The state of California has approved an unprecedented, sweeping plan to help protect one of its most recognizable and iconic trees.
According to Phys.org, California has rolled out a conservation plan to help protect the Joshua tree, one of the state's most unique plants.
The plan puts protections in place for the tree and plots out a course for areas where the tree is likeliest to survive in a climate that continues to get warmer and warmer. It also imposes strict regulations around the removal of the trees and recommends steps to help protect them from harm and wildfire risk.
It requires anyone doing projects that would kill all or part of a Joshua tree to get permits and pay mitigation fees for each tree harmed in the process.
The legislation is particularly notable because it is the first bill in the country to protect a species that will likely be threatened by the changing climate, even if it isn't currently.
"This plan is a major milestone in efforts to protect one of California's most ecologically important and iconic species that's facing a very, very difficult future," said Brendan Cummings, conservation director of the Center for Biological Diversity.
The Joshua tree is native to the arid regions of southern California and is an essential part of the Mojave Desert ecosystem. Dozens of species rely on it for shelter, shade, and food in an environment where all of those things are incredibly scarce. And as our planet warms further, and rains in those arid regions become more scarce, the Joshua tree could be under severe threat in the not-too-distant future.
However, the plan is not without its critics. Developers and farmers have said the project will stifle growth in these regions and hinder crucial water development programs.
Isabel Baer, the acting manager of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, said that they're working with developers and residents in the impacted areas to address their concerns and expedite the permit approval process, while also providing more exemptions for single-family dwelling projects.
Ultimately, California's plan to save the Joshua tree is one of the most audacious and unique in the world and will help ensure that one of the state's most iconic plants will survive into the future.
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