Accelerating Restoration
For our water, wildlife, and ecosystems.
For over 20 years, Sustainable Conservation has partnered with government agencies and restorationists to increase the pace and scale of ecological restoration.
By developing expedited permitting tools, we work to put restoration on a more efficient regulatory path separate from traditional development.
Despite notable successes in accelerating restoration permitting, California’s current regulatory process does not meet our urgent need for landscape-level projects to bolster our climate resilience.
We invest in faster and less expensive ways for no-regrets restoration projects to be permitted and approved — while maintaining vital environmental regulations.
We envision a future in which more projects happen more quickly to save our sensitive species, imperiled waterways, and vital ecosystems. Our natural and working lands support diverse flora and fauna that help us make a climate-resilient and biodiverse California future possible.
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A Conversation with Kim Delfino and Curtis Knight
Watch Earth Advocacy President and Founder Kim Delfino and CalTrout Executive Director Curtis Knight in conversation with Ashley Boren to explore why we must accelerate the pace and scale of ecosystem restoration for climate resilience in California.
The Accelerating Restoration Website
Our dedicated project site was designed to help restoration project proponents in California find and understand how to use efficient permitting pathways for their aquatic and riparian habitat restoration projects. It also has information about regulatory agencies, permitting tips, and other resources.
Visit the websiteFoundations for Scaling Up
- Data on where and how permitting pathways are utilized
- Incentive structures that encourage more restoration projects
- Increased collaboration with the state’s regulatory agencies and project proponents
Related resources
See updates and media coverage about this project; the list of organizations partnering with us on this work; and reports and publications relevant to accelerating permitting paths.
Sustainable Conservation Publishes Key Report on Accelerating Ecological Restoration in the Sacramento Valley and Beyond
Sustainable Conservation is proud to announce a new report, “Accelerating Restoration in the Sacramento Valley and Beyond: Progress and Next Steps to Cut Green Tape in California.” Read the full…
Roadmap for Restoration
We’d like to introduce Sustainable Conservation’s new web tool for restoration practitioners in the Sacramento River Basin. This resource was made possible thanks to the time and insights of the…
Highlights from 2024 Restoration Conferences
Photo courtesy of SERCAL After a decade of accelerating restoration to revitalize our habitats and ecosystems, we know that establishing permit pathways is just the first step. Outreach, education, and…
- Public Policy Institute of California
A Faster Track for Ecosystem Restoration
- AECOM
- Environmental Science Associates
- California Coastal Commission
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife
- California Department of Food and Agriculture
- California Department of Water Resources
- California Natural Resources Conservation Service
- California State Coastal Conservancy
- California State Parks Department
- California State Water Resources Control Board
- Delta Conservancy
- Delta Stewardship Council
- Department of Water Resources
- National Marine Fisheries Service
- NOAA Restoration Center
- Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Reclamation District 108
- Regional Water Quality Control Boards
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
- American Rivers
- California Invasive Plant Council
- California Landscape Stewardship Network
- California Native Plant Society
- California Process-Based Restoration Network
- California Society for Ecological Restoration
- California Trout
- Ducks Unlimited
- Environmental Defense Fund
- The Nature Conservancy
- Northern California Water Association
- Point Blue Conservation Science
- Public Policy Institute of California
- Resource Conservation District of Monterey County
- Resource Conservation District of Santa Cruz County
- Resources Legacy Fund
- River Partners
- Salmonid Restoration Federation
- San Mateo Resource Conservation District
- Sanctuary Forest
- Sierra Meadows Partnership
- Sonoma Resource Conservation District
- South Coast Habitat Restoration
- State Water Contractors
- Trout Unlimited
- Truckee River Watershed Council
- Water Forum
- Water Foundation
- The Watershed Research and Training Center
Permitting Guidance
Resources for practitioners to accelerate habitat restoration projects statewide
Habitat Restoration & Enhancement Act (HREA)
Expedited review for restoration projects. Check out our training videos for step-by-step assistance with your HREA application below!
Sustainable Conservation Sponsored Permits & Authorizations
- Fact Sheet: New Statewide Tools to Accelerate Aquatic Habitat Restoration Permitting
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service: Statewide Restoration Programmatic Biological Opinion
- State Water Resources Control Board Statewide Restoration General Order (SRGO) and Programmatic Environmental Impact Report (PEIR)
- National Marine Fisheries Service: North Coast | Central Coast | South Coast | Central Valley, Central Valley Fact Sheet
- California Coastal Commission: North & Central Coast | South Coast
Reports
- Accelerating Restoration in the Sacramento Valley and Beyond: Progress and Next Steps to Cut Green Tape in California
- Creating a Statewide Program for Voluntary Restoration on Private Lands: Accomplishments and lessons learned from our past Partners in Restoration Program (Read the Executive Summary here)
- Voluntary Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) Programs: Results of our Mokelumne River PES pilot program and recommendations for future programs
- Removing Barriers to Restoration: 2002 report by the California Natural Resources Agency-convened Task Force
