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

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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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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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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.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath announced Monday that she is running to be the county’s first elected chief executive. Horvath is the only candidate so far to enter the race, which is set for 2028.

The new executive post will take the place of the county’s appointed CEO and implement key priorities of the county Board of Supervisors. The executive will oversee the county budget, which is currently roughly $50 billion, and labor relations with more than 100,000 employees.

Horvath was first elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 and was re-elected in June to another four-year term. She represents the county’s 3rd District, which covers the San Fernando Valley and parts of the Westside and Central Los Angeles. She is a former mayor of West Hollywood.

The supervisor made her announcement Monday via social media and her campaign website. She called the race a “once-in-a-generation opportunity.”

The backstory

Voters created the position in 2024 when they approved Measure G, which was proposed by Supervisors Horvath and Janice Hahn.

Among other changes, the measure allowed the Board of Supervisors to expand from five to nine members by 2030 and established an independent Ethics Commission, which held its first meeting last month.

The pushback

On Monday, Supervisor Kathryn Barger issued a statement saying she believed it was “premature” to campaign for the new county executive position when it remained unclear whether “the office itself is constitutional.”

Barger pointed to questions raised by former federal judge Stephen Larson about whether California’s Constitution allows an elected county executive to veto board decisions, control county contracts and take on powers state law currently gives the Board of Supervisors.

“Moving forward with an office that would fundamentally change how Los Angeles County is governed, without first resolving these questions, is putting the cart before the horse,” Barger said in her statement. “We need clarity.”

The primary election is scheduled for March 7, 2028.

The Los Angeles Unified School District said it’s reviewing how to proceed after Google’s announcement last week that it will not allow schools to use its search engine unless they opt in to using artificial intelligence.

Google said that in the coming months, access to products like Gemini and Google Search would be turned off by default until schools turn them on, saying it believes “schools should have control over AI in their classroom.” But Google Search, by default, includes an AI chatbot and uses AI to summarize search results — meaning that schools that restrict AI would not have access to Google Search.

Earlier this school year, LAUSD implemented a moratorium on students using generative AI on district-issued devices.

“We are reviewing Google’s announcement and its potential implications for schools, educators and students,” said a spokesperson for LAUSD. “Los Angeles Unified believes emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, have the potential to enhance teaching and learning when introduced thoughtfully, responsibly and with clear safeguards.”

“Search and A.I. are deeply integrated,” Chris Phillips, vice president for education at Google, said to The New York Times. He told the outlet that if a school bans AI, students “will not have access to search, and they’ll see a message from their school that indicates it’s not available.”

Currently, students in LAUSD can still use Google to search for information, a district spokesperson said, but the AI mode — in which students can converse with the company’s chatbot, Gemini — is turned off. Some searches may still show an AI-generated summary or overview. The district has asked Google for a modification to allow the summaries to be turned off.

If a school does opt in to artificial intelligence, Google said it will offer a “guided learning” tool in its chatbot for student accounts “to help them work through problems without skipping straight to answers.”

The announcement has prompted outcry from advocates. "Google forced its AI products into classrooms, and parents fought back," said Lila Byock, founder of Schools Beyond Screens, the group that pushed for LAUSD’s AI moratorium, as well as the district’s screen time limit. "Now Google is refusing to take no for an answer. … Schools Beyond Screens calls on district leaders to reclaim their authority from corporate interests and divest from Google."

The district’s ad hoc committee on generative AI is scheduled to have its next meeting on Nov. 13.

Rep. Thomas Massie moved Monday to force a vote to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, setting the stage for a dramatic vote on whether to remove one of the Trump administration’s most prominent figures following sweeping election losses.

The impeachment resolution was introduced by Massie, a Kentucky Republican, as soon as the House opened for the first day of sessions after the midterms. It largely focuses on the war in Iran but also includes references to Hegseth’s role in carrying out military actions in Yemen and Venezuela.

Massie said the secretary’s actions amount to “high crimes and misdemeanors” and his leadership at the Pentagon “thus warrants impeachment.”

A vote in the House could come by mid-week, putting pressure on Republicans — many of whom blamed their election wipeout on the Iran war — but next steps are highly uncertain.

House Speaker Mike Johnson had tried to prevent this outcome, and warned lawmakers against impeaching the Defense secretary while the U.S. is engaged in military actions in the Middle East.

“Impeaching a Cabinet secretary right now, especially the Department of War in the middle of hostilities abroad would be a terrible, terrible look, a terrible thing for our allies and our enemies to see that,” Johnson, a Republican, said as he opened the chamber.

“We don’t impeach Cabinet secretaries for political gain or for cheap tricks, and I think that’s what this is and I think everybody knows it.”

Most House Democrats are expected to support impeaching Hegseth, with Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries saying over the weekend it’s time for the Defense secretary to go.

If the House votes to impeach Hegseth, it would next go to the Senate for a potential trial. Republicans remain in the majority in both chambers, until the new Congress convenes in January with Democrats in control.

