Spring 2007

The Mojave Desert Land Trust • P.O. Box 207 • 6847 Adobe Road • Twentynine Palms, CA 92277 • (760)361-6401 • www.mojavedesertlandtrust.org

ANCIENT FOOTPRINTS
ON NOLINA PEAK

Mathew Leivas, Sr., a Chemehuevi Indian and Co-Director of the Salt Song Project of the Southern Paiute people, recently told us of the cultural importance of the Salt Song Trail, which runs along the Morongo Valley below Nolina Peak. The Salt Song Trail represents the path of their ancestors through sacred lands of Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and California.

Salt Songs are the traditional songs of his people to revitalize important places in their culture, to contribute to community healing from the loss of much of their lands, and to assist in transition to the next world. Native Americans have begun holding healing ceremonies at many of these sites, including the Oasis at Twentynine Palms, to remind the spirits that the Native People have not forgotten them. They are teaching youth about the stories and songs in the landscape and their connection to Mother Earth.

For thousands of years, Nolina Peak was an important source of large and small game, and a wide variety of plant material for food and medicinal use. The mountain itself was considered the territory of the Serrano Indians whose lands extended from the Oasis at Twentynine Palms through the San Bernardino Mountains.

According to Mr. Leivas, Southern Paiutes and their close cousins, the Chemehuevi, would ask their Serrano friends for permission to hunt game and gather plants at Nolina Peak and to obtain water at the spring at Covington Flats. The permission was always freely given.

Open letter from President Claudia Sall

Dear neighbors,

Now is the time. Nolina Peak, which lies to the south of Highway 62 at the boundary of Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree, is not protected as a part of Joshua Tree National Park. Many of us always assumed that it was in the Park, and when it came up for sale by its owners we jumped at the chance to buy it and transfer the land to the Park.

Time is now running out on our opportunity, and we still need over $200,000 to complete the purchase. Protect this important part of our cultural and natural legacy and give generously now!

Sincerely,
Claudia Sall
President, Mojave Desert Land Trust

Above: Nolina Peak is the northern end of Quail Mountain, a rugged roadless terrain that is home to big horn sheep, deer, mountain lion, and animals accustomed to roaming outside urban areas. It has a unique plant community dominated by pinyon pine, Parry nolina, and Mojave yucca. Many ancient plants grow alongside their youthful offspring, demonstrating eons without major disturbance.

What Kind of People Fall in Love with Land Trusts?
Have you seen Miss Potter?

Land trusts have been around for a long time. They can acquire all sorts of different interests in land with a purpose of permanent protection. Most land trust acquisitions are straight forward purchases of land and the creation of a stewardship plan to keep it in a natural condition forever.

Land trusts also acquire easements over land owned by private parties. In those cases the land will likely be kept in its present condition under an easement agreement with the landowner, which gives the land trust an ability to preserve and protect its present use forever. Those uses include the protection of scenic values, historic and other cultural values such as Native American sacred land sites, and natural habitat for animals and plants. In other parts of the country they also protect farmlands from commercial and industrial development.

In the United States, donations of land and money to properly formed land trusts are deductible for tax purposes. But, for most people, tax deductions are not the most important motivator for giving to a land trust.

Rather, there is an inner personal call to protect the landscape that nature has given to us. It is a beautiful call to stewardship for the protection of wild and open spaces for our children and those who come after them.

One of the important early land trust pioneers was Beatrix Potter. She earned her fame as a literary phenomenon in the early 20th Century with the publication of 23 beloved tales of wild animal creatures, which many of us first met as children, cuddling under a reading light with our parents.

The first and most famous of these stories was The Tale of Peter Rabbit, which was first published in 1902. It tells of a naughty rabbit whose many antics mirrored the desires of youngsters who cannot resist a forbidden cookie on the counter or the challenge of running away from home, at least for a little while.

Beatrix Potter was both writer and artist and captured her favorite whimsical creatures in a way that inspired children everywhere, and of course their parents as well. Who can forget-

Once upon a time there were four little rabbits, and their names were Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail, and Peter. They lived with their mother in a sand-bank, underneath the root of a very big fir tree.

Beatrix drew nourishment for her stories and drawings from an intimate romance with the English countryside. She was born in London in 1866 and, while growing up in a somewhat solitary childhood under the watchful eye of a governess, studied art and natural history. She spent her holidays in the countryside and learned to love its animals as her closest friends.

Beatrix made her home in the English Lake District for the last 30 years of her life. With her personal wealth from the success of her books she purchased vast swathes of land in the Lake District to protect it from residential development. By the time of her death in 1943 she had left over 4,000 acres of protected farm countryside and woodland to the National Trust to be stewarded for future generations.

Her story has now been made into the movie Miss Potter starring Renee Zellweger as Beatrix. You will experience just what it is that makes the type of person who learns to love a land trust. It is a story of affection for wild creatures and open spaces, and the enthusiastic giving of time and resources to protect them.

We recommend Miss Potter. Bring someone you love. Bring someone young. And bring some Kleenex.

