New acquisition helps piece together Mojave National Preserve

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 19, 2018
Contact: Frazier Haney, Director of Land Conservation, Mojave Desert Land Trust 
Phone: (760) 464-5430
frazier@mdlt.org

Map showing MDLT’s recent acquisition and other private land within Mojave National Preserve

Joshua Tree, CA – The Mojave Desert Land Trust has acquired a 145.32-acre property inside an area of the Mojave National Preserve that is dotted with private land. The purchase helps piece together public land within the preserve, which is the third largest national park unit in the lower 48 states.

The acquisition from a private landowner helps protect the integrity of the ecosystem, reducing the number of private parcels and enhancing National Park Service management of natural resource values in the area. It also secures public access to public land, including sportsmen as Mojave National Preserve allows hunting.

The land is surrounded on three sides by Joshua Tree forests, and has creosote, blackbrush and Mojave yucca. It is located in the Lanfair Valley, close to Providence Mountains and Castle Mountains National Monument.

The Lanfair Valley has a long ranching, mining, and homesteading history that was the source of much of the private ownership in the area. While there are still a number of private parcels within the park, few people live in the area today.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust plans to eventually return the land to the Mojave National Preserve.

To date, the Mojave Desert Land Trust has acquired 22,500 acres within the preserve.

“National Parks protect the country's rich cultural and natural history. The existence of private land within national parks leaves the door open for inappropriate development which can impact these treasured areas. We are working to ensure public access and wildlife habitat is secure in Mojave National Preserve.” -- Frazier Haney, MDLT Director of Land Conservation.

Care and management of the parcel will include the cleanup of trash, elimination of irresponsible off-road vehicle use, control of weeds, and restoration of native plants where appropriate.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to protect and care for lands with natural, scenic, and cultural value within the Mojave Desert. For more information, visit www.mdlt.org