Latest news with #MojaveDesertLandTrust
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
AutoCamp Offers Immersive Outdoor Experiences and A Deeper Connection to Nature
'We really are here to create memorable and unforgettable experiences while also promoting preservation of the spaces that we're in'— Amanda Wasnock, General Manager of AutoCamp Joshua Tree JOSHUA TREE, CA, UNITED STATES, June 6, 2025 / / -- AutoCamp, a hospitality brand, aims to revolutionize outdoor travel by redefining the iconic camping experience. Blending the traditional elements of sleeping under the stars with the service and design-forward thinking of a boutique hotel, each AutoCamp location aims to create a unique experience that encourages guests to immerse themselves in nature – without sacrificing the comforts of high-end accommodations. With seven distinct locations across the US, AutoCamp offers a gateway to vibrant local cultures and a hub for immersive experiences connecting guests to nature in meaningful ways. In a newly released video as part of the CBS 50 American Leaders Campaign, the team at AutoCamp Joshua Tree highlights the property's deep-rooted partnerships with local businesses, conservation groups, and outdoor experts, offering visitors a chance to engage with Joshua Tree beyond its stunning landscapes. From guided experiences with local rangers to educational discussions with the Mojave Desert Land Trust, AutoCamp Joshua Tree offers guests with opportunities to learn about and contribute to the region's preservation. Hands-on activities like stargazing, sound baths, and yoga bring local experts to the property, equipping guests with tools and knowledge to explore the desert's unique ecosystem. By collaborating with the community, AutoCamp aims to make each visit not just a getaway, but an experience that fosters a deeper appreciation for the people and history that make Joshua Tree so special. 'We're seeing a lot of trends that are pulling travelers to the outdoors,' said Bryan Terzi, Chief Marketing Officer at AutoCamp, 'People are really realizing the wellness benefits of being outside and that AutoCamp offers an iconic outdoor destination, whether it's close to National Parks or just in beautiful landscapes like today at Joshua Tree. Guests and consumers are just wanting to connect to nature a lot more.' AutoCamp integrates sustainability across various aspects of its operations. The dark-sky-compliant property aims to minimize light pollution to preserve the brilliance of the night sky, while a longstanding partnership with the Mojave Desert Land Trust promotes awareness around protecting fragile desert ecosystems, including the endangered Joshua trees and desert tortoises. Additionally, the property's low-impact design minimises disruption to the surrounding landscape, supporting broader conservation efforts. 'We really are here to create memorable and unforgettable experiences while also promoting preservation of the spaces that we're in,' said Amanda Wasnock, General Manager of AutoCamp Joshua Tree, 'That's done through our community-driven experiences, it's our thoughtfully designed spaces, and also just a relaxing calm sense of being within nature.' With its blend of boutique hospitality, outdoor adventure, and community involvement, AutoCamp aims to redefine the modern travel experience. Whether guests are learning from local experts, participating in conservation efforts, or simply unwinding beneath the desert sky, each stay is designed with the objective of creating unforgettable memories while leaving a positive impact. Watch the 50 American Leaders video on AutoCamp Joshua Tree here. ABOUT AUTOCAMP AutoCamp, a hospitality brand, aims to revolutionize outdoor travel by redefining the iconic camping experience. Blending the traditional elements of sleeping under the stars with the service and design-forward thinking of a boutique hotel, each AutoCamp location aims to create a unique experience that encourages guests to immerse themselves in nature – without sacrificing the comforts of high-end accommodations. Since its inception, AutoCamp aims to provide a premier basecamp for the modern adventurer. Current AutoCamp locations include Russian River, Yosemite, Cape Cod, Joshua Tree, Catskills, Zion, and Sequoia, with additional properties to follow in Asheville and Hill Country. For more information about AutoCamp, visit Media Contact M18 PR l [email protected] Mariella Del Federico Acumen Media email us here Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Possible second round of national park terminations draw fire from Mojave Desert groups
Nearly 1,000 National Park Service employees were laid off ahead of the agency's busy summer season as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to downsize the federal government. Recent emails from the Department of the Interior allegedly informed federal park employees that a second round of terminations would follow. Krystian Lahage, Public Policy Officer for the Mojave Desert Land Trust, said they are "closely watching this situation" and are "deeply concerned over federal staff firings." 