San Francisco Bay Area Vision Project

The San Francisco Bay Area is a region filled with scenic views of San Francisco Bay, lakes, rivers, hillsides, vineyards, and other open spaces. It is well known for its natural features and historic landmarks, and the region offers a wide range of recreational opportunities and outdoor activities. These natural resources contribute to the quality of life here and are some of the reasons why people want to live and work in this region.

To preserve these features and protect the region's natural systems, the FOCUS Program is partnering with land trusts, open space districts, parks and recreation departments, local jurisdictions, and others involved in planning for conservation and open space protection. As part of FOCUS, these partners were asked to nominate areas to be designated as Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs) for the region.

What are Priority Conservation Areas?
Priority conservation areas are areas of regional significance that have broad community support and an urgent need for protection. These areas provide important agricultural, natural resource, historical, scenic, cultural, recreational, and/or ecological values and ecosystem functions.

The purpose of designating priority conservation areas through the FOCUS Program is to accelerate protection of key natural lands in the San Francisco Bay Area through purchase or conservation easements within the next few years. Conservation will be promoted through regional designation by:

Coordinating conservation efforts within a regional framework of near-term priorities
Providing a strong platform on which to leverage public and private resources
Building upon prior and existing land protection efforts and investments
Providing opportunities for forging new partnerships

Knowing the region's land conservation priorities will promote collaboration and investment in these areas that are critical to the region's quality of life and ecological diversity.

Regional Adoption of PCAs
In the fall of 2007, local governments, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations nominated over 100 areas for consideration as Priority Conservation Areas. Nominations were reviewed by staff, a review panel, regional committees, and local governments. Recommendations were based on the three nomination criteria: level of consensus, regional significance, and urgency for protection. The ABAG Executive Board adopted a set of Priority Conservation Areas on July 17, 2008.

Map with List of Adopted Priority Conservation Areas

Directing Incentives to PCAs
During the later part of 2008, FOCUS staff will be coordinating with land conservation funding entities to raise awareness of the funding opportunities in these areas. Additional funding opportunities and partnerships will be explored as informational materials are developed to highlight the conservation values of each of the adopted areas.

Nominating a PCA
The nomination deadline for nominating PCAs was August 17, 2007. Please check back in 2009 for future nomination opportunities. To learn more about the first nomination process, see the 2007 Nomination Guidelines for Priority Conservation Area Designation.

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HOME ABOUT THE BAY AREA FOCUS INITIATIVES Overview Priority Development Areas Priority Conservation Areas Financial Incentives Technical Assistance Working Group Building partnerships Staff Contacts	FOCUS: Priority Conservation Areas The San Francisco Bay Area is a region filled with scenic views of San Francisco Bay, lakes, rivers, hillsides, vineyards, and other open spaces. It is well known for its natural features and historic landmarks, and the region offers a wide range of recreational opportunities and outdoor activities. These natural resources contribute to the quality of life here and are some of the reasons why people want to live and work in this region. To preserve these features and protect the region's natural systems, the FOCUS Program is partnering with land trusts, open space districts, parks and recreation departments, local jurisdictions, and others involved in planning for conservation and open space protection. As part of FOCUS, these partners were asked to nominate areas to be designated as Priority Conservation Areas (PCAs) for the region. What are Priority Conservation Areas? Priority conservation areas are areas of regional significance that have broad community support and an urgent need for protection. These areas provide important agricultural, natural resource, historical, scenic, cultural, recreational, and/or ecological values and ecosystem functions. The purpose of designating priority conservation areas through the FOCUS Program is to accelerate protection of key natural lands in the San Francisco Bay Area through purchase or conservation easements within the next few years. Conservation will be promoted through regional designation by: Coordinating conservation efforts within a regional framework of near-term priorities Providing a strong platform on which to leverage public and private resources Building upon prior and existing land protection efforts and investments Providing opportunities for forging new partnerships Knowing the region's land conservation priorities will promote collaboration and investment in these areas that are critical to the region's quality of life and ecological diversity. Regional Adoption of PCAs In the fall of 2007, local governments, public agencies, and nonprofit organizations nominated over 100 areas for consideration as Priority Conservation Areas. Nominations were reviewed by staff, a review panel, regional committees, and local governments. Recommendations were based on the three nomination criteria: level of consensus, regional significance, and urgency for protection. The ABAG Executive Board adopted a set of Priority Conservation Areas on July 17, 2008. Map with List of Adopted Priority Conservation Areas Directing Incentives to PCAs During the later part of 2008, FOCUS staff will be coordinating with land conservation funding entities to raise awareness of the funding opportunities in these areas. Additional funding opportunities and partnerships will be explored as informational materials are developed to highlight the conservation values of each of the adopted areas. Nominating a PCA The nomination deadline for nominating PCAs was August 17, 2007. Please check back in 2009 for future nomination opportunities. To learn more about the first nomination process, see the 2007 Nomination Guidelines for Priority Conservation Area Designation.