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ACR-8 Desert ecosystems.(2025-2026)

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ACR8:v99#DOCUMENT

Revised  January 09, 2025

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Concurrent Resolution
No. 8

Introduced by Assembly Member Wallis
(Coauthors: Assembly Members Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Avila Farias, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Essayli, Fong, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Hart, Hoover, Jackson, Kalra, Lackey, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Rivas, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Ward, Wicks, and Wilson)

December 13, 2024

Relative to World Desert Day.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


ACR 8, as introduced, Wallis. Desert ecosystems.
This measure would recognize the 2nd Saturday of January each year as World Desert Day in California, and would encourage local jurisdictions to partner with organizations, agencies, or community groups to host educational programs and community celebrations highlighting desert conservation.
Fiscal Committee: NO  
WHEREAS, Deserts are among the most vibrant, yet least understood, ecosystems in the world, and are home to over 7,000 species of flora and fauna, many of which are endangered, including unique wildlife, such as the desert tortoise, whose conservation is vital to the health of desert ecosystems; and
WHEREAS, The desert biome is one of the three richest in biodiversity, yet it faces significant threats due to human activity, including habitat destruction and climate change, impacting desert regions such as the Mojave Desert, the Sonoran Desert, the Colorado Desert, and the Great Basin Desert, all of which host diverse species and critical habitats; and
WHEREAS, Six percent of the world’s population resides in deserts, including some of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities, whose survival is deeply tied to the health of the desert ecosystem, such as those living in the deserts of California and other regions across the globe; and
WHEREAS, Larger desert-dwelling animals, such as elephants, lions, and giraffes, are particularly at risk of extinction, underscoring the urgent need for conservation efforts across all desert ecosystems, including the protection of species, like the desert tortoise, that call California’s deserts home; and
WHEREAS, California is home to some of the largest and most prevalent deserts in the United States, including the Mojave Desert, the Sonoran Desert, the Colorado Desert, and the Great Basin Desert, all of which are integral to the state’s biodiversity and ecological health; and
WHEREAS, The future of deserts and their wildlife depends on human action, with efforts needed to address the challenges deserts face and to promote their sustainable coexistence with human development, particularly in desert regions where delicate ecosystems are home to threatened species, like the desert tortoise; and
WHEREAS, World Desert Day will serve as a day to honor deserts and their biodiversity, raise awareness of their vulnerabilities, and celebrate the vital conservation work being done to protect them; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims the second Saturday of January each year as World Desert Day in California to recognize the importance of deserts, their ecosystems, and the wildlife and communities that depend on them; and be it further
Resolved, That local jurisdictions are encouraged to partner with organizations, agencies, or community groups to host educational programs and community celebrations highlighting desert conservation and the rich biodiversity of desert ecosystems; and be it further
Resolved, That all Californians are urged to participate in activities supporting desert preservation, including visiting desert conservation institutions, learning about desert ecosystems, and advocating for sustainable environmental practices; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to interested organizations, and to the author for appropriate distribution.
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REVISIONS:
Heading—Line 2.
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