Notes from the field: Propagules and precipitation
Water is the most precious resource for life on Earth, and nowhere is the importance of water greater exemplified than in dry ecosystems like here in the Mojave Desert. Seed Bank Technician Anthony Rondon shares the team’s findings after a period of heavy rainfall.
Afton Canyon: One of the Mojave's hidden gems
Researchers have come to this historic, geologically-rich, riparian place to study the flora and fauna.
Notes from the field: Calciphiles in the Mojave Desert
In their quest for new species, our seed bank team has been heading higher into desert mountain ranges in the Mojave where they’ve encountered limestone-dominated environments and the unusual plants that inhabit them. Seed Bank Technician Kyra Santa Cruz shares some highlights in her recent notes from the field.
Aspiring shark biologist sinks her teeth into the Mojave Desert
Morelia Ruby Gamino has been enthralled by sharks ever since watching the horror sci-fi “Deep Blue Sea”. When she learned that many species of sharks are endangered, she wanted to protect them. Her conservation journey took her to the Mojave Desert as part of the Women In Science Discovering Our Mojave internship.
A growing collaboration for post-fire restoration
The Mojave Desert Land Trust’s native plant nursery is excited to begin a cooperative partnership with Joshua Tree National Park to proactively grow 3,300 plants for future post-fire restoration within the park and on other public lands throughout the Mojave Desert. Along with species such as creosote bush, big galleta grass, desert globemallow, and Parry’s nolina, we’re growing 825 western Joshua trees – a candidate species under the California Endangered Species Act that is also protected through the 2023 Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act.
Veterans build community – and calm – through conservation
Awe, focus, and a feeling of calm are all proven results of spending time in nature. This spring, the Mojave Desert Land Trust and Mil-Tree held the Force of Nature program in partnership with Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. Designed to support veterans’ health and well-being, the program offered immersive outdoor experiences that foster connection to the land, and to one another.
Behind-the-scenes with teams keeping Mojave Desert habitat intact
Canyon washes, open desert scrub, and Joshua tree woodlands are among the 8,500 acres stewarded by the Mojave Desert Land Trust in the Morongo Basin region. These preserves include popular trails and support wildlife corridors between Joshua Tree National Park and other public lands. Our stewardship teams regularly return to these properties to monitor and restore habitat. Here’s what we’ve been up to in the first half of 2025.