At 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.   

The Associated Press produced a comprehensive story with many photos about the unique desert native seed bank at the Mojave Desert Land Trust in Joshua Tree. There is a growing need for such extraordinary measures considering the devastation of desert lands in the two major fires in recent years in the Mojave National Preserve, followed by flood damage this summer. 

MBCA is among four regional conservation non-profits recommending together in this letter that the draft of the San Bernardino County Regional Conservation Investment Strategy be edited to meet statute requirements regarding quantifiable goals and gap analysis. In addition, MBCA along with Mojave Desert Land Trust, California Desert Coalition, and The Wildlands Conservancy suggest the use of the 2012 Morongo Basin Conservation Priorities Report to enrich the evaluative data for habitat value. 

After several years of debate and temporary protection status in California, enactment of the state's budget agreement now provides the Western Joshua tree with permanent protection. A Press Release from the Center for Biological Diversity, which initiated the effort via a petition in 2020, provides history and current status details. Additional coverage of the issue, significant for the Morongo Basin, can by found at local radio station KCDZ-fm, the Hi Desert Star, and the Desert Sun. The section on Joshua trees is item #2 in the trailer bill, SB 122.

Congratulations to the winners of the Desert-Wise Landscape Tour Inspiration Contest!

In this year’s Contest, we asked Tour participants to submit their reactions to the Tour in either a short essay or a visual creation.

Winner of the essay category and a $200 gift certificate to Unique Nursery in Joshua Tree is Allie Irwin. Here is her essay, which captures so well the spirit of discovery, as well as lessons learned, that MBCA hopes to provide to Tour participants.

Winner of the visual creation submission is Corrina Paton, whose photograph below depicts a spot in Tour Host Valerie Davis's yard. She explains: Conserving Water through art ~ Proving you can still have vibrant colors and a fun and quirky landscape while reducing your water usage. Corrina wins a $200 gift certificate to Cactus Mart in Morongo Valley.

Watch for an announcement in early June about several new Virtual Tour Videos of additional Morongo Basin landscapes that offer exceptional beauty and creativity with low water use and native and drought-tolerant plants.

Conserving Water through art ~ Proving you can still have vibrant colors and a fun and quirky landscape while reducing your water usage……

 

In an outcome not entirely unexpected, the California Fish and Game Commission today chose to delay the decision on whether listing the Western Joshua tree as an endangered species under the California Endangered Species Act is warranted. Today's meeting focused on additional tribal input, which will continue, while general public comment is closed. Much of the concern comes with how the restrictions will be implemented as relates to development, and the idea of more widespread conservation planning is another issue being considered. The item will next be on the agenda at the Commission's February 8-9, 2023 meeting. Here is the story in more detail as reported by the Desert Sun and here is a short summary by local radio station KCDZ.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has published a status review concluding that Western Joshua trees do not warrant threatened status in California. The ultimate determination is in the hands of the California Fish and Game Commission, which in September 2020 granted the species interim threatened status and implemented guidelines for its protection. The official presentation of the status review by the Department to the Commission is scheduled for April 21; however, the Commission’s vote is not expected until its June 16 meeting. This April 13 press release by the Center for Biological Diversity, which filed a petition that initiated the status review by the Commission, provides background and outlines the expected sequence of forthcoming actions. Additional information can be found in this Los Angeles Times story and the Times' editorial opinion in favor of listing the Joshua tree.