The Brief

In recent years, native plants — and the bees, birds and bugs that pollinate them — have notably declined across Southern California as pollution and development have grown.

But some groups are stepping in to help. LAist visited Irvine Ranch Conservancy (IRC), a nonprofit that works to restore Southern California’s native plant ecosystem and prevent habitat loss.

The conservancy works to protect biodiversity through a unique program in which they collect native plant seeds from the surrounding environment, grow more of the native plants at their farm, and redistribute these seeds throughout areas in which the native plant populations are in decline.

Biodiversity is important for the functioning and resilience of any ecosystem — and in order for an ecosystem to thrive, it needs to have a diverse population of native plants.

We took a tour of their farm to learn about the work they’re doing to protect native plants and pollinators.

Here’s a guide to understanding what’s on the decline in Southern California and how the native seed program is working to turn things around.

What species are on the decline and what’s causing the problems?

California has about 7,000 native plant species, and 4,000 of those are native to Southern California — that’s according to Bob Allen, an Orange County-based biologist.

Guides lead a tour at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy Native Seed Farm.

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Native plants provide shelter and food that simply cannot be provided by non-native plants; if they are not there, biodiversity will decrease.

A short supply of native plants affects the bees, birds, bats and bugs that pollinate them. Allen said that bird populations are down because there’s fewer insects to eat.

“I’ve been here my whole life, and insect numbers are way down,” Allen said.

The declines in plants and their pollinators are caused by a range of problems such as housing development, pollution, wildfires and an increase in invasive species such as black mustard and red brome plants.

Bumblebees have been especially hard-hit.

“Bumblebees have crashed recently, like [in] the last five years,” Allen said. Of the 26 bumblebee species that are native to California, one species, Franklin’s bumblebee, has likely gone extinct (it was last seen in Mount Ashland, Ore., in 2006). Another, Crotch's bumblebee, is nearly extinct, and others are doing badly — in short, none of them are doing well, Allen said.

A guide with Irvine Ranch Conservancy Native Seed Farm identifies woollypod milkweed.

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Bumble bee declines affect other species. Allen said bumblebees are one of the primary pollinators of tomatoes, and the number-one pollinator of the California native plant white sage (one of the most abundant plants in several California plant communities). The loss of native pollinators and native plants is a vicious cycle that ends in the demise of both species.

How does the Irvine Ranch Conservancy try to increase biodiversity? 

The Irvine Ranch Conservancy works to protect and restore 25 sites known as Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks spread over 40,000 acres throughout Southern California.

To increase the amount and diversity of native plants in the ecosystem, employees and volunteers collect native plant seeds from plant populations in their natural habitat, grow more of them at their farm and nursery, collect the seeds from these plants, and spread them across the various sites.

Inside a refrigerated container containing various seeds, Sunny Saroa, the Plant Material Development Project Manager at Irvine Ranch Conservancy Native Seed Farm, opens a bag of California poppy seeds.

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Brian Feinzimer

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LAist

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Plant Material Development Project Manager Sunny Saroa sifts through California golden poppy seeds.

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Brian Feinzimer

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IRC’s plant materials program works to help restore about 10 acres a year. The process involves taking a diverse collection of native seeds from the wild and “amplifying" them for re-distribution at the farm.

Sunny Saroa, a project manager at IRC, explained the process like this: “Collect the seed, clean them up, put them in storage, and when it's time for us to put them out in the wild, our team will come out here, mix the seed into a mix, and then use that equipment to put them out on the land.”

IRC volunteers and staff collect plants from a variety of locations including Crystal Cove State Park, Arroyo Trabuco, Chino Hills, O’Neill Regional Park, Limestone Canyon and Bomber Canyon. Their goal is to always collect as much seed as possible while avoiding over harvesting through techniques such as pulling the seeds by hand, smacking them into a bucket or cutting the whole stock off.

Guides lead a tour at the Irvine Ranch Conservancy Native Seed Farm.

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Brian Feinzimer

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LAist

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At the farm, the seeds are planted and grown using traditional agricultural and nursery techniques.

