The Board of Commissioners of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power recently approved a motion that will result in the integration of biodiversity initiatives and nature-based solutions throughout the Department’s operations.
Moving forward, LADWP will continue to advance environmental stewardship initiatives and promote equity and conservation efforts, the public power utility said.
The motion calls for future plans to include:
- Evaluating LADWP properties within underserved communities that could be converted to native plant gardens or restoration areas to increase access to nature for vulnerable communities.
- Working with Human Resources to evaluate existing resources and classifications and identify any additional classifications (i.e. conservation biologist, urban ecologist, landscape architect, etc.) needed to support biodiversity efforts in the Los Angeles area.
LADWP noted it has proactively undertaken several significant initiatives aimed at safeguarding biodiversity and promoting environmental equity.
Key accomplishments include:
Stormwater Capture: LADWP has invested more than $130 million in stormwater capture infrastructure to help recharge groundwater aquifers and help meet the Department’s stormwater capture goal. Projects range from smaller, local green streets to larger spreading grounds and dam improvement projects.
Shade Tree Planting: LADWP has a long-standing institutional practice of sponsoring and facilitating shade tree planting in partnership with city plants to combat urban heat island effect. Urban canopy investments have yielded 5MWh of energy savings and helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by over 4,000 metric tons annually.
Habitat Restoration and Enhancement Projects: LADWP has actively participated in habitat restoration efforts in the Eastern Sierra, collaborating with state and federal agencies and the local voices to rehabilitate ecosystems and preserve critical wildlife habitats. The Department’s Lower Owens River Project covers 78,000 acres on City of Los Angeles land, including one of the longest river restoration projects in the country (62 miles). LADWP has over 100 environmental initiatives in Inyo and Mono Counties related to protecting and sustaining the environment. LADWP also partners with local community groups to enhance the Chatsworth Nature Preserve, which is the only nature preserve in the City of Los Angeles.
Biodiversity Monitoring and Research: Through partnership with research institutions, such as the Electric Power Research Institute, LADWP has supported biodiversity programs that protect the health of ecosystems, such as: conducting a carbon analysis of LADWP natural lands in the City and in Owens Valley; initiating a monarch butterfly assessment study to map monarch butterfly pathways along LADWP lands and transmission lines; and co-chairing the Power in Pollinators the largest known collaboration of electric companies to advance shared research, tools, and resources for pollinator management across millions of acres of land they manage.
Integrated Vegetation Management Practices: LADWP has proactively sought out opportunities to create spaces along its rights-of-way in underserved communities.
