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Land conservation and protection remains a hot topic this year as populations continue to grow here in the Morongo Basin and other rural desert areas.
The Mojave Desert Land Trust, or MDLT, has closed out 2022 with 6,901 acres of desert being permanently protected and added to their significant land holdings in California. Some significant acquisitions include 232 acres in Death Valley national Park, a 640 acre property in the Mojave Trail National Monument, and over 1400 acres in the Caliente Creek watershed.
Amongst these larger acquisitions in the Mojave desert, some smaller properties in designated wilderness areas were also added to the trust – a 20 acre property in the Old Woman Mountains Wilderness area has traces of a homestead. The property, which is at 2700 feet elevation – has an old car, storage tanks and even a clotheslines. Properties with possible historical significance will be inspected by federal archeologists to determine which items need to be preserved.
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Wildlife corridors have found themself back in the news in Southern California with the recent passing of P-22 – a mountain lion who became famous in the Los Angeles mountains and was frequently spotted using wildlife corridors in the urban area.
The MDLT says that preserving wildlife corridors was a main focus this year, with more wildlife losing habitat to development and urban sprawl. Wildlife corridors allow space for animals to migrate, and help connect fragmented populations of plants, pollinators and animals.
Since its founding in 2006, the Mojave Desert Land Trust has conserved 110,000 acres of ecologically significant lands across the California desert.
You can read a full report of MDLT’s current acquisitions and end of year report right here:
