Joshua Hugg

REMINDER: The Careers in Conservation Job Fair registration is still open for attendees! Registration is completely FREE! Join us on March 6, 2026, from 2–6 p.m. at the Los Altos Community Center (97 Hillview Ave., Los Altos). Register today: bit.ly/4re4NOB

California leads the way again for wildlife! Thank you California Fish and Game Commission for following.the science and adding the threatened regional populations of mountain lions to the California Endangered Species list! This is why we built the Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing and this listing is a win for not just mountain lions but for connectivity as well. Photo by Loren Ellliot for the NY Times.

Nature is CA's ally for carbon neutrality. A new CARB inventory reveals our natural & working lands absorbed nearly twice the carbon lost to wildfires— demonstrating the important role of nature in the state’s fight against climate change 🌲📈 ➡️ ww2.arb.ca.gov/news/report-sh…

Top California wildlife official departs for environmental group ift.tt/IVGFoMD

A two-decade experiment in the Sierra Nevada showed that regular prescribed burns help forests store more carbon in large, fire-resistant trees while reducing wildfire hazard. Key takeaways from the @UCBerkeley study: ➡️ Prescribed burns maintain large, fire-resistant trees and remove smaller “fuel ladder” vegetation that can drive high-intensity crown fires. ➡️ While each burn releases CO₂ in the short term, treated plots showed higher long-term productivity and carbon sequestration than unmanaged stands. The findings suggest that low-intensity, repeated burning can help maintain forests that are healthier, more resilient, and better able to store carbon. #CALFIRE #PrescribedFire #ForestHealth #ClimateReady bit.ly/Carbon-study

@CSElmendorf @nature_org Passing SB 715 (@SenBenAllen) would be a good start, along with implementation of AB 1445 (Levine, 2022) in RHNA 7. While we're at it, explicit site selection exclusions for high climate risk areas and essential habitat too.

Now would be a very good time for "environmentalists" to revert to being environmentalists again. Demand for rural land / exurban sprawl / vacation homes is about to shoot through the roof. ⤵️ Conserve now whatever is worth conserving. Or lose it. @nature_org

This past year, I partnered with Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District @MidpenOpenSpace to introduce Senate Bill 653 which @CAgovernor signed into law! SB 653 balances the need to protect our communities from wildfire risks while also preserving natural habitats and biodiversity through environmentally sensitive vegetation management best practices. #EnvironmentalJustice #Wildfires #WildfireResilience

Thank you to @SenDaveCortese for authoring #SB653 which was just signed by @CAgovernor! The bill establishes criteria for environmentally sensitive vegetation management that helps to balance biodiversity needs with wildfire fuel reduction. We can do both!

Thank you @SenDaveCortese for championing this foundational legislation!

We have an outstanding opportunity for a dedicated Government Affairs Specialist I/II to join our team, working to connect legislators and public sector leaders with Midpen’s mission. Learn more and apply: bit.ly/45ujqFn 📷: Teddy Miller

The East Bay Regional Parks District (@EBRPD) #30x30 Planning Workshop was a success! Deputy Secretary Meghan Hertel alongside Julia Kernitz talk about California's goal to protect 30% of our lands and waters by 2030.

Midpen is seeking a Senior Resource Management Specialist. The ideal candidate possesses a broad breadth of understanding of wildlife management, strong leadership skills, and experience securing permits from regulatory agencies: bit.ly/3Z84hGE 📷: Frances Freyberg

NEWS RELEASE: CDFW Seeks Public Comment Related to Western Burrowing Owl wildlife.ca.gov/News/Archive/c…

As Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg points out, wildlife corridors save human lives, along with protecting a wide range of animals. #WildlifeCorridor

@jmpnorris At the end of the day, nature always wins. It may be significantly altered, but it will continue long after we're gone.

Great article on this necessary investment: What’s in Prop. 4, the $10B Climate Bond on the Ballot baynature.org/2024/10/17/wha…

Some areas within Midpen preserves will be closed Friday, October 18 and Saturday, October 19 due to the Red Flag Warning issued for the Santa Cruz Mountains. Visit bit.ly/3BRyv7t for more details (link in bio).

As I've said, dangerous climate change has already arrived. It's simply now a question of how bad we're willing to let it get. We must rapidly decarbonize our world to avert truly catastrophic & irreversible consequences. Vote like the planet depends on it. Because it does.

If your vote didn’t matter, there wouldn’t be so many people trying to convince you it’s worthless. Stay engaged. Be heard. From the top of the ticket all the way down, you can make a difference.

Endorsement: Yes on Prop 4 to protect California from climate impacts sfchronicle.com/opinion/editor…