Recent heavy winds have left some Morongo Basin residents with blown down fences, missing pools, and even knocked down Joshua trees. With the western Joshua tree’s candidacy under the California Endangered Species Act, effective as of October 2020, you may be asking yourself, what do I do when a Joshua tree on my property falls or dies? Do I need a permit to remove it? Reporter Jef Hartmatz provides the answer…
The short answer is yes, you still need a permit. As a candidate species, the western Joshua tree now has full protection under the California Endangered Species Act and any removal, trimming, or relocation will require authorization. The special permit needs to be obtained from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) and is only issued if the dead tree or any limb to be removed has fallen over, is leaning against an existing structure, or the tree creates an imminent threat to public health or safety. Residents of the Town of Yucca Valley will have to contact the town itself for permitting as they have a different process.
For Yucca Valley residents, contact:
Janet Yochmowitz
[email protected]
(760) 369-6575 ext. 324
Permitting via CDFW:
More information and forms can be found at: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/CESA/WJT
A property owner may request a permit allowing the removal of a dead western Joshua tree or the trimming of a western Joshua tree by submitting the required information and photographs to [email protected] as described in the text of the regulation. CDFW has prepared an application form that property owners may use to request permits.
If property owners are unable to submit requests via email, requests and photographs may also be mailed to:
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Habitat Conservation Planning Branch
Attention: Western Joshua Tree Permitting
P.O. Box 944209
Sacramento, CA 94244-2090
