California lawmakers recently passed the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, meaning western Joshua trees will be protected under state law. This groundbreaking legislation marks the first law aimed at safeguarding a climate-endangered species, granting comparable protections to Joshua trees as those afforded by the California Endangered Species Act.
Conservationists at the Center for Biological Diversity, headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, are celebrating a win for the protection of western Joshua trees, as California lawmakers passed a law that will protect the iconic species permanently. On Tuesday, June 27, the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act cleared the State Assembly (54-15) and the Senate (31-8), and would be signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom by the end of the week, according to a news release from the center.
"I'm grateful the Newsom administration and lawmakers agree that western Joshua trees are an irreplaceable part of California's natural heritage that has to be protected," Brendan Cummings, conservation director of the Center for Biological Diversity, said. "This groundbreaking law will help ensure these wonderful trees remain part of California's Mojave Desert landscape forever."
This legislation introduces the first-ever law aimed at safeguarding a climate-endangered species, providing trees with equivalent protections to those under the California Endangered Species Act, which now includes safeguards against unauthorized killing or removal.
Furthermore, the law requires the state Department of Fish and Wildlife to formulate a comprehensive conservation plan for these trees by the end of 2024, while also ensuring regular assessments of the species' status, effectiveness of permitting measures, establishment of a fund for land acquisition and management and consultation with California Native American Tribes regarding implementation of the law.
"The California Endangered Species Act is our most important biodiversity protection law, and western Joshua trees clearly qualify as threatened," Cummings said in the release. "As the first species in the state to be protected because of climate change, they deserve the special measures contained in the new conservation act."