MEMBERS
In October, Overland Bound Executive Director, Kent Reynolds hosted a Trail Guardian event at the Mojave National Preserve. On a cool fall morning, 53 Overland Bound member volunteers from California and Nevada joined representatives from the National Park Service and Mojave Desert Land Trust to help with projects at the southeastern California Preserve. By the time members headed home from the weekend, they had logged 650 volunteer hours.
NPS Projects
We are grateful for everything that our National Park Service rangers do. Overland Bound Trail Guardians were more than happy to help them with several projects to make the Preserve safer and more beautiful.
The biggest project at the Fall event was to finish replacing the roof on the Kessler Ranch barn that was built around 1900. OB member Mike Keith and his crew had been working to rebuild this historic structure since it was damaged by the Cima Dome Fire in 2020. Thanks to our members, Kessler Ranch has their barn back.
44,000 acres burned in the Cima Dome Fire of 2020, including 4.3 million Joshua Trees
OB Members worked with NPS biologists to collect Joshua Tree seeds for future use within the preserve.
Joshua Tree seeds collected by volunteers
NPS biologist shows volunteers how to correctly collect Joshua Tree seeds
Mojave Desert Land Trust Projects
In order for new properties to be conveyed to the National Park Service and become a part of the Preserve, all non-historic items must be removed.
To this end, Members helped representatives from the Mojave Desert Land Trust to remove 80 yards of rusted appliances, old vehicles, and other surprising garbage from the Ronnie Crowell Ranch in Cima. The Ranch is now eligible for Mojave Preserve incorporation, which means more land and trails for NPS and the rest of us!
Members also surveyed the Mojave Road to identify damage that would need to be addressed at a later date.
The group found major storm damage along several miles of the road that will be projects for future Trail Guardian events.
Sunset in the Mojave Preserve
NPS Biologist Neal Darby presenting to members on Saturday night
Trail Guardian Program
The Overland Bound Trail Guardian Program exists because governments around the world do not have the resources to keep all of our public lands clean and safe for everyone to enjoy. Since 2018, Trail Guardian events have removed 100 tons of garbage from public lands, with many more clean-up and revitalization projects happening multiple times a year.
Learn more about Overland Bound Land Use and Stewardship.
Organize Trail Guardian events in your community
Become an Overland Bound member today to organize a Trail Guardian event in your community and to participate in trail clean-ups around the globe!
Hi Kent Reynolds, enjoyed your post on the” Clean-Up: Mojave Preserve,” what’s a good way to see upcoming Trail Gardian events?
Is it just to keep an eye on the app Ralley Point page or is there another way to get pushed upcoming Trail Gardian events?
Thanks!
Em –