Conservation
The amount of urbanization being proposed by local governments for the Sacramento region, and the resulting, potential loss of unique and important bird and wildlife habitat, is formidable. The City of Folsom plans to expand south of Highway 50; development pressure in South Sacramento County threatens important habitats along the lower Cosumnes River; the City of Sacramento continues to move forward with development in the North Natomas flood plain despite questionable flood protection; and, the City of Rancho Cordova has recently adopted a general plan that, if implemented, will pave over broad swaths of important grassland and vernal pool habitats in the eastern part of Sacramento County as that City grows from 50,000, to over 300,000 residents.
Cumulative growth scenarios in the County of Sacramento threaten a wide range of unique habitats and the bird species that depend on these diverse and unique areas: Sandhill cranes wintering on the stubble of Cosumnes basin wheat fields; Swainson’s hawks wheeling overhead, as rodents scramble across freshly disked fields; burrowing owls sternly surveying their grassland prairie domain, just to name a very few.
Luckily, many of these local growth proposals are in their formational stages, and opportunities for protecting and preserving the region’s locally, regionally and globally significant bird and wildlife habitats still exist, provided that, sooner than later, local citizens come to understand and care about protecting these fragile and dwindling resources for future generations.
The Sacramento Audubon Society seeks to promote a greater public awareness of the unique natural resources and habitats that the Sacramento region has to offer, and the ways that ordinary citizens can take simple, daily actions to ensure that these unique treasures are preserved for future generations.
To volunteer for conservation programs, please email us.
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| Sacramento Valley Conservancy Open Space Vision Map (click to enlarge) |
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