A shady oak grove tucked away in a canyon, braided streams and wetlands following the bottom of an arroyo, chaparral-covered badlands, and the twisted shapes of Joshua Trees across the desert. All of these natural communities, and a myriad of others, are found in Southern California.

Southern California is home to rich and diverse habitats, and areas of spectacular scenic beauty. In fact, it has more rare species than any other region of the U.S. However, Southern California is also home to sprawling urban areas and a rapidly growing population. Our population growth is projected to increase by 37 percent in 20 years – to over 22.5 million people. As a result, once-extensive natural communities, many of which are unique to the area, have been reduced to fragmented remnants. If natural lands are to be preserved for the future, we need to act now to save them.

Riverside Land Conservancy is a nonprofit land trust that works with landowners who would like to see their lands preserved. By facilitating the transfer of land from willing private landowners to public ownership, RLC helps to ensure that natural lands, wildlife habitat and working farm lands are preserved for future generations.