MBCA and 7 other conservation groups have requested a pause in the Golden Currant Solar project variance review until a revised Bureau of Land Management Resource Management Plan is completed to replace the 1997 version. The 25-year old plan predates many changes in desert management, including updated desert tortoise status, water availability, visual resource and habitat conservation plans, plus water availability, public land access, tribal consultation and many more concerns. While this Nevada project is not within the Morongo Basin, MBCA has always viewed the entire Mojave Desert as part of "the healthy desert environment" that we seek to preserve.
As part of the County's amended Housing Element (required report to the state), Program 4 is a study to determine the impact of short-term rentals on the housing supply of unincorporated desert and mountain communities. In this September 19 letter to San Bernardino County's Planning Director, MBCA and the Center for Biological Diversity along with Mojave Desert Land Trust, Tahquitz Group of the Sierra Club, and Unincorporated San Bernardino Together, ask the County to show that they are taking their responsibility to their communities seriously. The letter recommends formation of two Advisory Committees – one for the Mountain Region, and one for the Desert Region. The letter also recommends setting an interim cap during the study period, plus a timeline and goals for the study. The introductory paragraphs of the letter summarize past concerns and the intent of the recommendations. For more background information, read MBCA's News posts from May 15, June 9 (MBCA letter), June 9 (letter with CBD), June 15, and July 5, 2022.
MBCA 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.
A native cactus of the Mojave Desert is the barrel cactus, or Ferocactus cylindraceus. The Latin name Ferocactus means fierce or wild cactus.
The bright pink-red spines of the cactus are particularly apparent after a rain. Older plants form a medium or tall column. Flowers are yellow, appearing in spring and early summer, while the fruits are bright yellow.
According to ethnobotanist.com, the "Havasupai collected seeds from the fruit and ground them into an edible, porridge mush. These people also warmed the red spines by fire, then bent the spines into finger rings." The fruit itself is described as "not very tasty."
Four MBCA board members continue to be involvedin 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 aFebruary 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 thefinal plan (PDF).
The Initial Study for this proposal to create twelve 5-acre Rural Living-zoned lots in the Pioneertown area contains many conflicts with the County Wide Plan that are outlined in MBCA’s comment letter to Land Use Services. MBCA objects to the County's support of a Mitigated Negative Declaration for the project and urges a full Environmental Impact Report be completed. MBCA's comment letter and appendices describe a number of critical oversights...
MBCA has joined over 120 environmental, consumer, low-income, tenants’ rights, and clean energy organizations to support legislation that would address both energy insecurity and air pollution problems in California. The legislation introduced by Senator Wiener (SB 868) would allow Californians to install portable solar generation devices known as "balcony solar" without having to connect with public utilities (as is currently the law). These small plug-in units can provide enough electricity...
Click on the photo to enjoy MBCA's latest engaging video of a local residential landscape filled with desert native plant beauty and skillful water management.
Eco-Education Summit Draws Local Conservation Educators
MBCA and the Joshua Tree Foundation for Arts & Ecology invited local environmental and conservation educators - individuals and organizations - to meet for information sharing and planning future collaborations emphasizing youth education. Pat Flanagan of MBCA presented an EcoMap curriculum as a tool to explore environmental data. More than a dozen participants then presented overviews of their educational programs and tools, including: Copper Mountain College Educators from La Contenta...
MBCA Opposes Huge Self-Storage Project in Lucerne Valley
MBCA has submitted to the San Bernardino County Planning Commission a letter of opposition to a proposed 5-acre self-storage project in Lucerne Valley's commercial core. Among concerns are the inappropriate use of land zoned for high-priority local services, the lack of related employment opportunities, and pedestrian safety issues. The project is in opposition to this rural and economically disadvantaged community's stated vision and interest.
MBCA is delighted to announce the awarding of $1000 Scholarships to two Yucca Valley High School seniors.MBCA's Conservation Scholarship is the continuation of our commitment to educate the next generation of conservation-conscious citizens. Kaleb Mix of Yucca Valley High School is the recipient, planning to enroll in an environmental studies program at the University of California at Santa Barbara.The Women's STEAM Scholarship (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) is provided anonymously...
New County App for Reporting Public Works Problems
An app called SeeClickFix is now available for residents of unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County to report Public Works issues such as weed abatement needs, flooding, potholes, or graffiti in public locations. The app is available for free download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Residents can also access a desktop version and view service area maps by visiting the Public Works website at https://dpw.sbcounty.gov/.
MBCA Signs with Coalition Against Proposed Fall Ballot Initiative
In a coalition with over 210 public health, environmental, and environmental justice organizations, MBCA has signed a letter to members of the California legislature with deep concern about the proposed fall ballot initiative 25-0023A1. Proposed by the California Chamber of Commerce in November 2025, it has been cleared for circulation and is in the petition signature collection phase (due June 24). The coalition letter asks all state legislators to publicly...
The California Energy Commission, the state's primary energy agency, has launched a website intended to keep Californians up to date on the state's progress toward 100% clean energy. California's Clean Energy Journey highlights topics such as innovation, transportation, efficiency, and equity and tribal partnerships. Content incudes graphs, charts, and videos about various projects and goals.
