Coachella Valley Urban Refugia

The Coachella Valley is home to an important intersection of ecosystems - the Colorado Desert stretches south and east to Anza Borrego and the Colorado River, the Mojave Desert begins in Joshua Tree National Park and extends north, and to the west we have high mountain peaks, chaparral woodland, and the urban centers of Los Angeles and San Diego. This intersection of people and protected landscapes is part of the “Wildland Urban Interface”, where wildlife must adapt to human interference. Species retreat, or in some cases thrive in these new urban refuges. Observe wild animals pollinating the flowers in your yard, perched on the telephone poles running down your street, and along the path in your local parks!