Hegseth issues his own defense and prepares for a fight

Hegseth maintains he’s eager to litigate the military actions that he and President Donald Trump have taken against Iran, Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels and Venezuela’s previous leaders.

“If you want to take issue with what we did in Epic Fury or Rough Rider or nabbing Nicolás Maduro, you’re taking issue with the troops and what they accomplished, which is historic,” Hegseth told reporters Monday, using the military code names for the Iran war and campaign of strikes to halt the Houthis’ attacks on shipping in the Middle East.

Hegseth also announced that he would hold a rare news conference on Tuesday — his first in over 180 days — on the impeachment threat. His last briefing was in May, and he has not held one on the Iran war, strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats or other U.S. military actions since then.

The Pentagon chief is bearing the brunt of anger and calls for his ouster after the Iran war and its economic impact contributed to severe Republican losses in the midterm elections that cost the party control of Congress.

Hegseth waves off impeachment push as ‘noise’

Hegseth, after giving a speech at the Naval War College in Rhode Island, brushed aside the impeachment push.

“There’s a lot of politically motivated people who may have substantial policy disagreements, but their disagreements are with success,” he told reporters. He added that “if we want to litigate” the military actions that the Trump administration has taken, “I’m happy to do it all day long.”

“My team, we’re not worried about the noise — it’s what I told the troops, too — ‘don’t worry about the noise,’” he said.

Asked about Vice President JD Vance blaming the Iran war for the massive GOP losses in the election, Hegseth noted that Trump said he would do it again, and “I agree.”

He largely repeated a line that Secretary of State Marco Rubio said to reporters a day earlier: “It doesn’t have to be necessarily popular, but it can be necessary.”

Hegseth argued that the war was necessary because “someone had to confront the Iranian regime’s pursuit of a nuclear weapon” and said “the choice was don’t act and wish it away or take a bold move.”

Iran has long maintained that its nuclear program is peaceful. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Iran has 440.9 kilograms (972 pounds) of uranium that is enriched up to 60% purity, a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

Trump defended Hegseth to reporters on Sunday night.

“He’s guilty of two things, basically winning two wars,” Trump said. “I believe we saved the Middle East and Israel combined. And it’s awfully hard to say let’s impeach somebody who did that.”

Pentagon chief insists ‘Iran is devastated’

Hegseth reiterated that “Iran is devastated,” even though the Islamic Republic has been able to keep striking military bases in the Middle East that are used by the United States, causing billions of dollars in damage, as well as commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Disruptions to shipping in the waterway, where one-fifth of the world’s oil passed before the war, have led to higher energy prices that hit voters’ pocketbooks.

He said the next steps on the war are up to Trump, including telling Iran: “Hey, we’re done, and we’re going to watch your nuclear material. You better not move it.”

Hegseth’s defense of the war comes after about 6 in 10 voters said the U.S. made the “wrong decision” in taking military action against Iran, according to The AP Voter Poll, a survey of more than 100,000 voters in the United States.

With anger in Congress rising, Hegseth has been on a social media blitz, posting a video last week acknowledging the threat of impeachment. He said it would be “all about the politics of personal destruction” and insisted that “won’t work with me. You can rest assured of that.”

Since then, scores of political appointees within the Pentagon have posted images of Hegseth emblazoned with the words, “Stand. Fight. Defend the Republic.” The White House also posted a video to social media that featured praise from Trump.

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Associated Press writers Kevin Freking and Joey Cappelletti contributed to this report.

It is the final hoorah for the 119th Congress. Republicans have just weeks left in control of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The main thing on the agenda: keeping the federal government open. Funding is set to run out on December 11, when a stop-gap measure passed about a month ahead of the midterms expires.

Any funding extension is all but certain to be done through another short-term bill, known as a continuing resolution. The typical government funding process — 12 carefully negotiated appropriations bills — would take time and political will that lawmakers currently lack.

Congress will also need to find a path forward on the National Defense Authorization Act, long considered a must-pass annual military funding package. This year, the bill is quagmired in the unforgiving politics of the Iran war. The conflict is opposed by a majority of Americans — something President Trump has acknowledged was a key force in driving his party out of power.

The House is also likely to vote on an impeachment effort targeting Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. Introduced by Republican Thomas Massie of Kentucky, a key figure in forcing the administration's release of the Epstein files, the impeachment measure lists a number of charges, including that the administration failed to properly consult Congress on the military campaign.

Democrats are unlikely to be in a compromising mood on legislation, just weeks away from taking control of both chambers. That means continued work on big-ticket items like the Protect College Sports Act, meant to introduce new regulations around college athlete compensation, and a bipartisan energy permitting overhaul will likely wait until the new term.

With slim majorities in both chambers, they could also have to contend with some attendance problems after a demoralizing performance in last week's midterm elections. That further complicates passing legislation through chambers already governed by the thinnest of majorities.

Mike Ricci, a Republican strategist with the group Seven Letter and aide to former Speakers of the House John Boehner and Paul Ryan, told NPR that a number of forces could help draw reluctant lame duck legislators back to Washington, including winding down their offices, finding new work and attending the White House Christmas party.

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