Earlier this week, the Mojave Desert Land Trust acquired 227 acres from the Institute for Mentalphysics in Joshua Tree. The property consists of much of the open desert immediately to the north and west of the Institute and is part of an important wildlife corridor. The purchase price was $780,000. Reporter Mike Lipsitz has more on the significance of the transaction…
Scientists have long known that if habitat becomes fragmented, the fragments may not be large enough for some species to persist, resulting in local extinctions. In the desert, that includes bighorn sheep, desert tortoise, and carnivores such as mountain lions and bobcats. Habitat linkages also provide a source of repopulation after catastrophic events such as wildfire. The recent fire on the Land Trust’s Section 33 property illustrates this need. They also allow the range of plants and animals to shift northward and/or to higher elevations in response to climate change.
Protection of the area around the Institute for Mentalphysics/Joshua Tree Retreat Center will result in a wide swath of protected land on both sides of Highway 62, providing ample opportunities for wildlife to move through the corridor. It will also result in nearly a mile-wide open space buffer between Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree, helping to preserve the rural character of both communities.
This acreage was last purchased in 1941 by Edwin John Dingle, the founder of the Institute for Mentalphysics, who hoped to build a city in the “majestic Mojave Desert.” The Institute is the oldest and largest retreat center in the Western United States and has the largest collection of Lloyd Wright buildings. The architect described the surrounding desert as having a “tranquil nobility and internal beauty,” with “centuries-old Joshua trees standing like sentinels.”
Executive Director of the Institute for Mentalphysics, Terry Taylor-Castillo, said she believes Edwin Dingle would be pleased with the sale, adding, “This is a very open and healing space. To Edwin Dingle, the desert represented freedom and contemplation. It helps us preserve the main campus and the land that he loved to look at. We will always have that view protected now and be able to appreciate the natural ecosystem and what is supposed to grow there.”
“We are pleased to be able to conserve this beautiful property with its dramatic desert wash, uninterrupted views, and abundant native plants and wildlife for existing and future generations,” said Executive Director of the Mojave Desert Land Trust, Geary Hund. “We appreciate the efforts of Terry Taylor-Castillo and the Board of Directors of the Institute to help make this acquisition a reality, and we look forward to partnering with them in future efforts to restore and manage the property,” he said. “It’s a very exciting step toward the permanent protection of vital habitat linkages in the Morongo Basin.”
As with many areas, the land will require active stewardship by MDLT to address issues such as non-native grasses and mustards.
