Introduction

Purpose and Scope

The purpose of the California Desert Conservation Vision is to provide organizations and agencies working in the Mojave and Colorado deserts with a broad picture of the lands that are important to protect and preserve. The Desert Vision includes protection of natural resources and cultural resources as well as community buffers and areas for nature-based recreation.

Each organziation can use this information to inform opportunities for collaboration with other conservation groups.

This vision represents the opinions of a small group of desert experts - scientists and land managers - with years of experience in the conservation and management of desert lands. It is not a comprehensive scientific analysis nor is it a vision that has been adopted by federal, state or local agencies.

Planning Process

Mojave and Colorado Desert Survey

In April 2006, an email survey was sent to individuals involved in desert conservation and/or management to gather input on a desert vision and goals, threats and threatened areas, and potential roles of the Mojave Desert Land Trust. Surveys were sent to 134 people and 59 responses were received. In addition 22 maps were received identifying specific threatened areas. Survey responses were used to develop the California Desert Conservation Vision and Goals. Survey data provided preliminary information on threatened areas and key conservation areas.

Desert Conservation Vision Workshops

Two visioning workshops were held in May 2006 – one for the Mojave Desert and one for the Colorado Desert. The purposes of the workshops were:
· To inform workshop participants about the data maps and the results of the survey.
· To refine an overall conservation vision and goals based upon the knowledge and expertise of the workshop participants.
· To map those areas where land conservation organizations need to focus their conservation efforts. Once the mapping was complete, each workshop participant was asked to identify three natural areas, three community buffer areas, and three passive recreation areas that they would protect with their hypothetical conservation dollars. Consensus was not sought on these preliminary priorities.

California Desert Conservation Goals

Vegetation and Wildlife

· The desert is characterized by large areas of contiguous habitat for native plant and wildlife species.

· Native plant and wildlife species are at historic population levels and are flourishing due to protected landscape linkages/interconnectivity, remediation and reclamation of damaged landscapes, and the reduction of non-native wildlife populations through effective management practices and species recovery plans. In particular, the Amargosa, Mojave, and Colorado Rivers function as zones of biological diversity; the U.S./Mexico border is permeable to wildlife; and the Salton Sea and adjacent working landscapes are enhanced for habitat values.

Protected Areas

· In recognition of their contribution to the protection of plant and wildlife species, cultural resources, and the scenic character of the California Desert, certain land areas have permanent protection. Of particular importance are 1) in-holdings within national parks and preserves, 2) lands providing habitat interconnectivity, and 3) zones of no development that provide a conservation area buffer around each park, wilderness area, and military base.

· The system of wilderness areas in the desert is completed.

Water

· Surface and ground water resources are used at a sustainable level to ensure water availability that is adequate to meet habitat and human needs. Water availability is a central consideration in land use and management decisions and groundwater recharge is a priority.

Fire

· Fire does not pose a threat to the desert ecosystem because fuel loads are at natural levels and the role of the natural fire regime is understood.

Land Use and Development

· Local land use plans and policies promote contained growth such that desert communities are spatially compact.

· Local land use plans and policies limit the ecological footprint of communities outside developed areas by 1) limiting the number and size of non-desert dependent facilities, 2) controlling runoff to prevent landscape changes in adjacent natural areas, 3) managing agriculture, ranching, mining and other land uses to conserve ecological values.

· Land use policies and patterns promote high air and water quality and quantity.

· Climate change is considered in land use planning and decision-making.

Circulation

· Road networks serve the needs of desert communities without providing excess capacity that encourages decentralized growth patterns.

· Road networks and off-road vehicle trails are contained within designated areas in order to prevent damage to desert resources.

· Unnecessary roads are eliminated.

· A designated system of scenic highways, byways and backways encourages understanding and appreciation of the desert.

· Local land use plans and policies promote alternative transportation options.

Recreation

· Recreation in the desert is ecologically sustainable and is predominantly passive and nature-based.

Aesthetics

· The aesthetic qualities of the desert remain characterized by broad vistas uninterrupted by development, quiet, clean air, and dark skies at night.

Cultural Resources

· Historic and pre-historic cultural resources are protected as a priority through inventory, management, planning, and educational activities.

Education

· Education, interpretation, and outreach activities are central elements of the conservation efforts undertaken by those entities with effect on the desert. These strategies are tailored to transform the popular perception of the desert as a wasteland and help both residents and visitors understand and appreciate the desert’s unique ecological and cultural values.

Partnerships

· Conservation organizations, land management agencies, local communities, and political leaders recognize their mutual interests in desert conservation and form collaborative working relationships.

Funding and Economics

· Funding is adequate to support land conservation, management, restoration, and education efforts.

· The natural beauty and conservation values of the desert serve as the basis for the local economy (ecotourism).

