This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters.
People across the globe come to visit the arid and bleak Mojave Desert to gaze upon the marvelous towers known as Joshua trees.
I got up close and personal with them through a field botany course at Cal Poly. I immediately became captivated by these rugged icons — tenacious survivors that have weathered millennia in blistering heat — only to realize that even the most valiant symbols of tenacity have a breaking point.
While they remain gleaming beacons of the Mojave’s cultural identity today, environmental extremes and encroaching human activity threaten to leave these ancient pillars extinct by the dawn of the next century.
Most of the Joshua tree range resides within the Mojave Desert. While this region is expansive, constant human expansion threatens the remaining habitat.
Communities surrounding Joshua Tree National Park benefit greatly from the tourism it provides. In 2024 alone, 3 million park visitors spent $179 million, generating $214 million in economic benefits for the area’s communities.
Nevertheless, these communities should tread carefully or their main attraction could fizzle out.
Several large solar farms and rare earth element mining projects are being proposed in the region, which could wipe out thousands of Joshua trees.
For example, a solar project approved near Boron will result in the removal of 4,200 Joshua trees. And a rare earth element mining project being considered right outside of Joshua Tree National Park would desecrate 32 square miles of Joshua tree habitat if implemented.
While those projects would increase renewable energy, bringing many “green” benefits to communities, they shouldn’t come with such a heavy environmental toll.
Beyond these threats, Joshua trees also are battling deteriorating environmental conditions. Record-breaking droughts in recent years have pushed Joshua trees past their capable limits, even though they’re well adapted to the Mojave’s scorching sands. Climate change predictions hint at even more catastrophic droughts and heat waves for years to come.
Joshua trees usually take at least 30 years to mature, so their environment will likely become inhospitable before many of them can adapt. If trends continue, Joshua trees could reach the brink of extinction by 2100.
If that were to happen, the damage would not stop there.
Twenty-five types of bird rely on Joshua trees, along with such rare species as the pallid blue dotted butterfly and the desert tortoise. Even in the seemingly lifeless Mojave, the ecosystem is vibrant and interconnected. Without Joshua trees, most of these species could not survive.
Beyond the Mohave’s natural elements, some local communities would likely dissolve without its ecotourism supporting their economy.
Joshua trees have been around since the late Ice Age, when they relied on giant ground sloths to disperse their seeds. Unfortunately, the sloths went extinct about 13,000 years ago, leaving Joshua trees as ecological ghosts ever since.
As the Earth again goes through a major transition period, it is up to us to lend a hand. To ensure the ecosystem remains intact, businesses and localities should remain cautious in future development while considering Joshua trees a top priority.
On an individual level, we should support local nonprofits like the Mojave Desert Land Trust, which is seeking innovative solutions and acknowledge the role nature plays in our livelihoods and well-being.
Reflecting on my amazing field botany trip to Joshua Tree National Park, I realized it wasn’t just the trees that left an impression, but also the intricate web of life that finds a way in such a rugged landscape.
Many people never get the opportunity to see Joshua trees in their lifetime. If current trends continue, eventually no one will. To ensure these ecological wonders don’t vanish permanently, we should protect Joshua trees and the Mojave Desert.