MEMBERSHIP

We are pleased to welcome the following organizations, visitors, and residents of our community as members of the Mojave Desert Land Trust:

Lorie & Teresa Agnew Jane Allingham Antelope Valley Group Angeles Chapter Sierra Club Nancy Bartell Bartoo Family Trust Sam Bearpaw Anne Beattie Charles Bell Hank Bell Marge Bell Vern Benhart, Linda Edwards David P. Bigler Mary Jane Binge B.D. & Faye Bouldin Bonnie C. Brady Lawrence Briggs Larry & Kathleen Brozee Emily Brydon Jennifer Byerly Randy Byerly Jill Carpenter Larry & Donna Charpied Marianna Cherry Daniel & Trisha Chronister Anna Clough Jay & Susan Corbin Abe Daniels Cathy Danzeisen Stephanie Davis Estelle Delgado Odile Dell’Aquila Deborah DeMeo Desert Trails Hiking Club Nancy Downer Spelman Evans Downer Jim Dunlap George Early Gary Eastin Mr. & Mrs. Joe Edmiston Ben Ehrenregel Elite Land Tours Jason Elsasser YVCC Environmental Club Daren Evensen Karen Evensen Bernice E. Falltrick Larry Fike Roberta Forem Jack & Victoria Fuller Robert M. Furst Steven D. Gabel Todd Gentry Michele Given Pat Gowland Kathy Grace Lori Greene Jeff Hafler, Michael & Cash Winn Cody D. Hanford Steve Hatterman Edward Hedley Melinda Hedley in memory of Frank Geising, Roy Sechrist, Dudley Heller, & Melinda Hubbard Helen Heller Alice & John Hershberger Meyghan Hill Joanne Hinchliff Mason Holt George Huxtable Arlene Jean Jeff Johnson Alan Jolly Karen Jones Nancy Karl Mindy Kaufman Mark, Rachel, Steven & Rebekkah Keller Jean Kenna & Max Stein Olivia Kirchmann Country Kitchen Phil Klasky Angela Kustici Shannon Landreth George & Alice Lear in memory of Bob Lear

Gary D. Lee Charles Lenoff William Leventhal Barbara Levin Norbert Lies Joseph Loder Mickey Luckman Sue & Paul Maag John & Karon Masterson & grandchildren Dylan, Dakota, Katie Jerry Mattos & Stephanie Ince Elliott Mazur Morongo Basin Conservation Assn. James McBride & Tracy Tynan Bridget McGinty David & Nancy McHenry David & Diana McMullen Ramsey McPhillips Linda & Daniel Melzer Joyce & Walter Metcalf Joy Miike Lori Miller Steve Mitculey Kat Moser Mark & Linda Muller Dr. George Mulopulos Thomas Murphy Victoria Norwood & David Kahler Matt Oliphant Lester & Patricia Ott Christopher Otterbine Adam Paige Tim Palen Richard & Shirley Pantoja Richard Peet Cathy Penny Ruth & Herrick Peterson Tawnja Pflueger Darryl Pion Gardner P. Pond Steve Pratt & Scott W. Cutler Drew Reese Barbara Resdera Edward Rice Marilyn A. Richardson-Lee Robert & Pamela Riches Jim & Grace Rickard Mary L. Roggs-Cuyno Donald & Constance Sachs Charles S. Schoney J. Sciarra James Scott Rachael & G.Sidney Silliman Alexis Sonnerfeld Bonnie L. Spayd Kenneth Spayd Steve Spear Spin & Margie’s Desert Hideaway Brett & Nancy Stearns Glen Steigelman Drayton N. Stephenson Stitch Art Studio Jonathan Sustus Michael & Sharon Swigart Elizabeth Szabo K.H. Tinquist, Jr. Tobi Taoada & Jim Hopper Trek America, Harry Antoniou Triad Realtors Irene Trzyna Laraine Turk Twentynine Palms Artists Guild Diana Van Zandt Stephen Vanduser James & Karen Vedder Abel Villarreal Brock Ward Frances & Gerald Weland Bryce & Wilma Wheeler Lawrence Whipple David & Linda Williams T.J. Williams Daniel & Cindy Zacks Joe Zarki & Marilyn Lutz Susan Zelouf & Michael Bell Gordon & Miriam Zittel

We couldn’t do it without you ... and wouldn’t want to!

It is exciting for us to thank the many volunteers that have helped us move forward so rapidly. Christopher Johansing, Deb LaMonica, Orv Hunter, Karin Messaros, Paul Morehead (Versatile Video), Wally Pacholka (Astropics), Nicole Panter, Ruth & Steve Rieman, Curt Sauer, Frank Sheckler, D.D. Trent, Ellie Tyler, and Elize Van Zandt all stepped forward and offered considerable expertise with impressive follow through. Impressive as well is the exposure we have received through the efforts of the Basin Wide Foundation, Hi-Desert Publishing Co., Morongo Basin Conservation Association, The SummerTree Institute, and The Sun Runner.

Thanks to those who showed up when newsletters needed mailing, who willingly (and articulately) participated in our promotional video, who talked to friends and walked neighborhoods for Nolina Peak, and who carried our newsletters in their businesses. Thanks to members of the Andromeda Society and Vera Topinka for fund-raising house parties. We are grateful to Pavanne Jewelry and the 29 Palms Inn for regularly donating a portion of their receipts to the land trust.

-Pat Flanagan

Guided Walks: Saturdays – 9:30 a.m. to Noon – April 14 & 28 and May 5

The Mojave Desert Land Trust invites you to become familiar with the 639 acres of Nolina Peak, a wildland property adjacent to Covington Flats in Joshua Tree National Park. Enjoy the breathtaking views and learn about the natural history and geology of this exquisite wild landscape in an easy 1.5-mile walk. Call the MDLT office at 760-361-6401 and leave your name, phone number, and the number in your party. Wear walking shoes, a hat, and sunscreen. Bring water, camera, and binoculars.

Download/view the newsletter:
Spring 2007 (pdf)
Winter 2007 (html) (pdf)
Fall 2006 (pdf)