Friends of the Desert Mountains connects people to the land through conservation, education, and research. We also support the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.
As Friends of the Desert Mountains, we are dedicated to building a community of support to help preserve the unique wildlife and scenic beauty of the Coachella Valley and our Desert Mountains. We acquire and preserve wildlands, promote stewardship of trails, conduct educational programs, and support ecological research.
Friends of the Desert Mountains works with biologists, conservationists, and government agencies to identify key lands for protection. We select land for its scenic, biological, recreational, or cultural significance, and then offer to purchase it from willing sellers at fair market value. Through these key acquisitions, we give permanent protection to the beauty, character, and diversity of the Coachella Valley.
We have spent 35 years in conservation and have achieved many successes, but we know that without the support of future generations, our preservation efforts may be in vain. We have made it our mission to reach out to tomorrow's leaders. We steward the land, support the National Monument Visitor Center, and educate the community. We go into the field with kids, lead hikes, and give classes. By doing so, we hope to reveal the wonders of the fragile desert and mountains we call home and instill an environmental awareness that will last a lifetime.
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.””
Our Vision
The Friends’ vision is a thriving, productive and inclusive community integrated with a healthy and sustainable natural environment throughout the Coachella Valley region.
Our Values
Stewardship
We are dedicated to permanently protecting the critical natural resources in the Coachella Valley.
Collaboration
From our inception, our success relies on important partnerships that include tribal nations, government agencies at all levels as well as other nonprofit groups.
Education
We engage all ages to reveal the wonders of the fragile desert and mountains we call home and instill an environmental awareness that we hope lasts a lifetime.
Inclusion
We strive to connect everyone to the land, so that all residents and visitors feel welcomed, respected, and supported in the outdoors.
Accountability
The key to successfully protecting our natural environment for future generations is to act ethically and honestly in all our work. We are responsible for our actions and understand that the decisions we make today will impact our region’s future.
Diversity
Just as natural systems thrive on diversity, so too does our organization. Diversity is a core principle and overarching goal of the Friends of the Desert Mountains.
“This is how we connect people to the land”
Diversity as a Way of Life
Just as natural systems thrive on diversity, so does our organization. We know that the preservation of the Desert Mountain landscape is going to take all of us. We, at Friends of the Desert Mountains, are committed to cultivating a social ecology that reflects the values, lived experiences, and voices of our greatest conservation resource: our community.
The world is changing, and the outdoor and environmental field has been slow to change along with it. Like many organizations across the country, the Friends of the Desert Mountains’ awareness of these issues has grown and led to reflection on our history and current practices that have excluded parts of our community. As a result, we have begun to take a hard look at ourselves and our programs, practices and policies. We are committing to continue that work.
Our Diversity as a Way of Life commitment means that we will endeavor to reflect the diversity of our community in everything we do: our board, our volunteers, our activities, and our conservation efforts. It extends beyond words; it can be found within our strategic plan, and we will hold ourselves accountable throughout this process. As part of our work to strengthen and solidify our commitments to diversity and equity, we will be reflecting, updating, and adding measurable goals to our statement and hope you will check back in with us along the way.
What We've Achieved
From San Gorgonio Pass to the Salton Sea, Friends of the Desert Mountains has protected over 60,000 acres. We currently manage and monitor over 17,000 acres of conservation land. Taken together, these wildlands have:
Preserved a unique wildlife movement corridor between two mountain ranges at the west end of of the Coachella Valley. This vital connection gives wildlife the ability to move and respond to climate change and other human impacts, and protects the scenic gateway to the Coachella Valley and the extraordinary views of the San Jacinto escarpment.
Conserved incredibly rare desert riparian habitat by acquiring the historic Whitewater Trout Farm, thereby facilitating its conversion to an outdoor education center owned and managed by the Wildlands Conservancy. The site also includes a section of the famed Pacific Crest Trail, preserving a link in a chain of recreational opportunities spanning over 2,500 miles.
Expanded the Willow Hole and Thousand Palms Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard preserves and protected the essential sand source and sand transport areas that maintain these unique and endangered habitats. The dune and mesquite hummock systems found in the Coachella Valley are home to an array of species found nowhere else on earth.
Preserved sections of the Palms to Pines Scenic Byway, the only paved road through the Santa Rosa & San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, and provides dramatic views for tens of thousands of people whose only exposure to the Monument is by driving this road. These lands have also protected critical habitat in the heart of the range of the endangered peninsular population of bighorn sheep.