Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Desert-Wise Landscape Lectures – October 13

The MBCA’'s next event in the Desert-Wise Living Series is an afternoon of presentations and demonstrations of water-wise and energy-wise desert landscaping from many local residents and experts, on Saturday, October 13, in Joshua Tree.  It’s exactly at the right time of year to get the best results from planting and landscaping.  Go to the MBCA home page to learn more, then click the link to register via PayPal.


It’s only $10 for the general public and $5 for MBCA members-- it will be well worth your time and money!

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Update on the Joshua Tree casino issue

Governor Brown unfortunately made a bad decision.  Per the LA Times,  “Gov. Jerry Brown approved a plan for two tribes to open casinos away from their ancestral lands, a move that he said would create jobs and help local communities.  But critics say the plan could lead to a massive expansion of gambling in California.”  Here is a link to the rest of the LA Times article on his recent decision: LA Times blog


This does not bode well for the Joshua Tree Casino.  However, the conditions cited by Gov. Brown in his decision letters describe situations quite different from Joshua Tree. Links to his full letters of approval are below, but here are some excerpts (underline added for emphasis):

·        A large tribal population will directly benefit from the gaming facility.”  (The 29 Palms Band is very small.)
·        “The gaming facility is supported by both Madera County and the City of Madera.”  (Joshua Tree residents have come out in great numbers against the Casino.)
·        Each tribe “has a significant historical connection with the land.” (This does not seem to be the case in Joshua Tree.) 
·        “The gaming facility has increasing public support…”  (Not in Joshua Tree!)
·        “The facility will be located within a sports-and-entertainment zone created by Yuba County.”  (There’s no situation like that in Joshua Tree.)

Here are the actual letters sent by the Governor:




Wednesday, August 29, 2012

UCR Master Gardener Program

As a follow-up to those of you who have enjoyed learning about desert-wise landscaping from MBCA’s Landscape Tours, we have learned that there is going to be a new Cooperative Extension master gardener program at the University of California, Riverside campus in the Coachella Valley.  The program is tailored to Coachella Valley gardening (with some overlap with our Mojave Desert environment), and there is a volunteer requirement upon completion of the program.

Here is UCR’s advertising about the program:UCR Master Gardener program


Monday, July 23, 2012

Urgent meeting on the Cadiz Valley Project this Wednesday July 25th

Please join us (MBCA) along with the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) and other groups to attend the Santa Margarita Water District Board Meeting, to demonstrate our great concern about the “Cadiz Valley Water Conservation, Recovery, and Storage Project.”   

This is critical!  The Final Environmental Impact Report (FEIR) on the project will be presented, and we must have many desert residents present to speak publicly about the folly of this project and its harmful effects to “our” Mojave Desert.

The SMWD Board Meeting this Wednesday, July 25, at 6:30 p.m. will be held at the Norman P. Murray Community and Senior Center, Sycamore Room, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo, CA 92692



There will be a teleconference version of the SMWD Board meeting set up at Copper Mountain College (same date and time).  If you cannot join your concerned neighbors and friends and travel to Mission Viejo, please attend the teleconferenced meeting at CMC.  Being at the actual Board meeting intensifies the effect of our intentions to oppose this inappropriate project, but there is also value in an additional large turnout at the College.

A recent article in the LA Times provides a refresher on the issues of the project and the entrance of a new participant in the fight against it, Tetra Technologies, Inc.:  LA Times 

If you would like to access the full FEIR for the project, the link is in about the middle of this page on the SMWD website:Full FEIR

And here is a recent Sun Runner article from Steve Brown: Sunrunner on cadiz

Thank you.  Hope to see many of you in Orange County Wednesday!  

