STATEMENT 
For immediate release 
September 29, 2023 
Contact: Jessica Dacey, Director of Communications  
Phone: 760-820-2275, Email: jessica@mdlt.org  

With passing of Senator Feinstein, California desert loses one of its greatest champions 

Senator Dianne Feinstein died on September 28, 2023 at the age of 90. She served as the US Senator for California for 31 years.  

“The Mojave Desert Land Trust is greatly saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Dianne Feinstein. Today, the California desert has lost one of its greatest champions. Senator Feinstein’s steadfast and inspirational leadership led to the protection of the California desert’s most important archeological and scientific wonders, world-renowned views and recreational opportunities, and critical habitat and water sources. She helped shape California desert conservation on a landscape scale to forever support the natural connectivity of the region’s unique flora and fauna. She will be greatly missed but her legacy lives on in the growing community that is working to preserve the desert for future generations,” said Joint Executive Directors Cody Hanford and Kelly Herbinson.   

Background 

Among the environmental achievements in Senator Feinstein’s long career was enshrining in law greater protections for the most well-known public lands in the California desert.   

Building on the foundational work of Senator Cranston and conservationists, Senator Dianne Feinstein introduced the historic California Desert Protection Act that was signed into law in 1994. The legislation created almost 9.2 million acres of public lands, establishing Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks, Mojave National Preserve and 69 Wilderness areas over 3,570,000 acres. 

On the occasion of a 2019 celebration at the Mojave Desert Land Trust of the 25th anniversary celebration of the California Desert Protection Act, Senator Feinstein wrote: “When I think of the California desert, I think of magnificent landscapes and mountain vistas. I think of beautiful species like bighorn sheep, mule deer and desert tortoises. I think of unique vegetation like the beautiful wildflower blooms and iconic Joshua trees. And I think of the long history of local Native American tribes. The California desert is a true American treasure. Our efforts over the past 25 years have resulted in the largest areas of public lands protected in the lower 48 states – that is something truly to celebrate.” 

Senator Feinstein supported conservation groups in successfully petitioning President Obama to designate Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, Castle Mountains National Monuments using the Antiquities Act in February 2016. 

In 2019, she co-sponsored the California Desert Protection and Recreation Act which designated 375,500 acres of wilderness and more than 70 miles of wild and scenic rivers, and added 43,000 acres to Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks.  

The Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to protect and care for lands with natural, scenic, and cultural value within the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. Since its founding in 2006, MDLT has conserved approximately 120,000 acres, conveying more tracts of land to the National Park Service than any other nonprofit. MDLT established a conservation seed bank to ensure the preservation of native species and operates an onsite nursery at its Joshua Tree headquarters which has grown over 100,000 native plants for restoration projects and community landscaping. MDLT educates and advocates for the conservation of the desert, involving hundreds of volunteers in our work. For more information, visit mdlt.org.