Joshua Trees are on the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) List,
But the Solar Industry is still cutting down entire forests.
How does this make sense?

What is Wrong with the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act/Plan?

#1 - The “Act” is simply a “Pay-to-Play” Fee Schedule
Written By and For the Solar Industry
#2 - The “Act” has no Ability to Save even One Joshua Tree. None.
#3 - The “Act” Bypasses CESA Protections
and Punishes Residential Homeowners
#4 - The “Plan” is Taxpayer Funded Greenwashing
Provided as a Service to the Solar Industry
#5 - The “Plan” Happens “After” the Forests are Cut-Down
By the Solar Industry
#6 - The “Plan” proposes to “Transplant” or “Re-Seed” New Forests.

Summary: The current draft of the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Plan (WJTCA) is ineffective in protecting Joshua Tree forests and undermines meaningful conservation efforts.

1. Fundamental Weaknesses of the WJTCA

• The WJTCA is a Pay-to-Play scheme. Its main function is to impose a fee schedule—it has no authority to stop even a single Joshua Tree from being cut down.

• The WJTCA lacks enforcement power. Unlike the California Endangered Species Act (CESA), it cannot halt or deny destructive projects, including those by industrial solar developers.

• The WJTCA incentivizes destruction. Solar developers are offered discounted “bulk rates” for removing trees en masse. This incentivizes the clear-cutting of entire forests. Where are the public records or minutes from the meeting that approved these discounts?

• The WJTCA is inefficient and inequitable. It punishes homeowners with time-consuming, burdensome permit requirements—just to remove a single tree—while industrial projects can eliminate thousands with a single permit.

• It is not scalable. The plan cannot handle thousands of individual homeowner requests efficiently, while it streamlines destruction for large projects.

• The plan’s origin is flawed. It was modeled after an Emergency Order issued by Director Bonham, which allowed 15 solar projects to bypass all CESA protections without proper review. This was a dangerous precedent. Bonham should be held accountable for undermining CESA.

2. Erosion of Public Trust and CESA Integrity

• CESA once offered real protection. On September 22, 2020, Joshua Trees had enforceable protections under CESA, which had the power to halt harmful projects. That protection was gutted by the Emergency Order.

• The process has damaged CESA’s credibility. Despite being a CESA-listed species, Joshua Tree forests continue to be bulldozed. This is a public relations disaster for the state’s endangered species protections.

• The WJTCA favors industry voices. Fish & Game has met with solar industry representatives but ignored homeowners. This is evident in public forums, where solar interests are now silent—likely because they’ve already been accommodated—while homeowners continue to voice concerns.

3. False Solutions: Transplanting and Replanting

• Transplanting is greenwashing. In Fish & Game’s own data, transplanted Joshua Trees had a 64% mortality or poor health rate after just two years.

• Seedling reforestation doesn’t work. In the science-based well-managed Cima Dome re-planting project, 80% of Joshua Tree seedlings died within two years.

• You cannot recreate a Joshua Tree forest. The only proven way to protect these forests is to leave them intact.

4. Better Models and Legal Protections Exist

• Arizona protects its desert species. In Arizona, it is a felony to cut down a Saguaro Cactus. Developers would never risk jail time or fines to bulldoze Saguaro fields. But homeowners can still apply for a permit to remove plants from residental property. This approach truly protects forests!

• California can adopt a similar model. We need strong, enforceable protections for Joshua Trees, with appropriate allowances for homeowners—not a policy that sacrifices forests to corporate convenience.

5. The western joshua tree COnservation Plan is taxpayer-funded greenwashing provided as a service to the solar industry.

• The WJTCA does not stop the deforestation of the Mojave. But the “Plan” somehow “Saves” the Forests?

• The “Plan” incentivizes the destruction of Joshua Tree Forests. The Plan gives the Solar Industry official “Approval” to destroy Joshua Tree Habitat.

• Transplanting and re-seeding forests have proven NOT to be effective. These methods should be removed from all documents.

Conclusion:

The WJTCA/P is a weak and inequitable plan that prioritizes industry interests over ecological integrity and community concerns. It offers no real protection to Joshua Tree forests, undermines public trust, destroys the reputation of CESA and attempts to pass off ineffective mitigation strategies as conservation. A meaningful conservation plan must include enforceable protections, public accountability, and a commitment to ecological science—not just a fee schedule.

Next Steps:

1. Send an EMail (Preferably by April 11, but anytime is fine)

This is an email template. You can modify the email and then press SEND.

NOTE: If the EMail Button above does not work with your EMAIL program,
You can use this ——-> [Full EMAIL Template]

Email Governer Newsom Directly Here —-> https://www.gov.ca.gov/contact/

2. Attend the ZOOM Meeting - APril 16/17, 2025

ZOOM Meeting Info Here

Subscribe and we’ll let you know of upcoming actions / protests / emails

“I Thought They Were Protected” Documentary
Premiered June 23, 2024 - Palm Springs International ShortsFest
Subscribe for more Screening Dates

Watch the ”Who Approved the Aratina Solar Project?” Video