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Meeting Monday, June 18th--Desert Renewable Energy and Wind Project Update

What:        Desert Renewable Energy and Wind Project Update
When:        Monday, June 18, 2012 – 6:30 p.m.
Where:        Yucca Valley Community Center, Yucca Room

This important meeting has been organized by the California Desert Coalition (CDC). CDC helped defeat Green Path North and continues to work toward preventing inappropriate renewable energy siting, as well as inappropriate transmission lines, in our Morongo Basin.  A multimedia presentation will provide background information on the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan and on the wind energy project planned for Black Lava Butte and Flat Top Mesa near Pioneertown by Element Power.  Community member questions will be welcomed.  Light refreshments will be available.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Date change for our May Board meeting

We are always happy to have guests at our MBCA Board meetings and hope that you will be among them.

Please be advised that THIS MONTH ONLY, OUR MEETING WILL BE CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, instead of Thursday, May 10.  We meet at from 5-7 PM at the Center of Life, 7491 Barberry in Yucca Valley. Directions can be found at the MBCA website.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

MBCA's 2nd Annual Desert-Wise Living Landscape Tour is Sunday April 22nd

Spend your Sunday on a self-guided tour of 20+ homes selected for their desert-wise landscape gardens. Become inspired to create your own vision of desert-wise landscape and learn how others have achieved unique sanctuaries using low water consumption with native, drought tolerant and water efficient plants. 

The gardens are located in Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, 29 Palms, Pioneertown, Landers, and Flamingo Heights. Tour hours are 9:00 – 4:00 pm. Tickets are $5 for MBCA members and $10 for the general public. (Discounted tickets are available when you combine the tour with a new MBCA membership). Visit the MBCA website to purchase your ticket on-line.

Registration will also be available at the following 2 locations on April 21:

Joshua Tree Farmers Market. Sign up at the MBCA table. 9am to 12pm


Yucca Valley Earth Day Celebration, Yucca Valley Community Center. Sign up at the MBCA table. 9am to 1pm 





After the tour, on Monday, April 23 – Sunday, April 30, you can purchase plants to fulfill your new vision and support the MBCA by heading over to the Cactus Mart in Morongo Valley. In support of the tour and as a fundraiser for MBCA, Cactus Mart will give a 10% discount for Landscape Tour participants and a 40% donation to MBCA, on plants purchased.

MBCA would like to thank AWAC, the Alliance for Water Awareness and Conservation, for their generous grant in support of the tour.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Upcoming Earth Day Events


 Founded on April 22, 1970, the first Earth Day marked the birth of the modern environmental movement. Gaylord Nelson, then a U.S. Senator from Wisconsin, developed the idea in response to the destruction caused by a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California in 1969. An estimated 20 million people participated and paved the way for the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). That number has grown over the decades, as citizen gather around the country to celebrate the planet and share information--and solutions-- to environmental concerns.


MBCA will have displays at two local Earth Day events, also including displays and information about the Morongo Basin Dark Skies Alliance (MBDSA):

Morongo Valley Spring Festival
Saturday, March 31, 10 AM – 3 PM
Big Morongo Canyon Preserve Education Center (and also Covington Park)

Yucca Valley Conservation Fair and Earth Day Celebration
Saturday, April 21, 9 AM – 2 PM
Yucca Valley Community Center
Say Hi, and also get your Landscape Tour Tickets!

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Desert-Wise Landscape Tour Sunday April 22nd

Last year’s MBCA Desert-Wise Living Landscape Tour was a great success, so the Second Annual Landscape Tour has been set for Sunday, April 22.  Spend a few hours enjoying some of the most beautiful and water-wise gardens created by your neighbors in communities across the Morongo Basin, and learn how you can do the same.  The cost is only $5 for members, $10 for others, and special deals are available, combining a tour ticket and MBCA membership.  Read more details and sign up at the MBCA website.  And while you’re there, you might want to read the clever and enthusiastic responses of last year’s post-Tour essay contest winners, also found on MBCA’s home page.
(below, Robin Kobaly's Water-wise garden)


Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Hold the Mustard Campaign photos from February 18th

Josh Hoines, JTNP Vegetation Branch Chief, shared these pictures of our first mustard pull on 2/18. What a big difference a small group can make in just 3 hours on site. These were taken on park land just beyond Iron Age Road (off Hwy 62 east of 29 Palms). It was a beautiful day, and a very satisfying experience.

