About Us
Our Mission
Sustainable Conservation advances the stewardship of natural resources using innovative, pragmatic strategies that actively engage businesses and private landowners in conservation.
Our Approach — Succeeding Where Others Have Failed
Founded in 1993, we partner with business, agriculture and government leaders to find practical ways that the private sector can protect clean air, clean water and healthy ecosystems. The award-winning nonprofit organization leads powerful collaborations that produce lasting, win-win solutions to critical environmental problems. By promoting effective business and agricultural practices throughout California, Sustainable Conservation and its partners can shift entire industries toward environmental stewardship.
Recent Accomplishments
- Advanced renewable energy by enabling dairies to generate renewable electricity from cow manure-reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs.
- Reduced air pollution by fostering the adoption of "conservation tillage" in California's Central Valley, which decreases air pollution while reducing farmers' energy and labor costs.
- Improved water quality by expanding our hallmark permit coordination program to reduce sediment and pollutants entering California waterways. New efforts in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties will help improve the quality of diverse aquatic and riparian habitats.
- Supported habitat restoration by launching a new coalition of major retailers and nurseries to stop the sale of invasive species, the second largest threat to biodiversity following habitat destruction.
Programs and Impact
The organization's work spans rural and urban environmental issues and involves diverse industries, ranging from dairy farming to auto recycling. Sustainable Agriculture programs identify ways that farmers can protect the environment, improve their bottom lines and keep their land in production. Restoration on Private Lands programs help landowners protect and restore habitat on their properties. Sustainable Business programs stop pollution at the source by working proactively with business groups and regulatory agencies to institute practices that are both environmentally and economically sound.
Sustainable Conservation is known for its unwavering commitment to creative, collaborative problem-solving, its direct aim at specific environmental problems and its patient persistence.
Recognition
Sustainable Conservation's work has been recognized by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, National Public Radio, ABC-TV news in San Francisco, The Fresno Bee and many others. The organization's budget and staff have grown more than 50% in the last two years to $2.3 million. Sustainable Conservation earned the highest rating from Charity Navigator, an independent evaluator of the financial strength and management of nonprofit organizations.
