Twentynine Palms, CA, August 11, 2023 – The Joshua Tree National Park Association is thrilled to announce the recipient of the 2022 Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award: Idavid Graficks. This prestigious award aims to honor individuals or organizations that have made exceptional achievements in leadership, protection, preservation, research, education, and stewardship, contributing significantly to the conservation of California’s deserts. The date and location of the award ceremony will be revealed shortly.
Idavid Graficks, a renowned Fine Art Screen Printing Studio founded by David Fick and the late Ida Foreman Fick, has been an invaluable part of the Joshua Tree community for over a quarter century. As a hub for artistic creativity, they have collaborated with various artists over the past thirty years, bringing their passion and expertise to the screen printing medium.
The studio has been instrumental in preserving the natural beauty of Joshua Tree through active community engagement and advocacy. The journey of community activism began when a bullet came through their studio window in 1987, leading to the formation of the Joshua Tree/Wonder Valley network. This network later evolved into the Political Action Committee group “Desert Environmental Response Team” (DERT), which played a vital role in defeating multiple MegaDump projects threatening the desert, including the Bolo Rail-Cycle MegaDump, Broadwell Toxic Waste Repository, and Eagle Mountain Landfill MegaDump.
Together, David and Ida’s achievements for the desert are far-reaching, reflecting their dedication to the greater good of Morongo Basin residents. They have worked tirelessly on various conservation-related issues, championing environmental and social justice concerns. Among their many accomplishments, David and Ida were instrumental in getting Joshua trees listed on the threatened species list. They also played a pivotal role in the enactment of legislation such as the Bobcat Trapping Ban. Their partnerships and collaborations with various organizations further demonstrate their unwavering commitment to safeguarding the desert ecosystem.
As the Joshua Tree National Park Association celebrates the 2022 Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award winners, we recognize the indelible mark left by David and Ida of Idavid Graficks and their exceptional dedication to preserving Joshua Tree’s desert landscape.
Past winners of this prestigious award read like a “Who’s Who of Conservation Achievements” and include: 2004 – Susan Luckie Reilly; 2005 – Larry & Donna Charpied; 2006 – David Myers, The Wildlands Conservancy; 2007 – John Wohlmuth, Coachella Valley Association of Governments; 2008 – Mark Jorgenson, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; 2009 – Dianne Feinstein; 2010 – Owens Valley Committee; 2011 – Elden E. Hughes (posthumously awarded); 2012 – Steve & Ruth Rieman; 2013 – Dee & Betty Zeller; 2014 – Desert Protective Council (Terry Weiner); 2015 – Nancy Karl; 2016 – Cindy Zacks; 2017 – Pat Flanagan; 2018 – Robin Kobaly, The Summertree Institute; 2019 – David Lamfrom, National Park Conservation Association; 2020 – Dr. Cameron Barrows; and 2021 – Frazier Haney.
