By Redacción
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The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has unveiled a comprehensive plan to protect the state’s iconic Joshua trees, which face growing threats from wildfires, human development, and climate change.
The 294-page draft plan outlines strategies to address these challenges. Key measures include reducing direct and indirect impacts from overgrazing, pesticide use, and unauthorized off-roading. It also proposes relocating Joshua trees when development projects pose risks and prioritizing the identification and conservation of lands where the species could thrive in a hotter, drier future.
“This is, in many ways, a thorough and necessary plan for ensuring the western Joshua tree’s survival through the difficult decades ahead,” said Brendan Cummings, conservation director at the Center for Biological Diversity. The nonprofit organization petitioned in 2019 to have the western Joshua tree listed as threatened under California’s Endangered Species Act.
The conservation plan stems from the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, enacted last year. This landmark legislation is the first in California to specifically address the impacts of climate change on a species. The act prohibits the killing, damaging, or removal of Joshua trees without a state permit.
The draft plan details criteria for identifying land to prioritize for conservation, focusing on areas with large populations of Joshua trees or high densities of healthy, mature specimens. It also recommends protecting regions with low risks from threats such as wildfires, invasive species, and urban development. Additionally, areas that support pollinators, like moths or small mammals essential for seed dispersal, are highlighted as priorities. The goal is to identify these key lands by December 2025 and secure permanent protection for 70% of them by 2033.
The plan also emphasizes wildfire prevention and response. Land managers and emergency responders are urged to develop procedures to mitigate wildfire risks and minimize damage to Joshua tree habitats. Post-fire recovery measures include protecting surviving trees, replanting lost ones and other native species, and managing invasive plants that could hinder recovery.
However, the plan acknowledges that the survival of Joshua trees ultimately depends on humanity’s ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change. Without significant reductions in emissions, climate change could eliminate much of the species’ natural habitat.
“Under a business-as-usual scenario, we could lose most, if not all, of the Joshua tree’s range,” Cummings said. “But if we can keep emissions at a moderate level and implement the measures in this plan, there’s a strong chance of saving the species. The key is doing everything possible to protect as many trees as we can.”
The draft plan now awaits approval from the California Fish and Game Commission. If adopted, it could serve as a critical blueprint for the long-term survival of one of California’s most iconic species.