Our last pull is scheduled for this Saturday, March 17th, 8AM-1PM. Come on out and get your hands dirty:).

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Hold the Mustard Campaign-please join us for scheduled weed pulls

It may be the season of hearts and flowers (Happy Valentine’s Day!), but there is one flower that is not loved in our desert …. that of the Saharan mustard.  This aggressive plant reduces native wildflower abundance and creates fuel for wildfires.

Our annual “Hold the Mustard”  campaign is a cooperative effort with Joshua Tree National Park. Half-day weed pull parties are scheduled for the dates below. Please participate in one work parties listed to help “Hold the Mustard” and preserve the health and beauty of our desert.

8-11AM Saturday February 18th, 
8-11 AM Saturday February 25th
8-11AM Sunday March 4th
8-11AM Saturday March 17th

RSVP if possible so we can anticipate your equipment needs and notify you of any potential schedule changes. Contact Katie Kain 760-367-5575 or Katherine_Kain@nps.gov

We will meet at the oasis Visitor Center in Twentynine Palms prior to carpooling to work sites. Don't forget to bring water, sun protection, and snacks. Tools and gloves will be provided.

For each day that you volunteer, you will earn an entrance-free day pass to Joshua Tree National Park.

MBCA Board members Ruth Rieman and Pat Flanagan (with a very large Saharan Mustard) talk about the importance of eradicating this invasive plant at the recent MBCA Annual meeting.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Action to stop proposed casino in Joshua Tree

We are sharing information here posted on the “NO Joshua Tree Casino”  Facebook page, for anyone who is interested in stopping the casino proposed for Joshua Tree. A local fundraising effort is underway to support a legal battle through Stand Up for California, a statewide organization with a focus on gambling issues affecting California. The fundraising deadline is this Tuesday, February 14. Donations are being collected by the Joshua Tree Health Food Store, located at the corner of Highway 62 and Sunset Road.

It is difficult to simplify the complex legal issue (more detail below), but it is concerned with the regulatory powers of the Secretary of the Interior to grant “fee to trust” status to land acquired by Indian tribes, which allows tribes to place casinos on that land without appropriate consideration for local negative effects.  Many local residents share this kind of concern about the proposed Joshua Tree Casino.

For a great deal more information on this and other gambling issues in California, check the Stand Up for California website.
 

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Report on the MBCA Annual Meeting, held January 21st, 2012

Dear MBCA members and supporters:

Despite the huge windstorm provided by Mother Nature that weekend, we had about 50 hardy Morongo Basin residents at our Annual Meeting.  I think everyone would agree that there was a great sense of camaraderie and commitment in the room.  In addition to current Board members, we were glad to see long-time former Board members Chris Carraher and DJ Masker in attendance.  We also thanked D’Anne Albers for her recent service on the Board, and noted to the audience that we will be seeking another person to complete the 2 remaining years of this 3-year Board position.

MBCA has worked very hard in the past year to respond to what we learned from the “How are we doing?” survey last February (with thanks again to Curt Duffy for making it happen).  Via extra meetings and subcommittee efforts during 2012, the Board completed new Mission and Vision Statements, and has plans to expand our communication efforts.  We shared with Saturday’s audience how we have reactivated the website blog, and have begun using Facebook.  We hope these and future technology and communication improvements will help us gain a greater base of support for improving our communities.  Many thanks to Board member Catherine Svehla for getting us started on these efforts.

