
The "QM2" parcel will help provide wildlife habitat and protect a portion of Joshua Tree National Park's northern boundary. Photo by Vera Topinka.
A 40-acre parcel of valuable wildlife habitat has been acquired near the northern boundary of Joshua Tree National Park by the Mojave Desert Land Trust.
The acquisition will permanently preserve a section of wildlife corridor required for the movement of bighorn sheep, badger, mule deer, mountain lion and dozens of bird species, in addition to providing pristine habitat for the recovery of the threatened desert tortoise, the group said Monday.
The property, known as "QM2," is adjacent to the MDLT Quail Mountain Project - 955 acres that was preserved in September of 2010. These properties are both a guardian and gateway to the national park, the Trust said in a release. The acquisition continues to fulfill the group's mission of preserving open space, dark night skies, and wildlife corridors for the enjoyment of the community.
The acquisition was made possible through a generous donation by the landowner and donations to MDLT’s Wildlife Linkage Campaign.
“A significant portion of this land was donated by the landowner who wanted it to be conserved. We are grateful to them for reaching out the Land Trust and supporting the preservation of a critical piece of the linkage," said Nancy Karl, executive director of the Trust. "These types of win/win transactions create major strides toward our goal of a protected corridor for wildlife and beautiful natural areas for our communities.”
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