Californians are being asked to look a little closer at the natural world around them this week.<\/p>\n
California Biodiversity Day 2026 begins Saturday, Sept. 5, launching nine days of hikes, wildlife observations, citizen-science projects, conservation work and other activities across the state.<\/p>\n
The latest California State Parks announcement says nearly 200 events<\/strong> are scheduled statewide through Sept. 13, expanding on the California Natural Resources Agency’s announcement that described more than 100 events.<\/p>\n For residents of El Dorado County<\/strong>, the celebration has a particularly familiar backdrop: Folsom Lake and the foothills surrounding the county’s western edge.<\/p>\n Folsom Lake State Recreation Area has a direct El Dorado County connection. California State Parks identifies its Brown’s Ravine facility as being in El Dorado County, and the broader Folsom Lake recreation area extends across portions of El Dorado, Sacramento and Placer counties.<\/p>\n State Parks lists a Biodiversity Week Kickoff Event at Folsom Lake State Recreation Area on Sept. 5<\/strong>, followed by nature programming Sept. 6 and throughout the week.<\/p>\n The statewide celebration also highlights Folsom Lake for a biofluorescence walk<\/strong>, giving participants an opportunity to search for organisms that produce or reflect fluorescent colors under specialized lighting. A climate-resilience workday at the recreation area will also give volunteers an opportunity to help improve habitat by removing invasive plants.<\/p>\n That puts the larger statewide message into a distinctly local setting.<\/p>\n The oak woodlands, waterways, foothill habitats and open spaces around El Dorado County are not simply scenery. They are functioning ecosystems supporting a wide range of plants, insects, birds, mammals, fish and other organisms.<\/p>\n California Secretary for Natural Resources Wade Crowfoot said the event is intended to encourage people to get outdoors and better understand the state’s biological resources.<\/p>\n \u201cThe fact is our state is one of three dozen \u2018biodiversity hotspots\u2019 in the world,\u201d Crowfoot said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n California is home to more species of plants and animals than any other state, according to the Natural Resources Agency. California Biodiversity Day has been observed annually on Sept. 7 since it was established in 2018. The nine-day schedule surrounding the observance gives residents multiple opportunities to participate rather than limiting the celebration to a single day.<\/p>\n California State Parks Director Armando Quintero urged residents to use the celebration as an opportunity to visit the state’s parks.<\/p>\n \u201cCalifornia Biodiversity Day gives people of all ages an opportunity to experience that richness firsthand,\u201d Quintero said.<\/p>\n For El Dorado County, that invitation does not require a long drive.<\/p>\n Folsom Lake State Recreation Area offers hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing, boating, camping and other outdoor activities. Brown’s Ravine, accessible from Green Valley Road, is one of the State Parks facilities located within El Dorado County.<\/p>\n One of the most accessible parts of this year’s celebration does not require registration for a guided hike or even a trip to a state park.<\/p>\n Organizers are encouraging residents to participate through iNaturalist<\/strong>, a citizen-science platform used to document observations of plants, animals and other organisms.<\/p>\n The statewide \u201cFind 30 Species for California Biodiversity Day 2026\u201d<\/strong> project asks participants to document 30 wild species between Sept. 5 and Sept. 13.<\/p>\n Those observations can help researchers and resource managers build a broader picture of California’s biodiversity. The resulting information also supports the state’s 30×30 Initiative<\/strong>, an effort to conserve 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.<\/p>\n California Academy of Sciences Director of Community Science Rebecca Johnson said observations submitted through iNaturalist can provide valuable biodiversity information at a statewide scale.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery observation shared on iNaturalist \u2014 during California Biodiversity Day events and beyond \u2014 directly supports our efforts to protect the species and places that make our state extraordinary,\u201d Johnson said.<\/p>\n For residents who regularly walk the trails, photograph wildflowers, watch birds, fish local waterways or simply spend time outdoors, that means ordinary observations can become part of a much larger scientific record.<\/p>\n The statewide schedule reaches far beyond the Sierra foothills.<\/p>\n Organizers have planned activities ranging from a 30-species challenge hike at Mount Tamalpais State Park and a search for biofluorescent organisms at Folsom Lake to tidepool exploration, birdwatching, habitat restoration, underwater bioblitzes, cultural programs and virtual wildlife presentations.<\/p>\n Virtual offerings will include wildlife programs featuring elephant seals at Hearst San Simeon State Park, beavers at Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park and jellyfish at San Elijo State Beach.<\/p>\n The variety is deliberate.<\/p>\n California’s biodiversity stretches from the Pacific coast to the Sierra Nevada, from wetlands and tide pools to oak woodlands and high-elevation forests. The Biodiversity Day campaign is designed to make that diversity accessible to people regardless of age, experience or location.<\/p>\n The organizers are also pushing a second message: appreciating biodiversity is only the first step.<\/p>\nFolsom Lake puts biodiversity close to home<\/h3>\n
‘A richness … almost unparalleled’<\/h3>\n
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Residents can become citizen scientists<\/h3>\n
From the foothills to the coast<\/h3>\n
Conservation begins at home<\/h3>\n