Morongo Basin Residents for Reasonable Western Joshua Tree Regulations.
Join our coalition of residents
Morongo Basin Residents for Reasonable Western Joshua Tree Regulations.
Join our coalition of residents
We Have a Few Questions for the State
1. When will the Department issue guidance to allow fire hardening of homes and communities?
2. Why are there inconsistencies between the Act, the Plan, and the Department’s actions?
3. Why are incidental take permitting fees so arbitrary?
4. Why were residents left out of developing permitting rules and the Conservation Plan?
5. When and how were Western Joshua Tree (WJT) incidental take permitting rules developed?
6. Why didn’t the Department collaborate with local water agencies and public works departments?
7. Why has the Department not included planning for low and fixed income Morongo Basin residents?
8. Can our local arborists and biologists be authorized to develop Joshua Tree protection zones?
They've been developing them for years and can help property owners minimize impact, reduce take, protect the trees, and avoid take fees.
9. The rules are impacting property values and limiting development options on buildable urban lots.
What guidance can the Department provide so that real estate professionals can accurately disclose Western Joshua Tree-related permitting costs to prospective buyers?
10. Who was involved in writing the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act?
Here are the State’s Joshua Tree rules as we understand them
Digging or trenching within 50' of a large Joshua Tree? You must contact your local CDFW office
If you are going to dig or do major "ground disturbing work" within 50' of a 15'+ Joshua tree; 25' of a 3-15' Joshua tree; or 10' of < 3' Joshua tree, you need to first contact our local Department of Fish and Wildlife office to discuss if your project requires a Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act incidental take permit before proceeding.
For the Morongo Basin, contact CDFW Region 6 office at (909) 484-0167 or AskRegion6@wildlife.ca.gov. Please do not email questions to us, as we are not State regulators, we're just property owners.
Examples of major ground disturbing work CDFW has mentioned includes: fence construction; pools; concrete work; land clearing; driveway installation, electrical and water lines; septic tank installation or maintenance, ADUs, and SFR home construction or additions. (CDFW image)
Trimming any part of a Western Joshua Tree on your property?
You need to visit the CDFW Website and follow the instructions to apply for a hazard mitigation permit in order to trim your tree. You'll need to hire an arborist to do a review. The Town of Yucca Valley keeps a list of local arborists on their website. If there is no hazard, you cannot trim or touch the tree. Youc an also apply for this permit to remove a dead tree.
According to California law you cannot touch a Joshua tree, plant one, or pick-up the seeds
The Joshua trees are a candidate species for California Endangered Species Act (CESA) and as a candidate species they receive the full protections of CESA law, meaning the state controls every decision made about Joshua trees, including on private property. Every tree, including a sprout, is under the State's control, no exceptions.
You cannot touch a tree, plant one, transplant one, or pick-up any seeds from the Western Joshua Tree on your property. You must first seek guidance or a permit from the Department of Fish and Wilidlife.
The Fish and Game Commission made the decision to enact these CESA level protections for Western Joshua trees in September 2020 after being petitioned by environmental groups led by the Center For Biological Diversity.
The Western Joshua Tree is under severe threat, and we can all work together to protect them
Wildfires, green energy development, large scale housing development, and bigger swings from wet to dry weather conditions are all endangering Joshua trees. We believe people are well positioned to take care of the trees on their private property with the right education, incentives, and rules.
Have information to add about the State's Western Joshua Tree rules?
Please send us clarifications, suggestions, or corrections to info@westernjoshuatrees.com.
We Love Our Local Joshua Trees
