This post was originally published on this siteThe California desert environment is “extremely fragile, easily scarred, and slowly healed.” This apt description, from the 1976 designation of the California Desert Conservation Area, drives home the need for specialized stewardship of this beautiful landscape. This photo essay by Land Steward Stream Tuss explains what she does…
This post was originally published on this siteBy Miranda Buckley, Women in Science Discovering Our Mojave intern “I’ve got a friend-o!” exclaims Roseanna, who’s crouched over, peering intently at the crunchy leaf-litter scattered on my old white bed sheet that’s been laid flat in the sandy riverbed. I’m making the last sweep of our final sample…
This post was originally published on this siteThis edition of the Dorothy Ramon Learning Center August 2020 newsletter has been reprinted in full. Chia: A plant of power In this newsletter we explore paanihac (Serrano), pasal (Cahuilla), pashal (Luiseño), ‘ilépesh (Barbareño Chumash), nulh’amulh (Kumeyaay), or chia, as this sage plant (Salvia columbariae) is known in a few…
This post was originally published on this siteIntern Brandee Galan checking for tamarisk beetles. Photo: Miranda By Brandee Galan, intern for Women in Science Discovering our Mojave I was born and raised in San Bernardino, 60 miles east of Los Angeles. It’s part of the Inland Empire and sits at the base of the San Bernardino Mountains….
This post was originally published on this siteNational parks often contain private land within their borders. This can be problematic when it comes to managing natural resources. The Mojave Desert Land Trust plays an important role in conserving these lands by acquiring them from willing sellers and conveying them over to the National Park Service….
This post was originally published on this site As a volunteer land steward, Wendy Hadley is responsible for MDLT’s 470-acre spectacular Flat Top Mesa property. Being a land steward gives you an excuse to visit this kind of beauty! Photo: Wendy Hadley By Wendy Hadley, Mojave Desert Land Trust Volunteer I have lived in Pioneertown in the Mojave…
This post was originally published on this site The Women in Science Discovering Our Mojave internship has provided new insights into the movement of bighorn sheep in the Mojave Desert, with game cameras collecting data and images of the elusive species. The internship expands this fall with three new interns further tracking bighorn movement and gathering data on…
This post was originally published on this site Photo: Brandy Dyess/MDLT (This article was updated on September 21, 2020) We are at a critical juncture for the western Joshua tree. It may seem impossible to imagine the southern California desert without its signature Joshua tree forests, but without adequate protective measures to address impending threats, it’s a very…
This post was originally published on this site “Among the Cahuilla, plants were not viewed simply as objects which might or might not be useful to man, but as living beings with whom one could communicate and interact….Plants, like any life form, were therefore treated with respect.”- Temalpakh, by Lowell John Bean and Katherine Siva Saubel Mesquite (pictured), agave,…
This post was originally published on this site Native plants in the Mojave Desert are visited by hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies. These pollinators are vital to our ecosystem. But they need our help. Diadasia bee covered in pollen of desert chicory (Rafinesquia neomexicana) ©Madena Asbell By Madena Asbell, Director of Plant Conservation Programs Pollinators are among the many…
