Share this article
Two U.S. states plan to join IUCN
Massachusetts and California would become official members in 2026
Massachusetts and California intend to join the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). They would be the first U.S. states to do so. Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll made the announcement at the same time the 2025 World Conservation Congress was taking place from Oct. 9-15 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. “Massachusetts is leading the way to a future where people and nature thrive. As the first states to announce our intention to join the IUCN, Massachusetts and California are standing firm by our commitments to lead the nation on biodiversity conservation,” said Healey. “The value of this work is undeniable—this will help us protect wildlife, strengthen our local economies and really preserve what makes Massachusetts so special.” The two states would become official members in 2026.
Header Image: The state hopes becoming part of the IUCN will help tem protect their coastlines like the one pictured here. Credit: m01229
Related Posts
LISTEN: The North Carolina black bear revival
The comeback, struggles and surprising lives of black bears in North Carolina
Watch: Once extinct, reintroduced snails glow with hope
Conservationists conduct the largest release ever of recovering extinct-in-the-wild snails
Listen: Conservation trouble in paradise
How wildlife managers are fighting invasives and restoring native habitats in the U.S. Virgin Islands