Mojave Desert – Priority Conservation Areas

Natural Resource Areas Figure 1: Mojave Desert Natural Resource Areas illustrates those areas that workshop participants felt were most important to conserve for natural resource values. Lands identified include wildlife habitat areas, landscape linkages, riparian areas and inholdings.

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Lands in the Mojave Desert identified by workshop participants as the places where they would put natural resource conservation dollars first are:
· San Bernardino National Forest/Joshua Tree National Park Landscape Linkage (Area 9)
· Joshua Tree to Twenty Nine Palms Marine Corps Base Landscape Linkage (Area 7)
· Joshua Tree to Mojave Landscape Linkage (Area 2)
· Upper Chuckwalla Basin/Pinto Basin/Eagle Mountain Landscape Linkage (Area 3)
· Mojave River Drainage Wildlife Corridor (Area 11)
· Amargosa River Drainage Landscape Linkage (Area 24)

Community Buffer Areas Figure 2: Mojave Desert Community Buffers illustrates those areas that workshop participants felt were most important to conserve as community buffers. Community buffers include lands around cities and towns as well as buffers around parks, preserves and military bases.

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Community buffers in the Mojave Desert identified by workshop participants as the places where they would put conservation dollars first are:
· Joshua Tree/Morongo Basin (Area 1)
· Mojave Desert National Preserve Area (Area 4)

Cultural Resource Areas Figure 3: Mojave Desert Cultural Resources illustrates those areas that workshop participants felt were most important to conserve for their cultural resource values. These areas could be areas of prehistoric or historic value. Workshop participants were not asked to identify cultural resource priorities.

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Recreation Areas Figure 4: Mojave Desert Recreation Areas illustrates those areas with passive recreation values that workshop participants felt were most important to conserve. These include existing passive recreation areas for hiking, camping, and other low-intensity recreational uses as well as wilderness areas where trails could be opened.

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Recreation areas in the Mojave Desert identified by workshop participants as the places most important to conserve include:
· Amargosa River (Area 13)
· Southern Joshua Tree (Area 4)
· Burns Canyon (Area 3)
· Old Woman Mountains (Area 7)

Colorado Desert – Priority Conservation Areas

Lands in the Colorado Desert identified by workshop participants as the places where they would put natural resource conservation dollars first are:
· Mission Creek Linkage (Area 28)
· Anza Borrego Desert State Park Inholdings (Area 18)
· Desert Cahuilla (Area 9)
· San Sebastian Marsh/San Felipe Creek (Area 8)

Community Buffer Areas Figure 6: Colorado Desert Community Buffers illustrates those areas that workshop participants felt were most important to conserve as community buffers. Community buffers include lands around cities and towns as well as buffers around parks, preserves and military bases.

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Community buffers in the Mojave Desert identified by workshop participants as the places where they would put conservation dollars first are:
· Borrego Springs Buffer (Area 3)
· Jacumba Development (Area 5)
· Anza/Coyote Canyon (Area 6)
· Joshua Tree National Park (Area 7)

Cultural Resource Areas Figure 7: Colorado Desert Cultural Areas illustrates those areas that workshop participants felt were most important to conserve for cultural resource values. These areas could be areas of prehistoric or historic value. Workshop participants were not asked to identify cultural resource priorities.

Download map: low-res high-res

Recreation Areas Figure 8: Colorado Desert Recreation Areas illustrates those areas with passive recreation values that workshop participants felt were most important to conserve. These include existing passive recreation areas for hiking, camping, and other low-intensity recreational uses as well as wilderness areas where trails could be opened.

Download map: low-res high-res

Recreation areas in the Mojave Desert identified by workshop participants as the places where they would put conservation dollars first are:
· Upper Coyote Canyon (Area 7)
· Jacumba (Area 5)
· Desert Cahuilla (Area 12)
· Ocotillo Wells SVRA (Area 4)

Next Steps

Workshop participants identified several potential future actions that would enhance the conservation efforts of the agencies and groups working towards desert conservation. These include:

· Initiate regular collaborative meetings of non-profit groups and other stakeholders involved in desert conservation to discuss ongoing projects, data and mapping, funding, and collaboration opportunities. Collaboration can help leverage funding.

· Organize a symposium on global climate change and its potential effects on the California Desert.

· Identify the geographic boundaries where land trusts and other conservation organizations are currently working in the Desert. Identify any gaps in desert coverage and seek ways to fill these gaps.

· Seek funding to create more comprehensive data maps of the desert.

Conclusion

The California Desert Conservation Vision is a first step in creating a collaborative desert conservation process. This document is intended to inform conservation activities occuring in the desert but the utimate goal is for each agency and organization engaged in desert conservation to collaborate on mapping, data and information gathering, conservation projects, and priorities. By working together on a common vision and goals, we can help to achieve our conservation vision of the California Desert.

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