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Introduction
The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT)
was founded in 2005 and its board initiated the development
of this Strategic Plan in order to implement its mission of
protecting land in the Mojave Desert. The Strategic Plan provides
goals, strategies, and actions to guide MDLT’s activities
over the coming three years.
The Planning Process
A two-part planning
process led to the development of the MDLT Strategic Plan.
First, MDLT facilitated the California Desert Conservation
Vision process. This involved a survey and two workshops with
desert land managers and resource experts. The outcome was
an overall vision and goals for desert resource protection
and a set of maps indicating key areas to protect for natural
and cultural resource, community buffer, and recreational
purposes.
MDLT used the results of the overall desert
visioning to guide its vision of the Mojave Desert and the
lands to be protected. To develop the MDLT Strategic Plan,
each board member, as well as several supporters of MDLT,
was interviewed and a day-long workshop was held to develop
the details of the Strategic Plan - goals, strategies, actions,
and priorities. A second workshop was held to develop a specific
fundraising strategy for MDLT’s first conservation purchase
- Nolina Peak.
Document Organization and
Use
This Strategic Plan is intended to be a living
document, one that MDLT will use on a regular basis to check
its progress and determine next steps. The Strategic Plan
contains goals, strategies, and actions related to:
· Land Conservation and Stewardship (LCS)
· Education and Outreach/Communications (EOC)
· Collaboration (C)
· Funding (F)
· Organizational Development (O)
Strategies that support each goal are identified by the abbreviated
code (e.g. LCS) and then numbered. However, the numbering
does not denote any prioritization—the numbers simply
serve as reference points. For example, the first strategy
to support the Land Conservation and Stewardship goal is LCS
1: Develop the tools needed to protect lands effectively in
the Mojave Desert.
Goals and Strategies
Land Conservation
and Stewardship (LCS)
Lands with natural, scenic and cultural resource values in
the Mojave Desert are protected and cared for by the Mojave
Desert Land Trust using a full range of conservation tools
and strategies.
| LCS 1 |
Develop the tools needed to protect lands
effectively in the Mojave Desert. |
| LCS 2 |
Protect buffer lands around existing parks, preserves,
and military bases. |
| LCS 3 |
Protect lands within existing parks and preserves. |
| LCS 4 |
Protect landscape linkages between existing parks, preserves,
and military bases. |
| LCS 5 |
Protect lands that provide separation between the communities
on the Highway 62 corridor. |
| LCS 6 |
Ensure adequate stewardship of protected lands. |
Education, Outreach
and Communications (EOC)
Those who live, work and play in the Mojave Desert
understand that it is a significant landscape worthy of protection
and they support its conservation.
| EOC 1 |
Develop a clear and compelling case for desert land
protection. |
| EOC 2 |
Convey the importance of desert land protection, conservation
opportunities, and MDLT's role in desert conservation
to the public; landowners; city, county and agency staff;
elected officials and decision-makers; visitors; developers;
part-time and full-time desert residents; and schoolchildren.
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Collaboration (C)
Land conservation agencies and organizations, local governments,
and landowners work together to conserve the Mojave Desert.
| C 1 |
Facilitate collaboration among desert land conservation
organizations. |
| C 2 |
Identify collaboration opportunities with other agencies,
organizations, and nonprofits in the desert. |
Funding (F)
Consistent and broad-based funds to support MDLT’s land
conservation and education goals and its day-to-day financial
needs.
| F 1 |
Develop a strategy to identify and seek funding from
a wide range of funding sources. |
| F 2 |
Develop unique strategies to seek funds to support acquisition
campaigns. |
Organizational Capabilities
(OC)
MDLT is a well-managed and professional organization with
an effective board, adequate staff, and engaged advisors and
volunteers.
| OC 1 |
Develop a board with a diversity of skills
to provide focused leadership to staff, advisors, and
volunteers. |
| OC 2 |
Hire and train staff to assist the Board in meeting
MDLT’s mission and goals. |
| OC 3 |
Establish committees that operate efficiently and effectively
with a clear purpose. |
| OC 4 |
Build an active and engaged Board of Advisors with a
diversity of skills and capabilities. |
| OC 5 |
Build a corps of volunteers to assist with all aspects
of running the land trust. |
| OC 6 |
Utilize the Land Trust Alliance’s Standards and
Practices as the foundation for MDLT’s operations.
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A complete version of the strategic plan,
including specific actions, can be acquired at the Mojave
Desert Land Trust office:
6847 Adobe Rd.
Twentynine Palms, CA 92277
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