'The Mojave Desert Land Trust strongly opposes the Trump Administration's decision to fire thousands of employees serving our public lands," Kelly Herbinson said in a press release, Executive Director of Mojave Desert Land Trust. "These actions put landscapes at risk that are championed and beloved by our communities and visitors alike. They exacerbate long-standing funding and staffing shortages for our nation's public lands. We are deeply saddened by the toll this action is taking on morale among federal employees who have dedicated their careers to preserving this country's most treasured landscapes.' Mojave Desert Land Trust tallied up the numbers. Federal firings in February have included approximately 2,300 employees at the Department of the Interior, with 800 staff at the Bureau of Land Management and 1,000 staff at the National Park Service. A further 3,000 U.S. Forest Service employees were laid off. A second round of layoffs is expected. The Trump administration Wednesday ordered heads of federal departments and agencies to prepare to initiate "large-scale reductions in force" by March 13. A memo sent by the Personnel Management and Management and Budget offices has also instructed federal departments to eliminate positions and produce reorganization plans for their agencies by the same deadline, USA Today reported. Six probationary employees were fired at Joshua Tree National Park following what many are calling the "Valentine's Day Massacre" on Feb. 14. According to Joshua Tree's local radio station, Z107.7 FM, park employees were allegedly notified on Tuesday, Feb. 25 via email from the Department of the Interior of a possible second round of terminations later this week for "schedule A employees." Schedule A employees include people with severe physical, psychiatric, or intellectual abilities as well as interpreters and other disability assistants according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This second round of layoffs notification comes only days after email ultimatums from the head of Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk on Saturday, Feb. 22, demanding a reply detailing employee's five accomplishments within the last week lest they face "termination through resignation." Mojave Desert Land Trust does not have any indication yet whether and how the layoffs of BLM staff will directly impact Chuckwalla National Monument or other Southern California public lands. For now, most federal outdoor recreation staff around the nation are unsure of their future. 'The loss of experienced staff in these positions will negatively impact protected habitat in the long-term," Mojave Desert Land Trust organizers told the Daily Press. "The lack of adequate staffing will make it extremely difficult to mitigate visitor interaction with the fragile desert ecosystem and at-risk species such as the Joshua tree and the Endangered Mojave Desert tortoise." Staffing at Joshua Tree National Park was already operating at reduced capacity, Herbinson added, and seasonal employees will not be a solution to this public land crisis. Joshua Tree is one of the busiest national parks in California with 3 million annual visitors trailing only Yosemite. The absence of these permanent staff could also lead to lower collected revenue. While visitation has risen to National Park Service units over the last decade, appropriate funding has not followed. Park advocates like the National Parks Conservation Association and Coalition to Protect National Parks also warn of the repercussions of laying off so many personnel at an organization that was already understaffed. The ability to protect the parks will severely diminish with fewer staff, they advise. Trash will accumulate and toilets in campgrounds will go unattended. Rescue response time will also be critically slower with fewer people manning national parks, leaving many skeptical of their safety while visiting the parks this summer. Mojave Desert Land Trust told the Daily Press that it is also concerned about the Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act authored this year by Representatives Celeste Maloy (R-UT) and Mark Amodei (R-NV). The act would rescind the president's authority to designate national monuments by requiring congressional approval. The Antiquities Act is a bedrock, first-of-its-kind conservation law that gives presidents the authority to designate national monuments on federal lands. It has been used by an equal number of Republican and Democratic presidents since its enactment by President Roosevelt in 1906. Locally, both Joshua Tree and Death Valley began as national monuments designated by the Antiquities Act. Mojave Desert Land Trust has joined countless other organizations and voters in opposing this legislation that would take away the acting president's power to designate national parks and monuments. The Department of the Interior held a 15-day internal review of the nation's national monuments and other public lands previously protected from mineral and energy extraction this month. The review came at the behest of Interior Secretary Burgum's Secretarial Order 3418 "Unleashing American Energy," which primarily dealt with rolling back energy development regulations. Order 3418 encourages energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters to meet the needs of the citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future. The order states the intention of doing so is to establish the nation's position as the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, including rare earth minerals. This process excludes input from the public. Mojave Desert Land Trust is strongly opposed to this order. Energy production is already booming on the lands available for extraction, organizers argued. According to the Energy Information Administration, the