Annuals (plants that live for one season) are sown in lines, and perennials (plants that sprout every spring) are grown in containers and then planted. Once the seeds are ready to be harvested, they are collected and stored in seed storage containers, which are basically giant, walk-in fridges. The containers are filled with yellow bags of different types of seeds, and smell amazing, sort of like iced tea — a great place to be on a hot day.

Saroa explained that the containers hold most of the farm-grown seed.

“Between both containers we have about, I think 80 to 90 different species, and a total of this year, I think about 3,500 pounds of seed,” Saroa said.

Before being distributed, the seeds are cleaned using air screen cleaners. Then, IRC’s restoration enhancement team comes out to measure the seeds, mix them, load them into their truck and re-distribute them to IRC’s restoration areas.

At the moment, IRC is working on a few specific restoration projects. These include a butterfly restoration project in Limestone Canyon where they are planting islands of native plants; a monarch butterfly restoration where they are planting native milkweed; and several in which they are restoring coastal sage scrub habitats for an adorable bird called the California gnatcatcher.

Irvine Ranch Conservancy Native Seed Farm

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Are these efforts to increase biodiversity working?

When IRC removes non-native species and plants native ones, it re-established the foundations for a healthy habitat.

“You know, a lot of times how we like to think about it is we’re kind of tipping the scales in the favor of the native plant communities,” said Scott Graves, a communications manager for IRC.

Graves elaborated that when they do this, oftentimes, native animal species that have been unseen in the area for some time return. By providing the area with native, biodiverse plants, conservationists are giving these species the tools they need to survive. Thanks to these efforts, there has already been a rebound in the population of coastal cactus wrens and the California gnatcatchers.

But, protecting biodiversity isn’t just about creating a habitat where native animals can thrive. For these conservationists, there’s also a level of attachment to the dwindling native plant populations in Southern California.

“There are some plants that are so endemic to areas that if that population is wiped out, it’s not coming back,” said Jesse Potter, the program coordinator at IRC’s farm. "And it's just sort of like the sentimentality of losing something forever is, it would just be a shame."

Hopes for the future

Potter, Graves, and Saroa all agreed that one of their biggest hopes for the future is that IRC become a community resource for Orange County residents — a place where they can come to learn about native plants and their local wildlands.

When asked what the residents of L.A. and Orange counties can do to help IRC’s efforts, Sunny’s answer was quick: “Get involved.”

You can sign up to participate in community activities (volunteer, go on a hike, learn more about native plants) at IRC's website.

A hoverfly pollenates a common goldfield.

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A White-lined sphinx caterpillar.

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Brian Feinzimer

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LAist

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Another small but important step you can take to increase biodiversity in your area is to plant native plants in your own yard, or even in little containers if you only have a patio.

“So much of Orange County and L.A. County is on that urban wildlife interface where you do see a lot of loss of biodiversity,” Potter said. So by harvesting native plants of your own, you can make an even bigger positive impact than you might realize.

Graves said he wants IRC to grow and continue to be a place where Southern California's native species can thrive.

“I hope over time we can restore a lot of these degraded areas and keep the healthy areas intact so that the wildlands in Orange County become like a safe haven for all these different species that are finding their habitats slowly kind of fading away,” he said.

The Los Angeles Unified School District is preparing for possible “Super El Niño” storms that could damage schools and lead to closures, the district announced in a media release Tuesday.

District staff are clearing drains, trimming trees and checking roofs, windows and doors. LAUSD is also testing emergency equipment, including pumps and emergency lighting systems, and stocking supplies such as flashlights and drinking water.

“Preparing for severe weather starts well before the first raindrop,” Superintendent Andrés Chait said in a statement. “We can’t control the weather, but we can take steps now to protect our students and employees and help our schools stay ready.”

The district will monitor weather patterns using information from the National Weather Service and local emergency officials, it said.

LAUSD encouraged families to update their contact information to ensure they receive district calls, texts and emails. Families should also monitor weather alerts, follow emergency officials’ instructions, avoid flooded roads and review safe routes to and from school, according to the release.

“Preparing for a storm is a shared effort — from the crews maintaining school buildings to the principals reviewing emergency plans and the families making sure they can receive critical updates,” LAUSD said in the release. “By taking these steps before the rain begins, Los Angeles Unified is working to help students and employees stay safe and keep school communities as prepared as possible for the winter ahead.”

