Partner Spotlight: California Department of Conservation

David Bunn, Director of the California Department of Conservation speaks at the annual CARCD Conference on their longstanding partnership with CARCD and RCDs

The California Department of Conservation (DOC) is one of the Resource Conservation District (RCD) network’s most important statewide partners. Housed within the California Natural Resources Agency, the DOC contains the Division of Land Resource Protection (DLRP) which works closely with CARCD and RCDs when the agency is developing conservation grant programs and they need “boots on the ground” to get the job done efficiently and effectively.

DOC support for the RCDs can take the form of financial assistance through grant programs, as well as information and technical support through publications. Most recently they have housed an RCD Financial Assistance Program, which distributed $2.2 million to support qualified RCDs with capacity building and increasing effectiveness in serving their communities and addressing local resource concerns.

Our network has worked with DOC in a close and reciprocal partnership for many decades. We are grateful for their leadership, collaboration, and dedication to conservation and responsible resource management in California.