United States has been the world's top producer of crude oil for the past six years, meaning, there is no need to further compromise the country's public and federal lands. Through pioneering grassroots efforts, the Mojave Desert Land Trust successfully campaigned for a new national monument to be recognized in Southern California's Mojave Desert this year. The establishment of Chuckwalla National Monument came as one of outgoing President Joe Biden's last executive actions. It is now the fifth largest land-based national monument in the mainland U.S. Over the course of the last 18 years, Mojave Desert Land Trust has closely collaborated with the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management in the shared mission of conserving public lands through land acquisition, stewardship, native plant conservation, and education. Since its founding in 2006, Mojave Desert Land Trust has conserved over 125,000 acres, conveying more tracts of land to the National Park Service than any other nonprofit. Mojave Desert Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to protect and care for lands with natural, scenic, and cultural value within the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. The organization established a conservation seed bank to ensure the preservation of native species, which today houses over 900 seed collections. The organization also operates an onsite nursery at its Joshua Tree headquarters which has grown over 120,000 native plants for restoration projects and community landscaping. Mojave Desert Land Trust educates and advocates for the conservation of the desert, involving hundreds of volunteers in its work. McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@ This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Mojave Desert groups oppose second round of national park terminations
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Possible second round of national park terminations draw fire from Mojave Desert groups
Nearly 1,000 National Park Service employees were laid off ahead of the agency's busy summer season as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to downsize the federal government. Recent emails from the Department of the Interior allegedly informed federal park employees that a second round of terminations would follow. Krystian Lahage, Public Policy Officer for the Mojave Desert Land Trust, said they are "closely watching this situation" and are "deeply concerned over federal staff firings." 'The Mojave Desert Land Trust strongly opposes the Trump Administration's decision to fire thousands of employees serving our public lands," Kelly Herbinson said in a press release, Executive Director of Mojave Desert Land Trust. "These actions put landscapes at risk that are championed and beloved by our communities and visitors alike. They exacerbate long-standing funding and staffing shortages for our nation's public lands. We are deeply saddened by the toll this action is taking on morale among federal employees who have dedicated their careers to preserving this country's most treasured landscapes.' Mojave Desert Land Trust tallied up the numbers. Federal firings in February have included approximately 2,300 employees at the Department of the Interior, with 800 staff at the Bureau of Land Management and 1,000 staff at the National Park Service. A further 3,000 U.S. Forest Service employees were laid off. A second round of layoffs is expected. The Trump administration Wednesday ordered heads of federal departments and agencies to prepare to initiate "large-scale reductions in force" by March 13. A memo sent by the Personnel Management and Management and Budget offices has also instructed federal departments to eliminate positions and produce reorganization plans for their agencies by the same deadline, USA Today reported. Six probationary employees were fired at Joshua Tree National Park following what many are calling the "Valentine's Day Massacre" on Feb. 14. According to Joshua Tree's local radio station, Z107.7 FM, park employees were allegedly notified on Tuesday, Feb. 25 via email from the Department of the Interior of a possible second round of terminations later this week for "schedule A employees." Schedule A employees include people with severe physical, psychiatric, or intellectual abilities as well as interpreters and other disability assistants according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). This second round of layoffs notification comes only days after email ultimatums from the head of Department of Government Efficiency Elon Musk on Saturday, Feb. 22, demanding a reply detailing employee's five accomplishments within the last week lest they face "termination through resignation." Mojave Desert Land Trust does not have any indication yet whether and how the layoffs of BLM staff will directly impact Chuckwalla National Monument or other Southern California public lands. For now, most federal outdoor recreation staff around the nation are unsure of their future. 