The Joshua trees, an integral part of California's Mojave Desert landscape, with their characteristic spiky leaves and unique branches, are locked in a desperate battle for survival. Increasingly severe droughts driven by climate change, habitat fragmentation due to expanding residential and commercial real estate development, and heightened wildfires all pose dire threats to this iconic and enduring symbol of the U.S. West.

PTS International reporter Harry Chang reported, "The Mojave Desert, which straddles the borders of four states in the southwest of the United States and is about twice the size of Taiwan, is full of gravel and strange-shaped plants, although the rolling yellow sand cannot be seen. But it has a certain effect on the ecological balance of the earth.”

“Seed banks are a crucial tool for the conservation and management of ecosystems and the preservation of regional biodiversity, helping us safeguard our flora against species extinction and restore habitats and ecosystems with genetically-appropriate, source-identified seed. This project will expand MDLT's seed bank program and allow us, along with our partners, to better address the region's seed needs and the growing threats caused by climate change and habitat loss,” said Madena Asbell, Director of Plant Conservation Programs at the Mojave Desert Land Trust.

California lawmakers have agreed to create a conservation plan and a fund to help protect the western Joshua Tree, which faces extinction due to climate change.

Kelly Herbinson is the co-executive director of the Mojave Desert Land Trust. She says western Joshua trees are dying from the worst drought in more than a thousand years.

A mountain lion spotted taking refuge at a Yucca Valley home died last week due to injuries consistent with being struck by a car. The 5-year-old female mountain lion was spotted June 24 by homeowners as she lay in the shade of their residence in Yucca Valley. The land trust is working with Caltrans in the hopes of creating a wildlife crossing on Twentynine Palms Highway.

“This seed bank acts as an insurance policy — or, if you want to look at it a different way, like Noah’s Ark,” Godoy said. “When there is a need for that seed, our mission is to have it ready and here and in prime condition.”

Still, so far, the Mojave Desert Seed Bank is safeguarding less than 10% of the plant species found in our local deserts.

“We don’t think of the desert as this really lush, biodiverse forest,” said Kelly Herbinson, joint executive director of the Mojave Desert Land Trust. “But it really is. In fact, we have a higher level of biodiversity than many pine forest ecosystems.”

Thanks to a $3.2 million state grant, and a large contribution from an anonymous private donor, the trust’s seed bank is about to get a lot of new deposits.