Last year, California enacted its first law to protect a species threatened by climate change, placing Joshua trees under state safeguards. However, a planned solar farm in the Mojave Desert may lead to the destruction of thousands of these iconic trees, all in the name of combating the very issue that the previous legislation had aimed to shield this species from.
The proposed solar facility, spanning over 2,000 acres, will necessitate clearing habitat that Joshua trees call home. Once operational, this farm is expected to generate enough electricity to power approximately 200,000 homes.
However, local residents in the project’s surrounding rural community say they will not see any of the benefits from this clean energy, which is slated to be directed toward wealthier coastal areas instead. Meanwhile, these nearby towns face a poverty rate double the California average.
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Beyond the Joshua trees in this area, which include specimens over a century old, conservationists warn that the project will also impact the endangered desert tortoise. Over 18,000 acres of this animal’s habitat in the Mojave have already been cleared for other solar projects.
The area targeted for this new development is said to be a crucial breeding ground for the tortoises, whose population has plummeted by 90% since 1970. With these tortoises having existed for around 15 million years, their potential extinction could come at the hands of expanding solar power projects.