'The loss of experienced staff in these positions will negatively impact protected habitat in the long-term," Mojave Desert Land Trust organizers told the Daily Press. "The lack of adequate staffing will make it extremely difficult to mitigate visitor interaction with the fragile desert ecosystem and at-risk species such as the Joshua tree and the Endangered Mojave Desert tortoise." Staffing at Joshua Tree National Park was already operating at reduced capacity, Herbinson added, and seasonal employees will not be a solution to this public land crisis. Joshua Tree is one of the busiest national parks in California with 3 million annual visitors trailing only Yosemite. The absence of these permanent staff could also lead to lower collected revenue. While visitation has risen to National Park Service units over the last decade, appropriate funding has not followed. Park advocates like the National Parks Conservation Association and Coalition to Protect National Parks also warn of the repercussions of laying off so many personnel at an organization that was already understaffed. The ability to protect the parks will severely diminish with fewer staff, they advise. Trash will accumulate and toilets in campgrounds will go unattended. Rescue response time will also be critically slower with fewer people manning national parks, leaving many skeptical of their safety while visiting the parks this summer. Mojave Desert Land Trust told the Daily Press that it is also concerned about the Ending Presidential Overreach on Public Lands Act authored this year by Representatives Celeste Maloy (R-UT) and Mark Amodei (R-NV). The act would rescind the president's authority to designate national monuments by requiring congressional approval. The Antiquities Act is a bedrock, first-of-its-kind conservation law that gives presidents the authority to designate national monuments on federal lands. It has been used by an equal number of Republican and Democratic presidents since its enactment by President Roosevelt in 1906. Locally, both Joshua Tree and Death Valley began as national monuments designated by the Antiquities Act. Mojave Desert Land Trust has joined countless other organizations and voters in opposing this legislation that would take away the acting president's power to designate national parks and monuments. The Department of the Interior held a 15-day internal review of the nation's national monuments and other public lands previously protected from mineral and energy extraction this month. The review came at the behest of Interior Secretary Burgum's Secretarial Order 3418 "Unleashing American Energy," which primarily dealt with rolling back energy development regulations. Order 3418 encourages energy exploration and production on federal lands and waters to meet the needs of the citizens and solidify the United States as a global energy leader long into the future. The order states the intention of doing so is to establish the nation's position as the leading producer and processor of non-fuel minerals, including rare earth minerals. This process excludes input from the public. Mojave Desert Land Trust is strongly opposed to this order. Energy production is already booming on the lands available for extraction, organizers argued. According to the Energy Information Administration, the United States has been the world's top producer of crude oil for the past six years, meaning, there is no need to further compromise the country's public and federal lands. Through pioneering grassroots efforts, the Mojave Desert Land Trust successfully campaigned for a new national monument to be recognized in Southern California's Mojave Desert this year. The establishment of Chuckwalla National Monument came as one of outgoing President Joe Biden's last executive actions. It is now the fifth largest land-based national monument in the mainland U.S. Over the course of the last 18 years, Mojave Desert Land Trust has closely collaborated with the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management in the shared mission of conserving public lands through land acquisition, stewardship, native plant conservation, and education. Since its founding in 2006, Mojave Desert Land Trust has conserved over 125,000 acres, conveying more tracts of land to the National Park Service than any other nonprofit. Mojave Desert Land Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to protect and care for lands with natural, scenic, and cultural value within the Colorado and Mojave Deserts. The organization established a conservation seed bank to ensure the preservation of native species, which today houses over 900 seed collections. The organization also operates an onsite nursery at its Joshua Tree headquarters which has grown over 120,000 native plants for restoration projects and community landscaping. Mojave Desert Land Trust educates and advocates for the conservation of the desert, involving hundreds of volunteers in its work. McKenna is a reporter for the Daily Press. She can be reached at mmobley@ This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Mojave Desert groups oppose second round of national park terminations
USA Today
30-01-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Public land in Mojave Desert just named as California's newest national monument
