Letter: MBCA Joins Scientists to Request Greater Consideration of Desert Carbon Sequestration in Climate Change Planning
Related MBCA News follows this letter.
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MBCA Joins 21 Groups to Correct Inaccurate Desert Land Classification in California’s Climate Smart Strategy
Posted by Laraine Turk · March 04, 2024 2:09 PMAdd your reaction ShareIn a recent update to California’s Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, a group of 22 organizations including MBCA have replied to the state’s request for comment with serious concerns about how desert lands are inappropriately classified as “Sparsely Vegetated Lands.” This inaccurate classification greatly reduces the carbon sequestration and other critical values gained by conserving desert lands in the state’s response to climate change. Our February 27 letter clearly states and scientifically corroborates four arguments for separating deserts from the “sparsely vegetated” designation. The letter was written by the Inland Desert Working Group (IDWG), which has been “the voice of the desert” in the ongoing state activities seeking to protect and conserve 30% of California’s lands by 2030. The IDWG also recently authored the comprehensive report The California Desert’s Role in 30X30: Carbon Sequestration and Biodiversity. The California Natural Resources Agency website also contains a great deal of background and links to videos about the Climate Smart Strategy.Featured post
Report Outlines Critical Role of Desert Region in 30x30 Effort
Posted by Laraine Turk · February 07, 2024 4:06 PMAdd your reaction ShareThe report, “The California Desert’s Role in 30X30: Carbon Sequestration and Biodiversity” presents a comprehensive explanation of the vital role the Desert Region plays in carbon sequestration and biodiversity as part of California’s goal of “conserving and protecting 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.” The report’s recommendation is: “intact desert lands need to be left undisturbed.” MBCA is proud that Board members Pat Flanagan and Arch McCulloch were members of the team producing this critically important study.Featured post
MBCA Comments at County Land Use Services Open House
Posted by Laraine Turk · August 31, 2023 6:57 PMAt the County Land Use Services Open House held in Joshua Tree on August 30, MBCA's President Steve Bardwell talked at some length with Mark Wardlaw, new Director of the department. MBCA sent a followup letter outlining concerns about land use issues that affect the Morongo Basin's unincorporated communities particularly. The letter includes some specific suggestions and summarizes our concerns related to water issues, Community Action Guides, climate change, Short-Term Rental ordinances, and a number of other topics.Featured post
Recommendation for Carbon Sequestration in the California Desert
Posted by Laraine Turk · August 22, 2023 10:54 AMAdd your reaction ShareWith extensive research support, the Inland Deserts Working Group (IDWG) that is connected with the California Natural Resources 30x30 planning process has produced Nature Based Solutions - Desert Sector, a report to the state recommending "conserving 100% of undisturbed non-military public lands annually based on current levels, starting in 2024." Two MBCA Board members on the IDWG believe that this document is a definitive report proving the high value of the undisturbed desert in achieving California's climate change goals.Featured post
Eblast September 24, 2022
Posted by Steve Bardwell · September 24, 2022 2:14 PMContinue reading → Add your reaction Share- Short Term Rentals and Housing Element Update
- Workshop and Webinar: Joshua Trees and Climate Change
- Sienna Solar 2
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MBCA Joins Support for AB 1757, Setting Natural Carbon Sequestration Targets
Posted by Laraine Turk · September 19, 2022 2:45 PMAdd your reaction ShareMBCA joined more than 30 organizations and companies signing a letter in support of California AB 1757, a bill to aid California’s efforts to deal with climate change by setting targets to remove carbon from the atmosphere through natural carbon sequestration. “Setting ambitious natural carbon removal targets is both crucial and achievable,” states the letter. The bill is in the Governor’s hands for signing as of this writing.
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MBCA Directors Work to Improve California's 30x30 Plan
Posted by Laraine Turk · August 26, 2022 3:31 PMAdd your reaction ShareFour MBCA board members continue to be involved in the planning and response for California’s 30x30 Project. The project was developed from Governor Newsom’s 2020 Executive Order N-82-20 which establishes a state goal of conserving 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.
Arch McCulloch, Brian Hammer, Pat Flanagan and Gary Stiler are most concerned about some challenges in recognizing the importance and contours of the desert within the plan. "Our biggest concern is they don't acknowledge the desert as a whole, they only acknowledge a piece of it. Nor does the state acknowledge that the CA Desert sequesters 10% of the state's carbon. We want them to explore what's there," reports Flanagan.
In a February 2022 letter co-signed by MBCA, desert groups complained about "ecological fragmentation of the California desert" in an earlier version of the 30x30 plan, as Death Valley was considered part of the Sierra Nevada area and Anza Borrego was attached to the San Diego section. This issue was not corrected in the final plan (PDF).Featured page
California and 30x30
What is 30 by 30 and what does MBCA have to do with it?
The “30 by 30” effort began as an international movement to set aside 30 percent of the earth’s land area to preserve wildlife habitat and protect against climate change. It also recognizes the rights, stewardship, and experience of indigenous peoples in managing natural resources. It prioritizes ensuring that the benefits of cleaner lands, waters, and air are shared by all.
