California Proposes Plan to Protect Its Famous Joshua Trees
2024-12-09
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1The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has released a proposed plan to protect the state's famous Joshua trees.
2Environmentalists say the trees are threatened by wildfires, human development and climate change.
3An early version of the plan calls for avoiding or reducing direct and indirect effects of overgrazing, insect-killing chemical use and off-roading activity.
4The plan advises moving trees when projects require their removal or could harm them.
5It also calls for identifying and protecting lands where the trees could survive if the climate in southern California becomes drier and hotter.
6"In many ways, it's a good comprehensive plan of the things we need to do if the western Joshua tree is going to survive the very, very difficult decades ahead," said Brendan Cummings.
7He is conservation director with the Center for Biological Diversity based in Tucson, Arizona.
8The nonprofit group asked the California government in 2019 to list the western Joshua tree as threatened under the state's Endangered Species Act.
9The conservation plan is a requirement by the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act.
10California lawmakers passed the act last year.
11It is the first law in the state to protect a species from the threats of climate change.
12The law also bars anyone from killing, damaging, or removing a tree without state permission.
13The proposed plan lists ways to help identify land that should be recognized as most important for conservation.
14This includes large areas with Joshua trees or areas with a high density of healthy and adult trees.
15The plan suggests placing restrictions on areas where there is low risk of such threats as fires, invasive plants and animals, development and where pollinators and seed-spreading animals exist.
16It aims to identify these lands by December 2025 and place permanent restrictions on 70 percent of them by 2033.
17The plan also calls on land managers and wildfire workers to create methods to reduce and fight wildfires that threaten the trees and lessen effects from rehabilitating burned areas.
18That includes protecting trees, replanting them, planting other native species, and controlling invasive ones.
19The proposed plan says, its effectiveness and the survival of the trees will mainly depend on whether reductions can be made in the release of heat-trapping gases.
20Such emissions come mainly from burning coal, oil and gas.
21Cummings said climate change could destroy most, if not all, of the areas where the trees live if the situation does not change.
22If emissions are limited as planned, Cummings said, "we have a very good chance of saving the species if all the things outlined in this plan are carried out. And primarily that's doing what we can to protect as many of them as possible."
23Approval from California's Fish and Game Commission is necessary for the proposed plan to go into effect.
24I'm Caty Weaver.
1The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has released a proposed plan to protect the state's famous Joshua trees. Environmentalists say the trees are threatened by wildfires, human development and climate change. 2An early version of the plan calls for avoiding or reducing direct and indirect effects of overgrazing, insect-killing chemical use and off-roading activity. The plan advises moving trees when projects require their removal or could harm them. It also calls for identifying and protecting lands where the trees could survive if the climate in southern California becomes drier and hotter. 3"In many ways, it's a good comprehensive plan of the things we need to do if the western Joshua tree is going to survive the very, very difficult decades ahead," said Brendan Cummings. He is conservation director with the Center for Biological Diversity based in Tucson, Arizona. The nonprofit group asked the California government in 2019 to list the western Joshua tree as threatened under the state's Endangered Species Act. 4The conservation plan is a requirement by the Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act. California lawmakers passed the act last year. It is the first law in the state to protect a species from the threats of climate change. The law also bars anyone from killing, damaging, or removing a tree without state permission. 5The proposed plan lists ways to help identify land that should be recognized as most important for conservation. This includes large areas with Joshua trees or areas with a high density of healthy and adult trees. The plan suggests placing restrictions on areas where there is low risk of such threats as fires, invasive plants and animals, development and where pollinators and seed-spreading animals exist. It aims to identify these lands by December 2025 and place permanent restrictions on 70 percent of them by 2033. 6The plan also calls on land managers and wildfire workers to create methods to reduce and fight wildfires that threaten the trees and lessen effects from rehabilitating burned areas. That includes protecting trees, replanting them, planting other native species, and controlling invasive ones. 7The proposed plan says, its effectiveness and the survival of the trees will mainly depend on whether reductions can be made in the release of heat-trapping gases. Such emissions come mainly from burning coal, oil and gas. 8Cummings said climate change could destroy most, if not all, of the areas where the trees live if the situation does not change. 9If emissions are limited as planned, Cummings said, "we have a very good chance of saving the species if all the things outlined in this plan are carried out. And primarily that's doing what we can to protect as many of them as possible." 10Approval from California's Fish and Game Commission is necessary for the proposed plan to go into effect. 11I'm Caty Weaver. 12The Associated Press reported this story. Caty Weaver adapted the story for VOA Learning English. 13_____________________________________________ 14Words in This Story 15over-grazing - n. the act of permitting animals to graze (an area, such as a field) to the point of damaging vegetational cover 16off-roading - n. the activity of driving a vehicle in a place where there is no road 17comprehensive - adj. covering completely or broadly 18decade - n. a period of 10 years 19pollinator - n. an agent (such as an insect) that pollinates flowers 20rehabilitate - v. to restore or bring to a condition of health or useful and constructive activity 21manager - n. a person who runs a business or organization