Public land in Mojave Desert just named as California's newest national monument The new monument was established in mid-January by outgoing President Joe Biden as one of his last executive actions to help restore endangered desert tortoise habitats Show Caption Hide Caption Biden designates two new federal monuments in California President Joe Biden announced a significant amount of California land as Chuckwalla, Sáttítla National Monuments. Roughly 740,000 acres of the Mojave Desert comprise California's newest national monument in Riverside and Imperial counties. Chuckwalla National Monument was established in mid-January by outgoing President Joe Biden as one of his last executive actions after several years of grassroots and advocacy campaigning by groups like Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT). It is now the fifth largest land-based national monument in the mainland U.S. The national monument status offers an alternate future for the southernmost California desert as it grapples with climate change and habitat loss according to MDLT. The monument also serves to preserve the area's incredibly biodiverse land, nearly two-thirds of which is critical habitat for the endangered Mojave Desert tortoise and the desert pupfish. The new monument houses The Chuckwalla Bench, one of the most intact tortoise habitats in the California desert. This area contains the highest density of desert tortoises in the 700-million-acre Colorado Desert and is critical for the species' recovery, according to state officials. The Chuckwalla Bench is also the only place on earth where the Munz's Cholla is found, the largest cactus in California according to CA Desert Lands. The move was influenced by pressures of the incoming Trump administration to drill for gas and oil in California as stated by Mojave Desert Land Trust Public Policy Officer Krystian Lahage. "The Mojave Desert Land Trust is proud to have served as part of the movement to designate this new desert national monument, in collaboration with our conservation partners, Tribal leaders, and the greater community," the group said via social media. Lahage and the groups' Executive Director Kelly Herbinson were "thrilled" and "honored" to have been among those invited to witness the official designation in person at the White House and they "thank President Biden for recognizing the overwhelming public support for [the national monument] designation and the tireless efforts of the monument's congressional champions Senator Alex Padilla and Rep. Raul Ruiz." Key features of the new national monument The area of the now-protected national monument has long served as a prominent hiking and camping sanctum. The new Chuckwalla monument also protects World War II-era training sites including the Patton training camps and historical mining sites. In addition, its protected status also ensures that special places like the Mecca Hills and Bradshaw Trail are safeguarded for future generations to recreate, and honors the homelands of the Cahuilla, Chemehuevi, Mojave, Quechan, and Serrano peoples. The Ladder Canyon Trail via Painted Canyon is perhaps the most popular hiking trail in Chuckwalla National Monument. The trail winds through slot canyons carefully carved by the San Andreas fault with various ladders to climb up the steep canyon walls. Corn Springs Campground is deep in the national monument, known for its heavy Native American use. The area bears some of the richest petroglyphs in the Colorado Desert and at only $6 a night, Corn Springs Campground is a low desert mecca. Mojave Desert Land Trust Mojave Desert Land Trust is dedicated to preserving and restoring the native California desert, according to its website. The group has been a part of the grassroots campaign advocating for greater protection of the Chuckwalla Mountain area. The organization provided ways for the public to engage with excursions to the area and drew petitions calling on President Biden to designate the monument. MDLT helped write the proposal to protect the land using their field experience stewarding desert tortoise habitats in the region. They also carried out an extensive on-the-ground analysis of the ecological factors within the proposed monument. The grassroots group worked with conservation partners and Tribal leaders in building support for legislative and community initiatives to get Chuckwalla protected as a national monument. The native land The lands within the monument have, and continue to be, home to the Iviatim (Cahuilla), Nüwü (Chemehuevi), Pipa Aha Macav (Mojave), Kwatsáan (Quechan), and Maara'yam and Marringayam (Serrano), and other Indigenous peoples. The area includes sacred trails, sacred sites and objects, traditional cultural places, geoglyphs, petroglyphs, pictographs, and culturally important plants and wildlife. According to MDLT, this monument weaves together several special designations of critical landscapes within the boundary including California Desert National Conservation Lands, nine Areas of Critical Environmental Concerns, and five Wilderness areas including Mecca Hills, Orocopia Mountains, Chuckwalla Mountains, Little Chuckwalla Mountains, Palo Verde Mountains, and Milipitas Wash. Next steps for Chuckwalla Conservationists throughout California have to work together to figure out how to sustain the protection of Chuckwalla National Monument, Herbinson said. The monument status was a win, she continued, but now the real work begins. Former Quechan Indian Tribal Councilmember Donald Medart Jr. mentioned similar sentiments to NBC Palm Springs. "It's of the utmost importance for us to continue to work together. ... The tribes are working together with the outside community in order to ensure that this land is protected for all of us." The Mojave Desert Land Trust stated that it looks forward to continuing its research and conservation work on behalf of the flora and fauna that occupy this unique landscape. For those interested in volunteering either time or resources, visit McKenna Mobley is a Daily Press reporter and can be reached at mmobley@