Southern California is likely in for a solid dose of rain this week, just days after heat and Santa Ana winds helped fuel several wildfires across the region.

Forecasters expect the bulk of the rain to roll into the Los Angeles basin Wednesday night and continue into Thursday morning, with a small chance of thunderstorms and hail.

The San Fernando Valley, San Gabriel Valley and coastal areas across L.A. and Orange counties could get around an inch over the next few days. Hills and mountains could get up to 3 inches.

“We could see some pretty high rain rates,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Wofford. “It's a good storm for this time of year — it's a little stronger than what we would see normally.”

The possibility of significant rain in the mountains raises concerns about flooding in areas recently burned in wildfires, particularly around the Bryson Fire burn scar near Malibu, which is only a few days old. Burn scars can’t absorb heavy rainfall and are susceptible to landslides.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the Santa Monica Mountains and surrounding communities from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday. That means heavy rain there could flood streets, creeks and rivers. The flood watch area includes both the Bryson Fire and Palisades Fire burn scars.

This will also be the first nontropical storm of the season, meaning it’s moving into the region from the north. Most storms that hit Southern California follow a similar path, especially during the winter, unlike the tropical storms that formed off the coast of Mexico and brought muggy weather to the region this summer.

Nontropical storms also bring cold air to the region. On Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters expect highs in the 60s and 70s. High elevations will be even cooler.

The science research institute that would likely receive $4.2 billion in public taxpayer money if voters approve Proposition 38 this November had only three employees as of last month — far fewer than the 51 staffers it planned to have hired by last year.

Public statements and public records CalMatters obtained raise questions about how well prepared the institute is to shepherd so much money if the bond measure passes.

Prop. 38 would allocate up to $8.4 billion in bonds for scientific research on diseases and cures concerning the immune system, with an emphasis on finding treatments for Alzheimer’s, cancer and heart disease. The ballot language stipulates that a single, unnamed research institute would receive half the bond’s money to conduct research and partner with other researchers if it meets highly specific criteria. Bonds are a type of debt that must be repaid.

Previous reporting by CalMatters found only one institute in California currently meets those criteria: the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy. The institute’s principal funder is billionaire Gary K. Michelson, who wrote Prop. 38 and is by far the largest donor to its political campaign.

Backers of the proposition said state bond money is needed to stabilize research funding after President Donald Trump repeatedly attempted to cut existing and future federal science grants.

The measure’s critics say Prop. 38 is well-intentioned but poorly designed because it overlooks the many established public and nonprofit university and hospital research labs in California. They also say California should not subsidize subsets of scientific research and instead should support research more broadly.

CalMatters obtained documents that included the five-year business plan of the California Institute for Immunology and Immunotherapy. The plan was part of the formal affiliation agreement between UCLA and the institute, which the two parties signed in August 2024. Among other details, the agreement requires the institute to pay UCLA 7.5% of the net revenue of any drugs and technologies developed by the institute’s staff. The institute is one of the founding tenants at a UCLA-owned research park in West Los Angeles, where the institute is leasing 235,000 square feet of research space, the institute says.

Far fewer employees than plan called for

Between summer 2024 and summer 2025, the institute committed to hiring “approximately” 51 employees, including six executives, five “world-class” scientists who can lead research labs, and 40 other employees, such as data scientists, lab technicians, biologists and administrative personnel. Between 2025 and 2027, the institute would hire roughly 90 more workers, including 10 research lab leaders, according to the agreement.

But John Mazziotta, a senior UCLA official who also serves as a board member of the immunology institute, last month said the institute has hired just three employees: a chief operating officer, a general counsel, and a scientific advisor, and “they're well into the search” for a director. Mazziotta, the CEO of UCLA Health and vice chancellor for health sciences at UCLA, made his comments during the Sept. 16 UC Regents meeting.

The Yes on Prop. 38 campaign has repeatedly refused to comment on whether the bond was written specifically for the immunology institute. Claudia Briggs, a spokesperson for the campaign, told CalMatters in July that whichever nonprofit receives the $4.2 billion portion of the bond fund should be a sophisticated one that “is prepared to accelerate lifesaving research immediately while maintaining the highest standards of scientific quality, accountability, and stewardship of public funds.”

