The Desert Protective Council has always promoted stewardship of desert landscapes through land conservancy and restoration activities. In the early 1970s, our Anza-Borrego Committee served as the progenitor of what would become the Anza-Borrego Foundation, an organization that has become one of the premier park-associated land conservancies in the country. The committee’s purchase of Desert Gardens in Coyote Canyon, which it dedicated “to the benefit of all mankind,” was an important addition to California’s flagship state park. Now, we see a similar need for land conservancy work in Imperial County and elsewhere. We are ready to move into this exciting area through grants to organizations such as the Anza-Borrego Foundation and our own acquisition program. We are looking particularly at helping the Bureau of Land Management acquire high-priority inholdings, especially those near existing wilderness areas. We are just beginning to survey potential acquisitions, so stay tuned for more news.

Do you know of a desert parcel, especially one in Imperial County, that is a priority for conservation? Contact us to tell us about it!

We also have initiated a variety of restoration activities, including some of the first work in tamarisk removal in the 1980s, as well as ongoing desert cleanup and management projects with the Bureau of Land Management and wilderness monitoring. We’ll post outings offered through BLM and other groups in our Service Outings section.