The western Joshua tree has been granted new protection through the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act. Join us for an informative evening with Brendan Cummings, Conservation Director of the Center for Biological Diversity, Todd Esque, Research Ecologist with the US Geological Survey, Drew Kaiser, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist), and Sarah Bliss, Mojave Desert Land Trust Director of Land Conservation. Learn the ins and outs of this important new legislation, and what it means for the recovery of the species and for conservation on the ground. You will understand how the law impacts homeowners, where to apply for permits, and what steps we can take to ensure the Act successfully protects the western Joshua tree.
For more information, please email info@mdlt.org
About the speakers:
Brendan Cummings is the conservation director of the Center for Biological Diversity, a nonprofit organization focused on protecting endangered species. An attorney, Brendan has litigated dozens of cases to protect our wildlife and public lands. Brendan is the author of the legal and scientific petition seeking protection of the western Joshua tree under the California Endangered Species Act. That petition instigated a multiyear legal and political process ultimately culminating in the passage of the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act.
Drew Kaiser is a Senior Environmental Scientist (Specialist) with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. He was hired in June 2023 to be the technical lead for the planning and implementation of the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act. Before his position with CDFW, Drew was the Botanist for Mojave National Preserve where he spent 8 years building the vegetation program from the ground up. He also worked at Death Valley National Park for 4 years as a rare plant specialist. He is excited to continue to work with Joshua trees and extend his reach in conserving the species from a “small” corner of Southern California to its entire range and maybe just a little beyond.
Sarah has lived in Southern California all her life and has spent the last decade working in museums, historic preservation, and environmental management. She received her B.A. in Anthropology and received certifications in GIS. While working on postgrad studies, she was drawn to the California desert and immersed herself in the community and organizations in the Morongo Basin. Working for the last seven years in Tribal Historic Preservation and with Indigenous-led organizations, she strives to connect and center Indigenous knowledge and Western sciences.