: led the effort to secure equitable pay for Californias thousands of essential but underpaid State Scientists. Pocket Forests: worked with Miyawaki Method proponents to publicize results and advance action to plant super-diverse native plant habitat in small urban spaces, including working with legislative leaders pass legislation establishing a new State Pocket Forest Program. Funga: coordinated state Mycological Societies in statewide ballot to vote for their favorite mush, and then advancing legislation to designate California Golden Chanterelle.