Victor Valley Daily Press: York Fire has destroyed biodiverse properties owned by Mojave Desert Land Trust
Lands were acquired in the preserve by the trust due to their significant habitat value, and with the intention of conveyance to the National Park Service at a future date, the nonprofit said.
One of Mojave Desert Land Trust's properties within the burn zone is in the Gotto Hills, at the heart of the preserve’s Lanfair Valley. The group said the parcel sweeps across 160 acres, reaching an elevation of 4,427 feet.
Another 17-acre parcel rises above a wash, its hillsides dotted with Joshua, juniper, and pinyon trees. The natural ore deposits once made it attractive for mining.