Native Plants

Native plants are important to sustain the healthy desert environment that is at the heart of MBCA's conservation mission. At the landscape level it is important to preserve the desert's iconic native plants such as the Joshua tree, but also to nurture native plants in our desert home environments. Native plants are naturally drought-tolerant and need far less water than non-natives.

News Updates below provide information about recent threats to the desert's native plants, including the Joshua tree and the Dudleya ("liveforever"), pictured below.

Learn more about choosing, planting, and nurturing native plants at home through these resources:

Mojave Desert Land Trust Plant Preservation Programs

Power of Plants website

Check your local water district website for helpful links.

Bighorn Desert-View Water Agency

Hi-Desert Water District

Joshua Basin Water District

Twentynine Palms Water District

Mojave Water Agency

View MBCA's 2020 Virtual Desert-Wise Landscape Tour to see and hear the experience of local residents in emphasizing native plants in their gardens and landscape. The 2021 Landscape Tour is also online.

City of Palm Desert Landscape Maintenance Guide (includes but not exclusively related to natives)

Chris Clarke's KCET article The Joshua Tree: Myth, Mutualism and Survival.

Shop for native plants via businesses featured on our Native Plants Nurseries page.

Featured post

New Joshua Tree Research Uses iNaturalist Data

Posted by Laraine Turk · August 21, 2024 3:15 PM
A new study in the online journal Ecology Letters focuses on changes to Joshua tree viability and blooming since the early 20th century. The study uses data from citizen scientist reports of Joshua trees and their blooms through the iNaturalist app, plus historic data. While climate change seems to be increasing the frequency of Joshua Tree blooming, it is also negatively affecting the survival of Joshua tree seedlings. A Los Angeles Times article explains the study and includes comment from Kelly Herbinson, Mojave Desert Land Trust Executive Director.
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MBCA Joins Appeal against Weakening California Environmental Protections

Posted by Laraine Turk · August 20, 2024 2:52 PM
As the California Legislative session draws to a close, MBCA has joined with 93 other organizations signing a letter opposing efforts to "gut and amend" legislation that would weaken environmental protections without public input.
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Video Examines Aratina Solar Project Approval and Joshua Tree Destruction

Posted by Laraine Turk · August 08, 2024 4:56 PM
A new YouTube video explores the history of protection for Joshua trees and the controversially approved destruction of 4000 Joshua trees for the Aratina Solar Project in Kern County.
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MBCA Questions Joshua Tree Housing Development Proposal

Posted by Laraine Turk · August 07, 2024 3:51 PM
Local Joshua Tree residents alerted MBCA about receiving a notice from the County about a proposed housing project in their neighborhood. Recipients were offered the opportunity to comment on a Tentative Tract map application to subdivide about 18.5 undeveloped acres into 64 parcels of "minimal impact" homes. MBCA's comments highlight the lack of information on the project and insufficient time window for providing comments. We question any claims concerning sustainability and responsible growth and development. Also addressed is the lack of progress on encouraging affordable housing after acknowledgment by the Supervisors of the ill-effects of a surfeit of STRs in Joshua Tree. We emphasize this is a project requiring analysis under CEQA for impacts due to aesthetics, flooding, flora, traffic, and wastewater.
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Desert View Conservation Area Highlighted

Posted by Laraine Turk · July 26, 2024 10:22 AM
A new video highlighting Joshua Tree's Desert View Conservation Area has been produced by San Bernardino County, whose Special Districts department oversees the preserved acreage. This free daytime recreation area north of Joshua Tree National Park has received improvements for visitors in recent years and additional educational signage is planned.
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Update on Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act

Posted by Laraine Turk · July 11, 2024 3:55 PM
The latest regulations and protocols for California's Western Joshua Tree Relocation program were issued on July 1. A public comment session on the latest version of the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Plan was offered by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife on July 11. The prior comment session from April 4 is available on YouTube. When available, the video for July 11 will also be linked here.
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More Media Stories about the Plight of Joshua Trees

Posted by Laraine Turk · June 27, 2024 4:06 PM
The expected destruction of thousands of Joshua trees for the Aratina Solar Project in Boron and the subsequent social media outrage has triggered a number of media stories. Riverside Press-Enterprise columnist and well-known desert writer Ruth Nolan published a column "Honoring the Joshua trees of the Mojave Desert town of Boron." A Los Angeles Times story focuses on "rescue plans" for the trees.
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MBCA Joins Group Comment on Jurupa Valley Warehouse and Ancient Oak

Posted by Laraine Turk · June 24, 2024 3:54 PM
MBCA was among 14 Inland Empire non-profit groups supporting a comment letter concerned with the Rio Vista Specific Plan for the Riverside County City of Jurupa. The Plan includes a warehouse and other industrial development that, in addition to air quality, water, and urban heat impacts, would endanger the over 13,000 year old Jurupa oak, among the oldest living things on the planet. The letter contains extensive analysis of problems with the plan and offers two alternatives. Read this Los Angeles Times article for more background.
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Letter: Supervisors Approve RCIS Resolution without Recommended Change

Posted by Laraine Turk · September 25, 2023 8:40 PM
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Supervisors Approve RCIS Resolution without Recommended Change

Posted by Laraine Turk · September 25, 2023 9:28 AM

A resolution to support the Regional Conservation Investment Strategy was on the September 26 agenda of the San Bernardino County Supervisors. While MBCA joined other organizations in supporting the RCIS in an August 2023 comment letter, one of the provisions in the Supervisors’ resolution negated much of the value of the plan. Comments from MBCA and the SummerTree Institute, among others, requested deletion of Provision 7, which would disastrously limit the types of vegetation to be conserved. The comments emphasized the importance of preserving the desert’s ability to sequester carbon, provide essential biodiversity, and enable the future translocation of the endangered Western Joshua trees. The resolution was approved by the Supervisors unanimously without change.

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Native Plants

Featured post

New Joshua Tree Research Uses iNaturalist Data

Featured post

MBCA Joins Appeal against Weakening California Environmental Protections

Featured post

Video Examines Aratina Solar Project Approval and Joshua Tree Destruction

Featured post

MBCA Questions Joshua Tree Housing Development Proposal

Featured post

Desert View Conservation Area Highlighted

Featured post

Update on Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act

Featured post

More Media Stories about the Plight of Joshua Trees

Featured post

MBCA Joins Group Comment on Jurupa Valley Warehouse and Ancient Oak

Featured post

Letter: Supervisors Approve RCIS Resolution without Recommended Change

Featured post

Supervisors Approve RCIS Resolution without Recommended Change

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Letter: Group Comment Opposing Anti-Environmental Legislation

Letter: Comment on Joshua Tree Housing Development

Letter: Group Comment Opposing Jurupa Valley Project

Letter: Group Support for Bidirectional EV Solar Bill

Letter: Comment on E-Group PS Solar Project in 29 Palms

Letter: Request for County Short Term Rental Study

Letter: Support for Residents VS Easley Solar

Letter: Group Comments on California Climate Smart Strategy

Letter: Comments on Flamingo 640