A group calling itself “Desert Defenders” rallied at the Mojave Desert Land Trust offices in Joshua Tree yesterday. In April, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of the Interior to review all national monuments over 100,000 acres that were created between 1996 and 2016 by the Antiquities Act of 1906, to determine if the monuments should be downsized or eliminated. Two of the 27 monuments under review are in our local region: Sand to Snow, and Mojave Trails National Monuments.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust will host a rally this afternoon to show its support for California’s desert national monuments. The rally, “Monuments for All” is set for 5:30 p.m. today, Monday May 8, at the Mojave Desert Land Trust’s office in Joshua Tree (60124 Twentynine Palms Highway), and will feature live music, speakers, and a question-and-answer period.

"To review monuments of 100,000 acres and above, two of our monuments fall into the category, Sand to Snow and the Mojave Trails and we want to share that with our supporters and let them have the opportunity to share with the administration and the community how much they care about this landscape and these two monuments," said Danielle Segura, executive director of the non-profit Mojave Desert Land Trust

"To review monuments of 100,000 acres and above, two of our monuments fall into the category, Sand to Snow and the Mojave Trails and we want to share that with our supporters and let them have the opportunity to share with the administration and the community how much they care about this landscape and these two monuments," said Danielle Segura, executive director of the non-profit Mojave Desert Land Trust.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust, whose work mainly involves buying wild lands from willing sellers for conservation purposes, has taken a lead role in advocating for protecting Mojave Trails.

Danielle Segura with the Mojave Desert Land Trust said the executive order threatens the health and well-being of the Mojave Desert and surrounding communities, and the land trust will do all it can to protect the monuments.