California approves an unprecedented plan to protect Joshua trees from climate change threats

A sweeping conservation plan identifies where Joshua trees may survive in a warmer future and plots out how to best protect that land.

Proponents say it’s the first time the state has taken steps to conserve a species that’s abundant now but is projected to lose much of its future habitat due to climate change.

Some fear the plan and the law that required it will stifle growth and drive up the cost of living.

California has approved an unprecedented plan to protect the iconic Joshua tree from climate change and development.

The western Joshua tree conservation plan is a broad blueprint that compiles scientific research and traditional ecological knowledge to identify areas where the plant may thrive in a warmer future and plot out how to best protect that land. It recommends limiting d