CENTER FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY INC

The center's public lands law center uses legal analysis and litigation to protect america's federal public lands, most often through collaboration within the center's regional programs. In 2024, our uinta basin railway case in utah was argued before the united states supreme court in december. We continued to make progress in arizona and new mexico to keep cattle out of sensitive riparian and aquatic habitats. We won an important case in southern california, with the court finding that the blm failed to properly minimize impacts to the desert tortoise and other wildlife from off-road vehicles in the western mojave desert. We challenged a number of logging projects in the northern rockies, including the blm's major proposed project in the clark fork river sub-basin, east of missoula, montana. And we made considerable progress in our campaigns against major proposed mining projects on important federal lands, including within the boundary waters watershed in northern minnesota, and at oak flat, on the tonto national forest in arizona.

1. Urban wildlands program- the center's urban wildlands program works to protect open space and wildlife from inapprorpiate development and development-associated impacts, especially in california. In 2024 we issued a report on the cost of sprawl and reservoirs to humans, wildlife and our climate, we won legal agreements and/or suits to protect wildlands in lake and san diego county, we won policy change to improve wildlife connectivity and limit unnecessary rat poisons in california. 2. Oceans program- in 2024, the center's oceans program continued to make significant strides in marine conservation. Our advocacy aimed at preventing whale entanglements in fishing gear, protecting the oceans from plastic pollution and oil spills, and securing endangered marine species and their habitats' protections. We used law, science, organizing, and communications to protect healthy oceans and coastal communities. 3. Southwest program- the center's southwest program works to protect wildlife and wild places in arizona, new mexico and northern mexico. 4. Population & sustainability program- the center's population and sustainability program educates the public and policymakers on the connections between human population pressure, unsustainable consumption, and the climate and extinction crises, and advocates for solutions that advance reproductive freedom, gender empowerment, conscious consumption, and just, humane and sustainable food system. In 2024, we released a global white paper and roadmap for a just food transition, analyzed and advocated for sustainability in dietary guidelines, and advanced food code policy to support reuse and reduce plastic pollution. We launched campaigns to stop deforestation in the avocado industry, distribute kits to support reproductive health in climate-related disasters, establish sustainable consumption programs on campuses, and support secondhand retailers. Our team also engaged on reproductive rights and food policy issues at the local, state, national, and international level, often with the support of our members and supporters. 5. International program- the center's international program seeks to protect global biodiversity through u.s. And international laws. In 2024, we sought u.s. Trade protections for numerous species threatened by the pet and decor trade including bats from southeast asia and secured deadlines for protections for critically endangered lizards and whales and dolphins entangled in fishing net abroad. We worked under several treaties to garner international proessure on the mexican government to enforce its own wildlife laws to protect the gravely imperiled vaquita, protect world heritage habitat in ecuador, brazil, and mexico, and tighten trade protections under convention for international trade in endangered species. 6. Carnivore conservation program- the center's carnivore conservation program won protections in 2024 for ecologically important carnivores and their habitats including grey wolves, red wolves, mountain lions, grizzly bears, and martens. It won the designation and protection of fedral critical habitat areas, fought against damaging state and federal policies, and supported pro-carnivore policies. 9. The center had program service accomplishments in other programs including: florida and the caribbean, the great basin, northern and southern rockies, the southeast, and hawaii.