The East Bay Regional Park District formally backed the push to protect the 4-million-acre Diablo Range on Sept. 2.

The district's commendation followed the California Legislature's designation of the mountain chain as a state conservation priority. The California Senate approved Assembly Concurrent Resolution 107 (ACR 107) unanimously, 33-0, on Aug. 13, the Contra Costa Herald reported. Assemblymember Rebecca Bauer-Kahan authored the resolution, which Walnut Creek-based nonprofit Save Mount Diablo sponsored.

General Manager Max Korten said the resolution "affirms what the Park District has long understood: the Diablo Range is one of California's most significant landscapes, and protecting it is essential to our state's conservation future."

The Diablo Range stretches more than 200 miles from Contra Costa County south to Kern County, crossing 12 counties. Mount Diablo sits at the range's northern end. More than 10 million people live in surrounding communities, and the range is home to hundreds of rare and endangered species, including the California condor.

Less than 30% of the range is protected under the standards of California's 30x30 Initiative, the state's goal to conserve 30% of its lands and coastal waters by 2030. At a June 2026 convening organized by Save Mount Diablo, Wildlife Conservation Board Executive Director Dr. Jennifer Norris said at least 1 million acres of the Diablo Range could help close that gap. The state still needs 4.8 million acres by 2030, according to Norris.

Board President Olivia Sanwong pointed to a sign of the range's ecological value: California condors have been spotted flying over the Sunol-Ohlone Wilderness and roosting overnight in the mountains near Lake Del Valle.

The Park District said it plans to work with state leaders, Save Mount Diablo and other conservation partners on lasting protections, wildlife connectivity and expanded public access. No specific timeline or funding commitment has been announced.

The district also cited SB 392, a 2025 law authored by state Sen. Tim Grayson of Concord. That law established the East Bay Hills Conservation Program, giving the Park District statewide recognition and support to acquire land, restore habitat and expand trail access across roughly 30,000 acres in Alameda and Contra Costa counties. SB 392 requires local land use plans to acknowledge the East Bay Hills as an area of statewide significance.

Land protection near Mount Diablo has already been moving. Earlier in 2026, California State Parks began acquiring the former 101-acre CEMEX property bordering Mitchell Canyon to add to Mount Diablo State Park. In April, the East Contra Costa County Habitat Conservancy acquired 160 acres of the Curry Canyon Ranch property. Another 155 acres remained with Save Mount Diablo under a perpetual conservation easement, Patch reported.

The Park District's commendation does not carry regulatory or funding authority on its own. Next steps depend on collaboration between the district, Save Mount Diablo and state agencies.