WHEREAS, Deserts are brimming with life but remain one of the least understood ecosystems; and

WHEREAS, One billion people, or one-sixth of Earth’s population, live in desert regions; and

WHEREAS, Although deserts may appear barren, they are one of the richest biomes in the world, home to thousands of species, several of which are considered endangered; and

WHEREAS, Deserts cover about one-quarter of California and more than one-fifth of Earth’s land area; and

WHEREAS, California deserts provide valuable recreational opportunities to residents and visitors, including backpacking, biking, camping, hiking, horseback riding, and offroading; and

WHEREAS, These valuable opportunities will be restricted without widespread education about sustainable practices; and

WHEREAS, The Mojave Desert, named for the Mojave People, occupies more than 25,000 square miles across southeastern California and portions of Nevada, Arizona, and Utah; and

WHEREAS, The Mojave Desert has extreme variations in daily temperatures, with not only frequent winter frosts but also the hottest recorded temperatures on Earth; and

WHEREAS, The Mojave Desert encompasses the western part of Joshua Tree National Park, home to several species including the desert bighorn sheep, the threatened Mojave Desert tortoise, California tree frogs, and some 250 species of birds, including roadrunners, cactus wrens, red-tailed hawks, and golden eagles; and

WHEREAS, The Colorado Desert extends from the San Gorgonio Pass in California to the Colorado River Delta in Mexico and includes parts of the Counties of Imperial, San Diego, Riverside, and San Bernardino; and

WHEREAS, The Colorado Desert includes the Salton Sea, California’s largest lake, which has become a critical resource for more than 400 species of resident and migratory birds and several species of fish, including tilapia and the endangered desert pupfish; and

WHEREAS, The Great Basin Desert is the largest desert in the United States, covering nearly 200,000 square miles and including parts of eastern California, most of Nevada and parts of Utah, Oregon, Idaho, and Wyoming; and

WHEREAS, The Great Basin Desert is the only “cold” desert in the United States, where most precipitation falls in the form of snow; and

WHEREAS, The Legislature must support the ongoing efforts to educate California residents on their role in conserving desert biodiversity; and

WHEREAS, World Desert Day will raise awareness about the importance of desert ecosystems, their unique biodiversity, and challenges; and

WHEREAS, Awareness is crucial in fostering a deeper understanding of desert ecosystems in order to preserve and protect these special environments worldwide; now, therefore, be it