UPDATE JUNE 16, 2022:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California won’t be listing the iconic western Joshua tree as a threatened species for now. The California Fish and Game Commission voted 2-2 Thursday (June 16, 2022) on whether to list the tree under state Endangered Species Act. The tie vote doesn’t mean the tree won’t be listed. Instead the commission will hear the issue again in October. In the meantime they want more feedback from tribes and asked the Department of Fish and Wildlife to work on a conservation plan. There was broad agreement that hotter temperatures and more extreme droughts fueled by climate change are a danger to the trees.
JUNE 16, 2022:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California officials are weighing whether to list the iconic western Joshua tree as a threatened species, which would make it harder to remove the trees for housing and energy projects. The California Fish & Game Commission is expected to vote Thursday (June 16, 2022). The Center for Biological Diversity says the tree, known for its spiky leaves, is at risk from warming temperatures, worsening droughts and wildfires due to climate change. But the California Department of Fish & Wildlife says the tree is still abundant and widespread and doesn’t need to be designated as threatened.
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