Proposed Chuckwalla National Monument
On September 25, 2023 an effort was officially begun to designate the Chuckwalla National Monument and to expand Joshua Tree National Park. This monument and the Park expansion would honor a cultural landscape and ensure more equitable access to nature while preserving unique biodiversity. Tribal leaders, elected officials, community members and Representative Raul Ruiz, of the 45^th US congressional district in whose district the monument and park expansion would occur, announced the effort at an event in Indio. Representative Ruiz will sponsor a bill for creation of this monument and will encourage the use of the Antiquities Act by President Biden should passage of a bill not be possible. We encourage MBCA members and supporters to sign the petition within the ProtectChuckwalla.org website to show support for this monument.

Plan to Attend California Desert Summit
The California Desert Coalition has organized this summit and sponsorship is being provided by the Rose Foundation for Communities and the Environment. The summit will feature keynote speaker Kristeen Penrod, expert on wildlife corridors and landscape connectivity, Robin Kobaly author of the book ‘The Desert Underground’ that descibes the under-recognized  role played by the desert ecosystem in sequestering carbon, and Dr. Tim Krantz, expert on the processes of CEQA and NEPA. Focus of the workshop will be to support advocacy for the intact desert and its role in the mitigation of the effects of Climate Change. The workshop will be in-person and also broadcast by Zoom. Register soon at the website of the California Desert Coalition (CDC): https://www.cadesertcoalition.org/california-desert-summit/

Where:         Bell Center, Copper Mountain College,  Joshua Tree, CA 92252
When:          Saturday, September 30, 2023, 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Attend the 8^th Annual Night Sky Festival
The Sky’s the Limit Observatory and Nature Center and the Joshua Tree Residential Educational Experience (JTREE) are hosting this annual event to celebrate Joshua Tree National Park’s night sky. Attend the festival to view the 2023 Solar Eclipse and Join astronomers for a viewing of this rare solar eclipse event! Night Sky Festival activities will include morning and evening events, plus a special night sky photography workshop starting on Friday, October 13. Saturday is a star-filled day with multiple sessions…some are open registration and others require pre-purchase of tickets only. All tickets and registration are online only at www.nightskyfestival.org.

Where:       Luckie Park, 74362 Joe Davis Dr, Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
When:        Saturday, October 14, 2023, 8:30 - 10:00 am

Desert Wise Living Landscape Tour Videos Now Being Released
The first of the 2023 DWL videos of this spring’s landscape tour has now been posted on our website! Stay tuned for more in the near future!

I encourage our members and supporters to visit our website to view our Top-Ten-Tips for Desert Wise Living and explore our calendar of events for happenings and events in the Morongo Basin and beyond!