Balancing agricultural production, groundwater management, and biodiversity goals: A multi-benefit optimization model of agriculture in Kern County, California

3 Challenges, 3 Errors, and 3 Solutions to Integrate Frontline Communities in Climate Change Policy and Research: Lessons From California

“…Land use repurposing to achieve environmental justice can be profitable for multiple stakeholders while also bringing socioeconomic opportunities for frontline communities. Managed aquifer recharge projects (Flood-MAR) can improve water security in frontline communities, incentivize farmers, and increase groundwater reliability for agriculture and ecosystems (Bourque et al, 2019;Bryant et al, 2020;Marwaha et al, 2021;Ulibarri et al, 2021). Renewable energy can be combined with agriculture (e.g., agrivoltaic systems).…”

Shaping Land Use Change and Ecosystem Restoration in a Water-Stressed Agricultural Landscape to Achieve Multiple Benefits

“…Mathematically, our consideration of different land use change scenarios corresponds to considering multiple cost surfaces in systematic conservation planning, the importance of which has been examined previously (Carwardine et al, 2010), though does not appear to be routine. And while others have examined direct optimization of habitat-enhancing actions in landscapes under water stress (Bourque et al, 2019), or examined evolution of agricultural landscapes and their water use in the absence of constraints (Wilson et al, 2016), simultaneously incorporating fine-scale, resource-constrained, land use change modeling within the planning and optimization process is important and underutilized. The inclusion of resource constraints is necessary for realism, and while they are often incorporated in hydrologic or economic optimization models (Harou et al, 2009;Howitt et al, 2012), these models are typically specified at a policy-relevant regional scale that is too coarse for targeting restoration with spatially varying habitat potential.…”

“…Consolidating some of the agricultural land predicted for retirement into specific, relatively large areas where the greatest habitat benefits can be created will require strategic planning that can only be achieved through direct coordination and cooperation among water management agencies; each of which will have individual mandates and mechanisms for reaching groundwater sustainability. This level of planning and cooperation will be even more fundamental given the need and opportunity for simultaneously changing land use to achieve multiple benefits that include other habitat types (e.g., temporary wetlands that provide groundwater recharge) and renewable energy development (Bourque et al, 2019;Hanak et al, 2019). Consolidated and focused retirement and restoration will not only require flexibility in trading and transfer of water across boundaries, it will also require targeted incentives and policies that facilitate this kind of flexibility and that defray some of the costs associated with creating broader societal benefits (Jack et al, 2008).…”

Drivers and Constraints of Land use Transitions on Western Grasslands: Insights from a California Mountain Ranching Community

“…In the continental US, a third of rangelands-landscapes dominated by grasses, forbs or shrubs-have been converted to alternative uses since European settlement (Rindfuss et al 2007). While serving to meet growing human needs, conversion can degrade soils, deplete biodiversity (Lark et al 2020;Sala et al 2000), and reduce water quality and availability (Bourque et al 2019). Such habitat loss, particularly for residential development on agricultural lands (Freedgood et al 2020), has driven a 53% reduction in US grassland bird populations since 1970 (Rosenberg et al 2019).…”