Joshua Trees in Lost Horse Valley
Joshua Tree National Park
Courtesy US NPS
Bill Bjornstad, Photographer
https://www.ecowatch.com/solar-project-mojave-desert-joshua-trees-tortoises.html
(and this is the rarer of the two species of Joshua Tree; Yucca brevifolia does not for example occur in Utah as currently understood)
When this species was denied for ESA listing based on the latest petition, the conclusion by the FWS was:
“The best available information indicates that substantial habitat loss due to development, military training, or renewable energy development is unlikely in the foreseeable future. ”
This solar panel project represents a substantial loss of habitat and the destruction of a long-lived, slow growing species.
Tony Frates
(Information courtesy Utah Native Plant Society Hotline & Hilary Shughart, Bridgerland Audubon Society)
Additional References:
Joshua Trees Pages & Images, Joshua Tree National Park, US National Park Service,
- https://www.nps.gov/places/joshua-trees.htm
- https://www.nps.gov/jotr/learn/nature/jtrees.htm
- Yucca brevifolia Engelm. https://www.nps.gov/jotr/learn/nature/yucca_brevifolia.htm
Joshua Tree National Landmark, US BLM, https://www.blm.gov/visit/joshua-tree-national-landmark
Joshua Tree (Yucca brevifolia), iNaturalist, https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/47785-Yucca-brevifolia
Utah Native Plant Society, https://www.unps.org/