I'm passionate about Burrowing Owls and climate action. Fortunately, every California voter has an incredible opportunity to support birds like these adorable owls while building a healthier, more climate-resilient future for all of us. Before heading to the polls, I sat down with fellow Burrowing Owl fan and dedicated advocate Mike Lynes, Audubon California’s Director of Public Policy.   

For over 20 years, Mike has been a dedicated champion for birds at the State Capitol. From drafting and reviewing to offering expert insights, he’s helped shape nearly every piece of bird-related legislation and policy. This makes him the ideal person to talk to about Prop 4 and the potential benefits it holds for birds. 
 
So, how long has Audubon California been working on this kind of climate bond? 

Conversations about a climate bond started not long after Proposition 68 passed in 2018. While that bond had some critical funding in there for parks and urban greening, it didn’t address a lot of the climate needs that were coming down the road. For instance, even though conservationists had been warning about the condition of our forests for years, the wildfires of 2020 really highlighted the issues around wildfire and forest management. Nature-based solutions to climate change require investments in programs that will protect and restore lands, which always lack for funding even in good budget years.  

I saw the first versions of what would eventually become Proposition 4 emerge in 2020, and since then, conservationists, environmental justice advocates, renewable energy experts, water agencies, and others have been hard at work developing it. 

What specifically drew Audubon California to push to get a climate bond on the ballot? 

The biggest thing for us was the dire need of funding for natural resources in this state.  Even in good years, with strong state revenue, the state doesn’t have the ability to properly fund essential needs around parks, open space, forest health, sustainable water management, and habitat protection. And that means we’re definitely not making the investments that we need now for our future needs for birds, climate change, and key areas like the Salton Sea.  

And if we don’t make those investments now, it’s going to cost us a lot more in the long run.  Prop 4 will help establish stable funding to support our priorities and better navigate the recent swings in state budgets. 

What are some of the things that really excite you in terms of how Prop 4 will benefit birds? 

First and foremost, the $1.2 billion for biodiversity and nature-based climate solutions. Literally every dollar from this bucket is going to help birds through land protection, habitat restoration, forest management, wetlands, grasslands.  

In many ways, supporting birds is straightforward: protect their habitats, and they’ll continue to thrive. That’s a huge win - and there are also so many small things in the details of this proposition that are hopeful. For instance, there’s $170 million earmarked for the Salton Sea, something Audubon California has been advocating for over a decade. This funding ensures the state backs its commitment not only to protecting bird habitats at the Sea but also to supporting the surrounding communities. 

What kind of work did you and your team put into the bond? 

We were an active part of a coalition of conservation organizations working to get this in front of the voters. A lot of the inside baseball of submitting language and working on the kinds of small wording changes that make a big difference in terms of funding and priorities. I’m particularly proud that we actively supported the requirement that 40% of the funding from Prop 4 would be for underserved communities that have not received a fair share of funding from past measures. Not only did that make for a much stronger coalition, but it made the bond measure more equitable. 

What is Audubon California doing to get this proposition passed? 

I want to emphasize again how important it is to pass Prop 4, and what a big priority it is for Audubon California. We support birds and nature in all kinds of ways: habitat restoration in the Bay Area, wetlands in the Central Valley, beaches, bays and lagoons across the state’s shoreline, and so many other places. But something like Prop 4 could have a much bigger impact, statewide. So believe me when I say that we’re all in. 

To get Prop 4 passed, we’re leveraging our greatest strength as a conservation organization: our network.  At the local level, we provided communication and education resources to Audubon chapters, which they’re sharing with all of their community members. We just had two great webinar briefings with Audubon chapter leaders and members, which is available online. We are also doing a great deal of direct communications with Audubon members and supporters through email and social media.  In other words, we’re pulling all the levers. 

You wake up Nov. 6 to find that Prop 4 has passed. What will Audubon California do to make sure those funds are put to best use? 

A couple of things on that. First, we’re already working with agencies, coalitions, and partners on a framework for how we’d like to see these funds spent on our conservation priorities. This is very similar to what we did following 2014’s Prop 1, which was focused largely on water issues. Our coalition literally submitted a draft budget to the California Natural Resources Agency, and we were fortunate enough to see the agency actually take up a lot of those ideas. 

Second, Prop 4 contains detailed language on accountability. There will be a great deal of oversight and reporting about how this money is spent, and Audubon California will make sure that we’re a part of this process to ensure that the funding goes where it’s supposed to go. 

And another thing to mention: a lot of this bond funding will be pushed out into the conservation community through grants from  the Wildlife Conservation Board and through conservancies like the California Coastal Conservancy. I imagine we’ll apply for some of these grants for our restoration projects, but we’ll also be sure to connect local Audubon chapters are involved—either through their own projects or their partners. It’s vital to make sure that money spent locally goes where it’s most needed. 

Anything you want to add? 

A few things, yes. The first is that California is the fifth largest economy in the world, and perhaps the most biodiverse place in the world. There’s so much here to protect, and it’s really up to Californians to take the lead in protecting our natural treasures. We’re responsible.  

And I know that sometimes climate change can seem like this big overwhelming concept that we can’t do anything about. But the scale of Prop 4 is empowering each of us to make a difference with our vote. If we wake up on Nov. 6 and see that it has passed, we’ll really be able to take pride in knowing that we did something that really matters. Each of us will have made a difference.