California is the first in the nation to commit to protecting 30% of our lands and waters by 2030 (Gavin Newsom executive order October 2020). In January of 2021 the Biden administration issued an Executive Order on tackling the climate crisis at home and abroad and committed the United States to 30x30.
Why is this important? "Because our land and waters contain the planet’s biodiversity — from the smallest organisms to the largest predators. When species are diminished, it affects whole ecosystems, and when ecosystems suffer, their ability to provide clean water, clean air, pollination and the many other functions we rely on is vastly reduced," according to Noelle Chambers, vice president of conservation for Peninsula Open Space Trust.
Four MBCA board members were involved in the planning and response for 30x30: Arch McCulloch, Brian Hammer, Pat Flanagan and Gary Stiler. They share that there were some challenges in recognizing the importance and contours of the desert. "Our biggest concern is they don't acknowledge the desert as a whole, they only acknowledge a piece of it. Nor does the state acknowledge that the CA Desert sequesters 10% of the state's carbon. We want them to explore what's there," reports Flanagan.
In a February 2022 letter co-signed by MBCA, desert groups complained about "ecological fragmentation of the California desert", as Death Valley was considered part of the Sierra Nevada area and Anza Borrego was attached to the San Diego section. This issue was not corrected in the final plan (PDF).
(Word Cloud graphic from 30x30 California)
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Decision on Listing Joshua Trees as Threatened is Postponed
Posted by Laraine Turk · June 17, 2022 11:45 AMAdd your reaction ShareAt their June 15 meeting, the four members of the California Fish and Game Commission were split on decisions relating to the status of the Western Joshua tree. Their tie votes of 2-2 applied both to a motion to list the tree as threatened and a motion to continue the decision to the August meeting, with a recommendation to develop a recovery and conservation plan. With no decision on the Joshua tree's status, it continues to be protected in “candidate” status. The topic was continued until the October meeting of the Commission. This Desert Sun article provides a comprehensive summary of the presentations, arguments, and actions taken at the meeting. Additional information and links to the recording of the meeting can be found in this email from the group ProtecttheJoshuaTrees.com.See All Climate ChangeDo you like this post?
Tuhaymani'chi Pal Waniqa or The Water Flows Always is a video from the Native American Land Conservancy and the Wayfinders Circle highlighting tribal connections to water in the desert and documenting the Cadiz corporate water mining project in particular. A father-daughter family story is also portrayed.MBCA Joins 21 Groups to Correct Inaccurate Desert Land Classification in California’s Climate Smart Strategy
In a recent update to California’s Natural and Working Lands Climate Smart Strategy, a group of 22 organizations including MBCA have replied to the state’s request for comment with serious concerns about how desert lands are inappropriately classified as “Sparsely Vegetated Lands.” This inaccurate classification greatly reduces the carbon sequestration and other critical values gained by conserving desert lands in the state’s response to climate change. Our February 27 letter clearly...Wonder Inn Appeal Pulled by Developer
According to the grassroots group that fought the Wonder Inn for several years, the developers have retracted their appeal, so it appears that the ill-suited resort project in its current form has been stopped. Congratulations to the volunteers of the Stop Wonder Inn organization! More details here from radio station Z107.7.Report Outlines Critical Role of Desert Region in 30x30 Effort
The report, “The California Desert’s Role in 30X30: Carbon Sequestration and Biodiversity” presents a comprehensive explanation of the vital role the Desert Region plays in carbon sequestration and biodiversity as part of California’s goal of “conserving and protecting 30% of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030.” The report’s recommendation is: “intact desert lands need to be left undisturbed.” MBCA is proud that Board members Pat Flanagan and Arch McCulloch were...Slide Shows from Annual Meeting Now Available
About 80 people attended MBCA’s 55th Annual Meeting on February 3, 2024. Ten presentations covered topics focused on “Keeping It Local” and also addressing wider issues of desert preservation and government regulation.Here is the Annual Meeting program, and below are brief summaries and links to PowerPoint presentations where available for each topic.Eblast: January 20, 2024
Plan to Attend MBCA’s 55th Annual Meeting February 3 ! County Misrepresents Reality in Program 4 STR Impact Study County Misrepresents Reality in Program 4 STR Impact Study Darker Skies Ahead with Light Trespass Ordinance Now in Effect Support Lake Tamarisk in Addressing Air Quality Threats Mark your Calendar for the 2024 Desert Wise Living Landscape TourUpdate and History of Cadiz Water Project
This January 25 column in the Los Angeles Times updates the status of the Cadiz Water project and provides a good overview of its decades-long attempts to "mine" water from the Mojave Desert. MBCA has frequently provided public comments and joined group comments against the project, most recently in August 2023. While the pipeline approval we opposed was granted, the column points out that "Last month (December 2023) the agency reissued...MBCA Provides Comprehensive Critique of Program 4 STR Report
MBCA reported on December 17 about our response to the flawed Program 4 report commissioned by the County. The report concluded, "The County could not find clear and empirical data that indicates that short-term rentals (STRs) have a substantial impact on the availability of long-term, rental housing options in the unincorporated Mountain and East Desert communities."We are now providing the full 62-page response letter that details what MBCA believes are fallacious arguments,...
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