Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award

Among his most consequential achievements is California’s leadership role in establishing the Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape, a landmark 3.5-million-acre collaborative conservation initiative spanning the western Mojave Desert. Established in 2024 by the Federal Coordinating Committee, the designation brings together federal, state, tribal, military, nonprofit, and local government partners to protect ecologically sensitive desert landscapes while supporting multi-use recreation, military readiness, and climate resilience.  The designation unites the Department of War, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the Interior to provide voluntary assistance to private landowners and streamline regional and coordinated  conservation on public land across multiple agencies and stakeholders. 

The Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape is California’s first designation, representing one of the most innovative conservation and multi-use partnerships in the nation. Anchored by military installations including the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Fort Irwin, Edwards Air Force Base, China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, and Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, the initiative protects vital habitat corridors, recreational lands, and working landscapes from incompatible development pressures. It also advances restoration efforts for imperiled species such as the desert tortoise and western Joshua tree while addressing escalating threats from wildfire, drought, and extreme weather effects.    

Secretary Crowfoot has also been instrumental in advancing California’s ambitious “30×30” conservation initiative — the statewide commitment to conserve 30 percent of California’s lands and coastal waters by 2030. Under his leadership, California has integrated desert ecosystems into broader climate and biodiversity strategies, recognizing the Mojave and Colorado deserts as globally significant landscapes worthy of permanent protection and restoration. The Mojave Desert Sentinel Landscape itself directly complements California’s 30×30 goals by expanding collaborative conservation management across millions of acres of ecologically critical desert terrain.   

In his tenure at CNRA, Secretary Crowfoot supported and advanced the implementation of the Desert Renewable Energy Conservation Plan, a groundbreaking landscape-scale effort balancing renewable energy development with long-term habitat conservation across more than 22 million acres of California desert. This plan has become a national model for integrating clean energy objectives with science-based conservation planning.   

Secretary Crowfoot played a significant leadership role in supporting the designation of the Chuckwalla National Monument, a historic conservation achievement that protects hundreds of thousands of acres of spectacular California desert landscape. Recognizing the area’s exceptional biological diversity, critical wildlife habitat, cultural and sacred tribal resources, and unparalleled recreational opportunities, Secretary Crowfoot worked closely with congressional leadership, tribal nations, conservation organizations, local communities, and federal partners to advance monument designation. The establishment of Chuckwalla National Monument protects vital wildlife corridors connecting the Mojave and Colorado Deserts, safeguards habitat for species including the desert tortoise and desert bighorn sheep, and preserves irreplaceable cultural landscapes stewarded by Indigenous peoples for generations. The monument stands as a lasting legacy of California and our Nation’s commitment to collaborative conservation and our shared vision of protecting California’s most iconic desert landscapes while advancing the state’s 30×30 and biodiversity goals. 

Secretary Crowfoot’s leadership has strengthened partnerships with recreational groups, tribal communities, local governments, scientists, and conservation groups working to restore degraded habitat, expand wildlife corridors, conserve native plant diversity, protect recreational use of the land, and preserve the extraordinary biological and cultural resources of California’s deserts.   

Importantly, his work reflects the very spirit embodied by Minerva Hamilton Hoyt herself: the belief that California’s deserts are not wastelands, but irreplaceable landscapes of ecological, cultural, spiritual, and national significance deserving of enduring protection. 

Through collaborative governance, science-driven policy, and bold conservation leadership, Secretary Wade Crowfoot has helped secure a more resilient future for the Mojave Desert and California’s desert ecosystems. His contributions have advanced conservation at a landscape scale rarely achieved in modern environmental stewardship.

Laraine was a founding board member and secretary of the California Desert Coalition, which formed in response to the Los Angeles Department of Water & Power’s Green Path North proposal to bring 500kV transmission lines through the Morongo Basin and surrounding preserves. Laraine served as an officer until the project was defeated after nearly five years of dedicated effort.

She currently serves as a board member of the Morongo Basin Conservation Association, where she has been active for more than 18 years. She served as president from 2010-2013 and as secretary since 2014. Laraine has been active on MBCA’s Desert Wise Living Landscape Tour Committee since the program began 14 years ago. Originally focused on drought-tolerant landscaping, the program has expanded to promote sustainable desert living practices, including solar energy, permaculture, water use, and architecture. Through her leadership of MBCA’s Scholarship Committee, 12 local students have each received $1,000 scholarships since 2022 to support environmental education and stewardship.

As a member of the Morongo Basin Open Space Group, Laraine contributed to the 2010 Conservation Priorities for the Morongo Basin report, a foundational document outlining key conservation goals, including the formation of the Sand to Snow and Mojave Trails National Monuments.

Laraine has provided long-term volunteer support for groups working on conservation issues including light pollution, wildlife conservation, drought-tolerant and native landscaping, and preservation of desert landscapes from incompatible development throughout the Morongo Basin, Coachella Valley, and the Mojave and Colorado Deserts. Her efforts with the Morongo Basin Dark Sky Alliance from 2010 to 2013 and the Third District Dark Sky Committee from 2017 to 2019 helped Joshua Tree National Park achieve its Dark Sky designation and contributed to the passage of a new Light Trespass Ordinance for San Bernardino County.

From 2014 to 2016, Laraine was appointed to the Bureau of Land Management’s “Connecting People to the Desert” committee. She is a graduate of the Environmental Leadership Academy sponsored by California State University, San Marcos, and the Climate Stewards program sponsored by the University of California.

Beyond her environmental work, Laraine is involved in and supports a wide range of community organizations, including the Copper Mountain College Foundation, 29 Palms Art Gallery, local historical societies, Morongo Basin Literacy programs, and several artist-in-residence programs. Outside of the desert region, she serves as President of the Orange County Chapter of the American Research Center in Egypt.

Her remarkable career is marked by her leadership and collaborative efforts with a diverse range of stakeholders, including local and state governments, environmental organizations, and indigenous tribes. Her ability to unite various groups to address conservation challenges has resulted in transformative legislative and public policy outcomes, including the designation of national monuments and the implementation of critical habitat conservation plans.

As we celebrate this year’s award, we also mark the 30th anniversary of the California Desert Protection Act (CDPA). Joan Taylor played an integral role in the implementation and success of the CDPA, signed into law in 1994, which established several national parks and preserves and laid the foundation for ongoing conservation efforts.

In recognition of her substantial impact, the 2023 Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award honors Joan Taylor’s unwavering commitment to desert preservation. Her work has safeguarded millions of acres of desert landscapes, ensuring the protection of sensitive habitats and species for future generations.

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 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 and the County Night Sky Ordinance. 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 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.

After knowing Whitewater was in good standing, he took a position with Mojave Desert Land Trust (MDLT) with responsibility for raising funds for acquisitions. Through Frazier’s work, MDLT protected over 100,000 acres of the Mojave Desert. He then moved his primary focus to working with multiple partners to encourage President Obama to create Mojave Trails, Sand to Snow, and Castle Mountains National Monuments. Frazier brings unparalleled expertise in land use policy and advocacy. He has testified before Congress on behalf of California desert conservation and successfully collaborated with decision-makers in the Department of Interior. He volunteers for the California Desert Coalition and serves as the Environment representative on the Bureau of Land Management Desert Advisory Council (DAC).

Frazier shares his love of the desert and the outdoors with his wife Jamie – a Pacific Crest Trail throughhiker – and his beautiful children, Lily and Owen. We are honored to recognize Frazier Haney as the 2021 Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award winner.