The commission, which voted Tuesday, determined that the tree’s listing under the California Endangered Species Act may be warranted. Commissioner Russell Burns, who had already recused himself of the western Joshua tree decision at the August meeting, was absent. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — In a unanimous 4-0 vote, the California Fish and Game Commission agreed to list the iconic western Joshua tree as a threatened or endangered species for at least a year. After one year of research, the commission will have to make a decision as to whether the trees will be protected permanently or not. The decision immediately lists the Joshua tree as a protected species and commences a one-year status review. The California Fish and Game Commission was the first wildlife conservation agency in the United States, predating even the U.S. Commission of Fish and Fisheries. An environmental group on Tuesday petitioned the California Fish and Game Commission to designate the western Joshua Tree as threatened, a … "My concern, however, is that the sweeping regulations will halt economic development," the supervisor continued, arguing that lower-income communities in her district might have trouble wading through a state permitting process for removal. In a unanimous 4-0 vote, the Commission determined that listing western Joshua tree as threatened or endangered under CESA may be warranted. Yucca Valley Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Drozd recently told The Desert Sun that the community does its part to protect the species through a local ordinance and that listing would hurt the construction of an important sewer project. Western Joshua Tree; Listing of Species Under the California Endangered Species Act. Members of the commission were conflicted based on an outpour of public comments for and against conserving the trees. We disagree that these exemptions are needed, but we understand the commission’s decision.”. The western Joshua tree could become the first species protected due to climate change in California, but it will have to wait until September. "We’re going to have to wait a little, but it seems that protection is inevitable.”. California Fish and Game Commission (2008) 166 Cal.App.4th 597, the California Court of Appeals addressed the parameters of the ... Joshua tree’s California range (YUBR South). Rowe called on the Center for Biological Diversity "to have a little bit of empathy for the unintended consequences that the listing under (the California Endangered Species Act) would have for us.” If the petition were denied, she pledged that the county would strengthen its own local regulations. If that happens, the tree would become a candidate species and would have legal protections until the commission made a final decision in a year's time. We also inform readers about regulatory and legislative developments, as well as key court decisions. Posts about western Joshua tree written by kmacinty. The western Joshua tree’s habitat stretches from Joshua Tree National Park to the edge of Death Valley National Park and into Nevada. Even greater changes are projected over the coming decades. “It’s critical that the state stood up for these spectacular trees, because the federal government, local officials and for-profit corporations are facilitating their destruction.”. Paul’s clients include public agencies, publicly regulated utilities, private ... Nossaman’s Endangered Species Law & Policy blog focuses on news, events, and policies affecting endangered species issues in California and throughout the United States. Announcements and Recent News Statement by Vice President Murray on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. The California Fish and Game Commission held a meeting today to address issues related to the listing of the western Joshua tree as threatened or endangered under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA). All rights reserved. Human-caused climate change is making matters worse,” said Cummings. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — In a unanimous 4-0 vote, the California Fish and Game Commission agreed to list the iconic western Joshua tree as a … On August 21 st, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) listened to a number of concerned residents of the California desert and beyond about moving forward with protections for the western Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) under the California Endangered Species Act (CESA).The western Joshua tree is an icon of the Mojave Desert, and arguably Southern California. Learn more. Before we start our meeting I want to take this moment to acknowledge explicitly that as Vice President of the California Fish and Game Commission, I stand against racism, white supremacy, violence against Black communities, and the silencing of marginalized communities. September 22, 2020, Brendan Cummings, (951) 768-8301, bcummings@biologicaldiversity.org, California Commission OKs Petition Protecting Joshua Trees Under State’s Endangered Species Act, Iconic Desert Plant Legally Protected During Yearlong Review. “If these beautiful plants are to have any hope of surviving in a warming world, we have to stop killing them. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Fish and Game Code, the California Fish and Game Commission (Commission), on October 21, 2019, received a petition from the Center for Biological Diversity to list western Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) as a threatened species under the California Endangered Species Act. Higher elevations, where Joshua trees might survive increasing temperatures and drying conditions, are at risk of fire due to invasive non-native grasses. The commission had put off the decision twice due to a huge volume of public comments for and against protecting the tree. Outside of Joshua Tree National Park, off-road vehicle use, cattle grazing, powerlines and pipelines and large-scale energy projects are destroying habitat. Commissioners also agreed to give developers of 15 shovel-ready industrial solar projects in Kern and San Bernardino counties so-called “take authorization,” allowing them to kill Joshua trees. On November 1, 2019, the Commission referred the Petition to the Department for evaluation. This exemption applies only during the review period and requires developers to pay approximately $10,000 an acre, based on a ratio of 1.5 acres for every acre of occupied habitat that’s destroyed. "As (carbon dioxide) concentrations increase each year, the Joshua tree has become a symbol of our failure to address climate change," Cummings said. In two previous attempts, the commission put off voting. Yucca Valley Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Drozd recently told The Desert Sun, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.7 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. Additionally, in a 3-1 vote (Commission Vice President Samantha Murray was the dissenting vote), the Commission adopted regulations to authorize conditional take of western Joshua tree during its candidacy for 15 solar energy projects expected to break ground within the year. Wildlife Officer Academy Graduates 21 New Wildlife Officers 10/16/2020. "We got clear indication from all the commissioners that they acknowledged that (the petition) meets the standards," said Brendan Cummings, conservation director for the Center for Biological Diversity and the petition's author. In a move that is first of its kind, the Joshua trees will be protected for a year under the California Endangered Species Act. In the meantime, a team of researchers will be looking into the state of affairs of the trees. That sentiment was echoed by other jurisdictions, including Palmdale.