The National Parks Conservation Association and Defenders of Wildlife are pleased to announce the Climate Change and the California Desert Conference. The conference is free of charge and will be held on Friday, March 12, 2010 in the Yucca Room at the Yucca Valley Community Center in Yucca Valley, California. The purpose of the conference is to educate citizens, elected officials, students and the staff of land management agencies about how climate change will affect our California desert and Joshua Tree National Park. Sponsors include The Mojave Desert Land Trust, The Living Desert, The Desert Protective Council, The National Park Service , Copper Mountain College, The Sun Runner Magazine and The Morongo Basin Cultural Arts Council. Registration for the conference will take place at 8:30am and the conference will be from 9:00am:4:30pm. Conference attendees will be given a lunch break to have lunch in Yucca Valley.

The presentations at the Climate Change and the California Desert Conference will examine how climate change will affect the California Desert, but it will also explore how renewable energy initiatives can help protect the resources of our desert while saving businesses and homeowners money. Our featured speakers will include Dr. Debra Hughson, Science Advisor to the Mojave National Preserve, speaking about how climate change will affect the Mojave Desert’s seeps and springs; Dr. Cameron Barrows presenting on the effects of climate change on the desert tortoise; Dr. Lori Hargrove on desert birds and climate change and Jim Ferguson discussing how AB811 can help counties and municipalities offer low interest loans to business and homeowners for energy upgrades like rooftop solar, energy efficient air conditioning and much more!

We are also organizing a climate change art contest and show after the conference at the Hi: Desert Nature Museum, which will draw upon the works of artists from all over the Morongo Valley.

Please RSVP to Seth Shteir, Senior Program Coordinator
National Parks Conservation Association
Joshua Tree, CA 92252
760:366:7785
sshteir@npca.org

DIRECTIONS:
The Conference is being held in the Yucca Room of the Yucca Valley Community Center at 57090 Twentynine Palms Highway, Yucca Valley, CA 92284. For more information about the location, please go to http://www.yucca:valley.org/departments/recreation.html