AmeriCorps NCCC Gold 2: Three months in the Mojave
The statistics are amazing — 969 feet of irrigation installed, 674 signs posted, 2,300 seeds sown, 9.5 tons of waste removed. How did 11 people achieve so much in such a short time?
In conversation with Geary Hund, Executive Director
Geary Hund has been appointed executive director of the Mojave Desert Land Trust. He brings with him an exemplary background in this field, from his work as California Desert and Monuments Program Director for the Wilderness Society to his most recent position as senior wildlife biologist for US Fish and Wildlife.
A new public garden is growing in Joshua Tree
You can probably name 10 animals. But can you name 10 native plants? If not, then this desert demonstration garden is for you. A former parking lot at MDLT’s headquarters is being transformed into a native plant interpretive garden that will be open and accessible to public. The plans for the space include 10 themed gardens with interpretative signage and water-wise irrigation, seating areas, and a meeting space.
The silence inside Mojave Trails
To date, the Mojave Desert Land Trust has acquired over 10,000 acres within Mojave Trails National Monument. Over half of that is within wilderness.
Mapping Joshua trees across the Mojave
If you live in, visit, or care about the Mojave Desert, you’re probably quite familiar with the ungainly silhouette of its most iconic resident: the Joshua tree. Yucca brevifolia and its related species Yucca jaegeriana are endemic to the Mojave Desert, meaning that they’re not found anywhere else on earth. As the manifestations of climate change multiply, even that restricted range is likely to shrink, when low-elevation and southerly populations struggle to adapt to hotter conditions.
Rare desert flower launches new herbarium at Mojave Desert Land Trust
While out on a land monitoring expedition in February 2017, a group of Mojave Desert Land Trust staff came across a very special plant. “We were going out onto our lands to monitor and collect seed, and in the process we were coming across some rare species,” says Madena Asbell, Director of Plant Conservation Programs at the land trust. “Last year we came across something that was very rare, so much so that other people were interested in having us document it.”
Tracking climate change through the Joshua tree
It’s 10am and the sun already feels strong. Seventh and eighth graders pile out of vans and start applying sunscreen. They’ve driven 150 miles from Grauer School near San Diego to become citizen scientists for the day. “I see you’re all wearing the right shoes,” observes Adam Henne, outreach and volunteer coordinator at Mojave Desert Land Trust. In a safety briefing he warns the group about the cholla cactus and reminds everyone to hydrate. “One more thing you’ll need to watch out for: snakes. A good rule is never to put your hands or feet where you can’t see them.”