We then presented an overview of the large number of issues MBCA engaged in during the past year.   Board Members Pat Flanagan, David Fick, and Ruth Rieman provided information on actions taken and the current status of various issues. Seth Shtier of the National Parks Conservation Association also commented on several issues that are of shared concern between our organizations.  Here are the issues:

California Desert Protection Act
Cadiz Water Project
Saharan Mustard annual campaign
CalTrans Highway 62 concrete barrier reconstruction
County OHV Park Proposal in Gold Park
Solar PEIS around Morongo Basin
29 Palms Granite Construction Project
Eagle Mountain Dump, SB 108 mining bill, campaign for return of Park land
Inyo County OHV trial project
Wind towers project on Pioneertown Area Buttes
CEIYV, Super WalMart issue
JT Casino
Dollar General Stores

Board Member Claudia Sall then reviewed the planning, funding, and results of the 2011 Desert-wise Living Series, a new enterprise for MBCA.  She also shared a preview of our plans for a second Desert-wise Living Landscape Tour this spring and another event around November.

The Morongo Basin Dark Skies Alliance provided us with information about their efforts to increase awareness about appropriate outdoor night lighting.  Appropriate night lighting is needed not only to preserve the conditions that already bring tourists and photographers to our area, but also for reasons of safety, energy/cost savings, and health. Of special interest was their description of a new approach to the County Lighting Ordinance (Mountain and Desert Regions) based on land use zones. Within a few months, they hope to bring a draft ordinance proposal to County planning staff.  We give enthusiastic thanks to MBDSA members Victoria Fuller, Seth Shtier, and Stephanie Weigel for the presentation, displays, and handouts, including the colorful hot-off-the-press bumper sticker that reminds people to “Turn out a light, see the night.”  We were also glad that Alan Rasmussen attended.  In his role as field representative to Supervisor Neil Derry he has provided great support for MBDSA, and was also able to respond to some ordinance-relevant questions at the meeting.

Expanding volunteer involvement in MBCA was the final topic of our meeting, and is a key 2012 goal.  No matter what your interest or skills, we would like you to join a bank of MBCA volunteers, and we’re also seeking a volunteer coordinator.  Please respond to this email if you are interested or want more information.

We wrapped up the meeting with audience participation, and many folks shared comments, asked questions, and put forward ideas about improving life in the Morongo Basin.  Please consider attending our monthly Board meetings to learn more and share your ideas. We recently changed the start time from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. (second Thursday of each month, see more details on our website), hoping it might offer more people a chance to visit our meetings occasionally. Although the Board has a preset agenda, a time for visitor input is provided at the start of every meeting.

Thanks go out to everyone who helped create this energizing annual meeting!  In addition to Board members and participants noted above, we give special thanks to Tom O’Key for setting up his solar telescope at the break and end of the meeting, to Steve Rieman and Steve Bardwell for setting up the International Dark Skies display, to Danny Sall for his special effort to deliver the brand-new Dark Skies Alliance bumper stickers to us “just in time,” and to Anne Staley for providing snacks and beverages to sustain us.  Also thanks to Charla Shamhart at the welcome table and Sarah Kennington and Deb Bollinger for handling the membership.  And finally, thanks to three very important behind-the-scenes volunteers, Gail Dallas, Harry Bowkley, and David Miller.

New materials will be on the MBCA website soon, including our new Mission and Vision, and new links to organizations and blogs that we believe will be of interest to you.

Thanks to all who attended.

Your 2012 MBCA Board
Laraine Turk, President
David Fick, Vice President
Ruth Rieman, Treasurer
Sarah Kennington, Recording Secretary
Claudia Sall, Events Director
Deborah Bollinger
Pat Flanagan
Charla Shamhart
Anne Staley
Catherine Svehla

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Sahara Mustard: Hold the Mustard Campaign

The MBCA is working with Joshua Tree National Park staff to mobilize for this year’s “Hold the Mustard” campaign. We invite you to attend a presentation by JTNP’s Josh Hoines at 7 pm this Friday February 10 at the Old Schoolhouse Museum in 29 Palms.  Josh’s topic is “Flowers versus Weeds: A Race For Resources” and he’ll discuss current threats to wildflowers at Joshua Tree National Park by invasive species, with Sahara mustard prominently featured. We’ll pick up the $5 lecture fee for the first 20 members to join us in launching our campaign on Friday.  An MBCA representative will be at the check-in desk.

