LOS ANGELES, CA (May 4, 2021)— This week the City of Los Angeles became the largest City in the USA to be certified by the National Wildlife Federation as a biodiversity haven. This accomplishment is a real testament to the power of collective action by Angelenos, who registered 1078 residential yards, 34 schools and 140 "common areas," mainly at places of work, that cumulatively allowed the City to become certified as a whole. The City registered for the program with National Wildlife Federation in August 2020.
"This certification celebrates the ongoing work of LA Sanitation and our City Departments, our ecologist in Planning, our City Forest Officer, our Expert Biodiversity Panel, and all our local environmental organizations who labor every day to redirect the trajectory of Los Angeles from a city of concrete and conspicuous consumption toward a model urban city successfully co-existing and inextricably linked to the environmental health of its wildlife and natural areas," said Los Angeles City Councilmember Paul Koretz, author of the City's biodiversity and wildlife corridor programs.
"Biodiversity in Los Angeles is globally significant and a source of great pride for Angelenos. The City of Los Angeles is proud to participate in the National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat Program and worked hard to become the largest certified City in the U.S. We hope our success in this program will encourage Angelenos across the City to continue taking action in their yards, schools, and workplaces to provide habitat for wildlife," said Enrique C. Zaldivar, Director and General Manager of LA Sanitation and Environment.
To achieve Citywide certification, the City of Los Angeles encouraged residents, schools and organizations to apply for and achieve their own certification by gardening with wildlife in mind, using native plants and sustainable practices, providing cover and food, and reducing or eliminating the use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Designing gardens and green spaces following these principles supports wildlife, restores connectivity, and enhances climate resilience.
“Even though it is the second largest city in the country, Los Angeles is home to a vast array of wildlife, including hundreds of bird species, coyotes, bobcats and even mountain lions, including the famous Hollywood cougar P-22. Today, the city is making great strides to support wildlife conservation and biodiversity as they continue their work to build and track metrics with the LA City Biodiversity Index,” said Patrick Fitzgerald, Senior Director of Community Wildlife at the National Wildlife Federation. “Los Angeles's success in getting certified under National Wildlife Federation's Community Wildlife Habitat program shows how communities can enhance environmental sustainability, protect biodiversity and support environmental equity and justice.”
"There are so many benefits to becoming certified by National Wildlife Federation as a Community Wildlife Habitat City, including preserving wildlife, reducing harmful runoff, improving the urban tree canopy, beautifying the City and allowing our biodiversity program to get the national recognition it deserves," said Dr. Mas Dojiri, Assistant General Manager of LA Sanitation and Environment. "Perhaps most importantly, it engages residents to improve the urban ecosystem and enhance biodiversity. I am very proud of the work done by our team, as well as the people of Los Angeles, which enabled us to achieve this milestone."
The partnership and recognition by National Wildlife Federation comes shortly after the release of the 2020 Los Angeles Biodiversity Report. The report presents the groundbreaking LA City Biodiversity Index, which includes 25 metrics to help measure efforts to protect and enhance biodiversity in the City of Los Angeles. One of the 25 metrics looks at the number of certified biodiversity-friendly areas in the City and will capture data on the stewardship activities in which Angelenos are engaging to protect biodiversity.
"Creating a network of smaller habitats in yards, schools, and gardens creates stepping stones to connect the larger habitats in our City's vast network of open space and natural areas," said Michelle Barton, biodiversity lead for LA Sanitation and Environment. "We encourage anyone who has created habitat on their property to engage with biodiversity in the City by observing and appreciating the native birds, butterflies, moths, and reptiles that live, forage, raise their young in these spaces."
Equitable distribution of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems across the City is a sign that infrastructure is well integrated with built, natural, and social systems. The City set an official goal of no-net biodiversity loss by 2035 in LA’s Green New Deal, as well as biodiversity measures included in the City’s General Plan. Creating and certifying wildlife gardens across the City of Los Angeles creates high-quality pockets of habitat in the urban matrix that can help achieve the City's biodiversity goals. LA Sanitation and Environment is continuing this work by creating a list of official biodiversity indicator species, which is expected for release in May.
The 2020 Los Angeles Biodiversity Report is available here.
LA's Green New Deal is available at https://plan.lamayor.org/
For more information on getting your home, school or business certified, visit nwf.org/certify
For a list of the other US cities that have achieved certification, visit https://www.nwf.org/CommunityWildlifeHabitat/Home/CurrentCommunities
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About LA Sanitation and Environment
As the lead agency for the City’s environmental programs and initiatives, Sanitation protects public health and the environment through the administration and management of three program areas: Clean Water (Wastewater), Solid Resources (Solid Waste Management) and Watershed Protection (Stormwater). These infrastructure programs collect, treat, dispose and recycle the solid and liquid waste generated by the nation’s second largest city of more than four million residents. Through these essential Public Works programs, Sanitation delivers a triple bottom line of economic, environmental and social benefits that sustain quality of life in Los Angeles.
About L.A. City Department of Public Works
The Department of Public Works is comprised of five bureaus: Contract Administration, Engineering, Sanitation, Street Lighting, and Street Services, as well as the Offices of the Board, including the Offices of Community Beautification, Filming and Petroleum Administration. More than 5,500 employees are responsible for design, construction, renovation and operation of public projects ranging from bridges to wastewater treatment plants and libraries; curbside collection and graffiti removal; and maintenance of streets, sidewalks, sewers, streetlights and street trees. The Department is governed by the Board of Public Works (BPW), a five-member full-time executive team that is committed to delivering projects and programs that enhance quality of life, economic growth, public health and the environment to all Angelenos. For more information, please visit http://bpw.lacity.org.
Media Contact
Vanessa Bulkacz, Public Affairs Office
(213) 278-2102 Cell | vanessa.bulkacz@lacity.org
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