Chuckwalla National Monument Is a Beacon of Hope for Desert Biodiversity Amid Changing Climate

Chuckwalla National Monument is being designated by presidential proclamation today, offering an alternate future for the southernmost California desert as it grapples with climate change and habitat loss.  

The country’s 135^th national monument spans 624,000 acres. In establishing the national monument, President Joe Biden recognized its “awe-inspiring landscape of mountain ranges, meandering canyons and washes, dramatic rock formations, palm oases, and desert-wash woodlands” and the remarkable ecological, cultural, and historical value they hold.

“This new national monument offers a beacon of hope for the future stability of one of North America’s strongholds of biodiversity. At this critical juncture, designating Chuckwalla National Monument was a significant step forward in preserving the largest relatively intact ecosystem we have left in the lower 48 states,” said Kelly Herbinson, Executive Director, Mojave Desert Land Trust. 

“At long last, this portion of the Colorado Desert will provide vital connectivity between established national parks and other habitat for our iconic Californian species. Threatened wildlife and remarkable flora will have a fighting chance of adapting to the changing climate. They can find refuge amid the growing pressures on desert habitat. Crucially, maintaining the integrity of this ecosystem will help us improve the environmental health of all the communities living in this region. We thank President Biden for recognizing and honoring the extensive grassroots support for this national monument. We applaud Congressman Raul Ruiz and Senator Alex Padilla for their leadership in championing these public lands.”  

The Mojave Desert Land Trust has been a part of the grassroots campaign advocating for greater protection to this region of the Colorado Desert. In particular:

• MDLT drew on our field experience stewarding desert tortoise habitat in the region and carried out an extensive on-the-ground analysis of the ecological factors within the proposed monument. 
• MDLT supported one of the six Chuckwalla Youth Ambassadors who helped engage and inform communities in the Coachella Valley about the monument.
• As part of the grassroots Protect California Deserts campaign, MDLT worked with conservation partners and Tribal leaders to advocate for the establishment of Chuckwalla National Monument, building support for legislative and community initiatives.
• MDLT provided ways for the public to engage with excursions to the area, contact their elected officials, and petitions calling on President Biden to designate the monument.  

The expansive ranges included within Chuckwalla National Monument make an impactful contribution towards the vision of a vast and interconnected desert ecosystem. Historically, these lands were woven together in a patchwork of different management plans and levels of protection, reducing the efficacy of conservation efforts and providing insufficient safeguards to habitat connectivity. Now, wildlife corridors connecting the Chuckwalla National Monument to Joshua Tree National Park and other wilderness areas will be protected, preventing future habitat fragmentation.

The lands within Chuckwalla National Monument are incredibly biodiverse, providing habitat for numerous charismatic, rare, and endangered species. Nearly two-thirds of the monument’s acreage is critical habitat for the Endangered Mojave Desert tortoise. In fact, the Chuckwalla Bench contains the highest densities of desert tortoise in the entirety of the Colorado Desert, making this an ideal southern anchor population for the species’ recovery. Migratory birds too will benefit from Chuckwalla’s designation – the monument contains significant microphyll woodlands which are the primary migratory stopover habitat for birds in the Colorado Desert. Several of the monument’s native plant species such as the Mecca aster, Orocopia sage, and Munz’s cholla grow nowhere else on earth. 

With this designation, the Bureau of Land Management is required to create a Resource Management Plan that will determine management policies for the new monument. The creation of this plan requires extensive public engagement.

This benefits long-ranging species such as desert bighorn sheep but will also allow the monument to serve as a climate refugia for species fleeing increasing temperatures and lower precipitation in surrounding lower elevation habitats. From 1895 to 2016, the annual precipitation in Joshua Tree National Park dropped by 39% and the average temperature increased by 3℉ (2℃). 

With today’s designation, Chuckwalla National Monument will provide the staggering biodiversity in this region with the ability to adapt to a changing landscape and climate.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust looks forward to continuing its research and conservation work on behalf of the flora and fauna that occupy this unique landscape.