A nonprofit group has donated more than 3,000 acres of desert land to the Mojave National Preserve. The Mojave Desert Land Trust announced Wednesday that it had handed over ecologically and historically significant land to the park. The 110 parcels already are surrounded by the national preserve. They include juniper and yucca stands and a century-old homestead site.

It’s been an up-and-down month for Joshua trees in the region. At Mojave National Preserve in California, thousands of the iconic desert plants recently won permanent federal protection, thanks to a land transfer that added 3,100 acres to the park 90 miles southwest of Las Vegas.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust recently conducted a Free the Trees ceremony to celebrate the acquisition of the newly designated Bobcat Valley in Joshua Tree. Bobcat Valley comprises five land parcels totaling 50 acres and serves as a crucial wildlife linkage corridor for bobcats. The property also houses rich Joshua Tree forests and desert tortoise habitats.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust held a “Free the Trees” ceremony at its newly acquired property, Bobcat Valley in Joshua Tree, Tuesday morning. When the land trust bought the property, the Joshua trees on site were tied with red ribbons to mark them for removal. To celebrate the acquisition and protection of Bobcat Valley, the Mojave Desert Land Trust and their team of AmeriCorps volunteers cut the ribbons to “free the trees.”

A nonprofit group has donated more than 3,000 acres of desert land to the Mojave National Preserve. The Mojave Desert Land Trust announced Wednesday that it's handed over ecologically and historically significant land to the national park.

This morning, the Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) conducted a “Free the Trees” ceremony to celebrate the acquisition of the newly designated Bobcat Valley in Joshua Tree. Bobcat Valley comprises five land parcels totaling fifty acres and serves as a crucial wildlife linkage corridor for bobcats. The property also houses rich Joshua Tree forests and desert tortoise habitats. Prior to MDLT’s acquisition, this abundant desert land was slated for razing and development.