At a September press conference, a Yes on Prop. 38 spokesperson appeared to confirm CalMatters’ findings that only one institute currently qualifies to be the one to receive half the bond money. “It is very likely that CIII, which is a research institute affiliated with UCLA, will qualify for half of the funds under the current criteria,” said Robin Swanson. CIII is the initialism for the immunology institute.

According to the five-year plan, the institute was supposed to spend $25 million on personnel between 2024-25 and 2025-26 and $45 million total on operating expenses in that time, including maintenance, utilities and rent. It was also supposed to spend an additional $167 million in that time on capital expenses, such as construction and demolition. However, Mazziotta told UC regents that the institute had so far spent a total of $20 million on “operating expenses, hires” and other expenses.

The Yes on 38 campaign refused CalMatters’ request to interview Michelson for this story, as did Michelson himself in a separate email. A spokesperson for the institute, Becky Warren, sent a written statement that didn't answer CalMatters' questions about employing far fewer people than the five-year plan laid out. Instead, she highlighted the promise of the institute and a few of its milestones, including signing the affiliation agreement with UCLA and clearing a state environmental review of its forthcoming research facility.

The institute won’t get state bond money if it isn’t ready to begin work, “plain and simple,” wrote Swanson, the Yes on 38 spokesperson, in an email. She stressed that though the institute very likely qualifies, the ultimate decision to award half the bond funding is up to the California Department of Public Health.

Institute facility will be built by 2028

The UCLA research park that houses the institute isn’t slated to be fully built until at least late 2028, according to the agenda item of the September UC regents meeting. The research park is a former mall UCLA acquired in late 2023 that’s now undergoing major retrofitting.

But the 2024 affiliation agreement between UCLA and the institute anticipated this. The agreement permitted the institute to use UCLA health research space on another campus property on an interim basis. Mazziotta told regents that research is underway there.

Mazziotta also told the regents the institute's construction costs are not fully funded — it still needs roughly $100 million. He said UCLA was in serious talks with a donor to provide about $50 million to the institute.

If Prop. 38 passes, the bond funding would be provided in increments based on how often the institute requests new money that senior state officials approve. If all the funds are depleted, Californians would repay the bond at a rate of $500 million to $600 million annually for about 20 years.

Institute would be exempt from public records act

CalMatters submitted the public records request to UCLA, which must comply with the California Public Records Act. The institute, as a private nonprofit, does not have to comply. And while Prop. 38 would channel billions of dollars in taxpayer money to the institute, the proposition’s language specifically exempts the nonprofit that will receive the $4.2 billion from state public meetings laws, political reform laws and the public records act. The other half of the funds would go to a council that’ll pick projects led by researchers from a limited pool of universities and nonprofits. The council would generally be governed by the state’s political reform act, which prohibits financial self-dealing.

Briggs defended the institute’s exemption in Prop. 38, writing that applying state transparency laws to existing private organizations would “not fit well with how private entities are organized and operate.” Instead, she noted the selected nonprofit institute would be required to publish annual reports on its research progress and financial plans plus commit to annual state audits, among other disclosures written into the ballot measure.

Still unclear to the UC regents is the relationship between UCLA and the institute on matters of public disclosure. Four senior UCLA officials sit on the institute’s board. So is a document held by those UCLA officials public because it’s related to UCLA affairs or private because it’s related to the institute’s affairs? UC’s general counsel couldn’t explain where that dividing line is after a regent member asked him. The regent member, Michael Cohen, said he wants more clarity when the regents meet again in November.

Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Democratic Party endorsed Prop. 38, as have dozens of patient and research advocacy groups, plus the state GOP. The union of graduate students and post-doctoral researchers, whose pay often relies on science research funding, has also endorsed the proposition. The union doesn’t represent faculty.

Money raised in support of Prop. 38 now exceeds $66 million, including at least $61.2 million in contributions from Michelson and his policy institute. Roughly $14 million of that includes loans from Michelson. The no camp has raised about $8,800

This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.