

At Friends of the Desert Mountains, Barrows and his team strive to preserve the ecosystem myriad ways, including strengthening community involvement, acquiring and preserving wildlands, offering educational programs that promote environmental stewardship, and by supporting ecological research. Some local individuals and groups joined their efforts early on. Others have more recently assumed an active role in helping to preserve, protect and honor the valley’s native species while also encouraging others in the community to do the same.Ĭlimate change is a major factor that impacts local wildlife and resources. “As long as developments avoid designated ‘lands to be preserved,’ they can move ahead without nearly the extensive and costly environmental reviews and potential legal road blocks that they would otherwise face,” the ecologist explains. Cameron Barrows, an associate research ecologist at the University of California Riverside, calls the Coachella Valley’s “recent historic and future economic prosperity” a “direct result” of the two conservation plans. In other areas throughout the valley, where developments like golf courses and restaurants have already progressed, the conservation plan allows development to continue in exchange for a fee from developers that is used to support protected locations. Video: Habitat changes and the fringe-toed lizard


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