A 10-year journey to expand the northern boundary of Joshua Tree National Park was successfully completed on Tuesday following the presidential signing of the California Desert Protection and Recreation Act. The new boundary encompasses over 1,600 acres of pristine desert owned by the Mojave Desert Land Trust, which plans to donate these lands to the National Park Service.
It has become clear that despite the efforts of local businesses and other volunteers to augment the law enforcement rangers considered essential during the shutdown, there is currently not enough manpower to prevent irreparable damage to the iconic Joshua trees the Park was named for as well as other Park resources.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 6, 2018 Contact: Jessica Dacey, Director of Communications Phone: (760) 820-2275 jessica@mdlt.org Acquisitions help build wildlife buffer for Joshua Tree National Park Joshua Tree, CA – The Mojave Desert Land Trust has acquired nine parcels totaling 212 acres within the Morongo Basin wildlife linkage corridor. The purchases help create a buffer zone for wildlife north…
The 1,647-acre Palisades Ranch on the Mojave River has been permanently conserved as a haven for wildlife. In time, the land with over 39 protected wildlife species will also benefit nearby communities.
New peer-reviewed published research calls into question the environmental science underpinning the Cadiz Inc. groundwater extraction project in the Mojave Desert.
A new report indicates that the national monument designations in San Bernardino County are attracting more visitors and stand to generate greater turnover and job opportunities. The report looks at Sand to Snow, Mojave Trails and Castle Mountains national monuments. Located next to Joshua Tree National Park and Mojave National Preserve, these national monuments help piece together federally protected public lands and offer further public access and recreational opportunities.
The Mojave Desert Land Trust has acquired 400 acres within the Mojave National Preserve. The purchase helps piece together public land within the preserve – the third largest national park unit in the lower 48 states. The acquisition of three separate parcels from a private family trust helps protect the integrity of the ecosystem, enhancing National Park Service management of natural resources. It also secures public access to public land, including sportsmen as Mojave National Preserve allows hunting.
Mojave Desert Land Trust has acquired 80 acres of pristine desert inside Joshua Tree National Park. The property helps piece together public land within the Park. At an elevation of around 3,600 feet, the land has panoramic views and has been relatively untouched. The owner’s wish was for the property to eventually become public land.
New travel guides have been launched that piece together the Mojave Desert’s national and state parks, and national monuments. The guides will help those seeking adventure, solitude and cultural experiences in the desert. With record numbers of visitors to Joshua Tree National Park resulting in long waits and full campgrounds, there is even more incentive to get out into the surrounding diverse and rich landscapes. The new Adventure Kits launched by the Mojave Desert Land Trust aim to provide visitors with all the knowledge they need in the vast terrain stretching from Death Valley to Anza Borrego State Park.
The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) has become an official fundraising friends’ group for Joshua Tree National Park. A Philanthropic Partnership Agreement was signed that enables MDLT to raise funds and/or in-kind goods and services to support greater public understanding, conservation, and enjoyment of the Park’s resources and values. MDLT and the Park already have a Memorandum of Understanding focused on collaborative efforts to acquire private land within and adjacent to the Park.
