Listen here:
At yesterday’s (February 8, 2023) meeting of the California Fish and Game Commission in Sacramento, the decision on whether to permanently protect western Joshua trees under the California Endangered Species Act was again continued. The unanimous decision followed the announcement of sweeping new legislation aimed at protecting the iconic species proposed late Tuesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
The Western Joshua Tree Conservation Plan proposed by the governor’s office must be passed by the legislature in Sacramento before taking effect. State Fish and Game Commissioners opted to wait to see what the legislature does with the proposed act before making any decision on permanently listing the species as protected.
Action on the proposed legislation isn’t expected out of the state capitol until July or August. In the interim, the iconic tree retains protected status under the Endangered Species Act. The proposed bill, if passed, will be the state’s first legislation specifically aimed at ensuring the protection of a climate-threatened species. It requires the department to prepare a range-wide conservation plan, conduct periodic reviews to ensure the plan’s effectiveness, and consult with affected Tribes.
It would also consider threats to the tree on a case-by-case basis, functioning much like the California Environmental Quality Act.