The Old Schoolhouse Museum is located at 6760 National Park Drive in 29 Palms.  Interested parties can meet with Josh at 5 pm for a no-host dinner at the 29 Palms Inn.  Contact Marion to RSVP for the dinner at 760.361.1202 or desert29palms@yahoo.com.

And there’s more!  Please join a “Hold the Mustard” work party on one or both of two Saturdays, February 18 or February 25.  We’ll work with park staff to pull mustard in high priority areas surrounding the park.  We’ll notify you of the specific meeting locations and times in the week prior to the event.

We have already had several sightings of mature, blooming Sahara mustard plants along Morongo Basin highways this year.  While we expect we’ll have a breather, with lower populations of mustard expected because of low precipitation, this gives us a great opportunity to regain control of this invasive, and to learn about a new, related species of mustard before it, too, takes over our beautiful desert lands.  Please let us know of any colonies of mustard that you see within the basin so that together we can ‘Hold the Mustard’!

Hope to see you at one or more of these events.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Annual Meeting Saturday January 21, 2012

All MBCA members and supporters are encouraged to attend our Annual Meeting on Saturday morning, January 21, at the Joshua Tree Community Center, from 9:00 a.m. to noon. What will you learn? You’ll hear what MBCA accomplished last year, what we’re planning for 2012 (and how you can help!), and as a bonus, a very timely update from members of the Morongo Basin Dark Skies Alliance.

The alliance is focused on promoting energy-saving lighting and improving the San Bernardino County lighting ordinance. Come to hear their creative proposal to improve the chances of maintaining our precious dark night skies and saving energy in the Morongo Basin.
 
The Milky Way over Hidden Valley image courtesy of Wally Pacholka

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Issues: Year in Review

Our annual meeting is Saturday, January 21st from 9AM-1 PM at the Joshua Tree Community Center. The first part of our program will focus on our 2012 goals, followed by a presentations on Dark Skies and Lighting Ordinances. We have an interesting meeting planned and many challenges ahead---Please join us!

Part of planning for the future is evaluating past efforts. In 2011, a number of concerns were presented to MBCA and our high desert community. Here is a partial list of issues that we acted upon this past year:

o    Continued to support S. 138, the California Desert Protection Act of 2011
o    Supported Joshua Tree National Park in the ongoing campaign against invasive Saharan mustard
o    Requested modification of CalTrans’s Hwy. 62 concrete highway divider to accommodate wildlife crossings
o    Commented, in cooperation with NPCA, against creating a County OHV Park in the Gold Park area east of 29 Palms
o    Continued to review and comment on development of industrial solar in inappropriate places in the Mojave Desert
o    Commented with concerns about Granite Construction’s expansion in 29 Palms
o    Supported the fight against the Eagle Mountain Dump and supported return of that land in that area to Joshua Tree National Park
o    Commented, in cooperation with NPCA, against the proposed Cadiz Water Project
o    Partnered with Twentynine Palms Water District in updating and improving the 10-year old “Let’s Go Native” brochures
o    Commented against AB 628, which would allow Inyo County to expand OHV traffic on a trial basis
o    Commented against adoption of SB 108, a mining bill that could reopen the possibility of a dump at Eagle Mountain.

More information about these issues is available here or on the MBCA website. Thank you for your continuing support.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Monthly Board Meeting

The next regular board meeting of the Morongo Basin Conservation Association is Thursday, January 12, 2012 at 5:00 PM at 7491 Barberry Avenue in Yucca Valley (NE corner of Pueblo Trail and Barberry Avenue).

Please join us and add your voice and experience.