Urban areas play an essential role in advancing conservation goals. As a megacity located in one of 36 Global Biodiversity Hotspots, Los Angeles (L.A.) is uniquely positioned to have a significant impact on the health and resilience of ecosystems and biodiversity. Conservation research and practice in an urban context like L.A. must consider not only ecological systems, but also the socio-political, cultural, and economic systems that are inextricably linked to the environment. Enlisting the help and support of people in achieving conservation goals in urban areas is essential. “The aim is to create a virtuous cycle that will be the engine for continued accrual of the benefits to both people and nature, by mainstreaming conservation so it becomes a part of and product of business as usual” (Morrison, 2016). This session will present the Virtuous Cycle framework (Morrison, 2016) and showcase examples focused on green infrastructure in the urban core of L.A. that illustrate the power of creating regenerative cycles. The session will highlight the importance of public-private partnerships and how local government, researchers and nonprofits can coordinate efforts to move from status quo to a desired future state. Presenters will address what types of stakeholders should be involved, how to manage complex collaborations, and demonstrate how to create socio-ecological systems and catalyze connections. As the virtuous cycle can be applied at various scales, local to global, attendees will learn how to incorporate the framework into their day-to-day work and broaden collaborations to achieve urban conservation goals.