Joshua Tree honored on new Priority Mail Stamp

Those who still use the U.S. postal system, or simply like to collect stamps, can look forward to a stamp honoring Joshua Trees and a series of stamps celebrating Wild and Scenic Rivers in the country.

The Joshua Tree setting is on a new Priority Mail stamp that will be issued on January 27.

"Celebrating the desolate beauty of the Joshua tree (Yucca brevifolia) and its distinct desert environment, this Priority Mail stamp depicts a common scene throughout much of the Mojave and Sonoran Deserts," the U.S. Postal Service said in a release. "Using the bold colors of the sun’s reflection off of the trees, rocks and other shrubby vegetation, artist Dan Cosgrove illuminates the desert scene in warm, golden hues. Art director Greg Breeding designed the stamp."

Among the Wild and Scenic Rivers to be depicted in a new series of Forever Stamps is the Merced River in Yosemite National Park, the Niobrara River, the Snake River at is flows through Grand Teton National Park, and the Flathead River, and the Missouri River.

This issuance celebrates Wild and Scenic Rivers — exceptional American streams that run freely through natural landscapes without man-made alterations. The pane of a dozen different designs features photographs that represent the more than 200 rivers or river segments designated within the Wild and Scenic Rivers System.

First row, left to right: Merced River (Michael Melford, photographer), Owyhee River (Michael Melford, photographer), Koyukuk River (Michael Melford, photographer)

Second row, left to right: Niobrara River (Michael Melford, photographer), Snake River (Tim Palmer, photographer), Flathead River (Tim Palmer, photographer)

Third row, left to right: Missouri River (Bob Wick, staff photographer for Bureau of Land Management), Skagit River (Tim Palmer, photographer), Deschutes River (Bob Wick, BLM, photographer)

Fourth row, left to right: Tlikakila River (Michael Melford, photographer), Ontonagon River (Tim Palmer, photographer), Clarion River (Bob Wick, BLM, photographer).

Small type on the bottom of each stamp indicates the name of the river.