NATIONAL PARK SERVICE • U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP STRATEGY SUMMARY JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK CALIFORNIA JANUARY 2021 CONTENTS Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Purpose of a Resource Stewardship Strategy ................................................................................. 1 Intent of this Summary Document ................................................................................................. 2 Brief Description of Joshua Tree National Park ............................................................................... 3 Development of the Resource Stewardship Strategy for Joshua Tree National Park ........................ 5 Operating Principles of Joshua Tree National Park .......................................................................... 7 Key Park Issues, Stressors, and Threats ............................................................................................... 9 Anthropogenic Climate Change in Joshua Tree National Park ....................................................... 17 Priority Resources and Components ................................................................................................. 19 Priority Resource Summaries ........................................................................................................ 21 Archeological Resources ..............................................................................................................................21 Ethnography ...............................................................................................................................................21 History ........................................................................................................................................................22 Historic Structures .......................................................................................................................................22 Cultural Landscapes ....................................................................................................................................23 Museum Collections and Archives ................................................................................................................23 Native Flora ................................................................................................................................................24 Native Fauna ...............................................................................................................................................26 Oases and Other Riparian Areas ..................................................................................................................27 Wilderness Character ..................................................................................................................................28 Geological Resources ..................................................................................................................................28 Paleontological Resources ...........................................................................................................................28 Water Resources .........................................................................................................................................29 Night Sky ....................................................................................................................................................29 Air Quality ..................................................................................................................................................30 Soundscape ................................................................................................................................................31 Scenic Views ...............................................................................................................................................31 Landscape-Scale and Cross Boundary Resources and Collaboration ..............................................................32 Stewardship Goals .............................................................................................................................. 33 High-Priority Stewardship Activities ................................................................................................. 45 Ongoing Implementation of the Resource Stewardship Strategy .................................................. 63 References ......................................................................................................................................... 64 Appendix A: Joshua Tree National Park Comprehensive List of Stewardship Strategies and Respective Priorities ............................................................................. 66 Contributors ..................................................................................................................................... 113 Resource Stewardship Strategy Summary | Joshua Tree National Park | California | i TABLES Table 1. Key Issues, Stressors, and Threats; Potential Implications; and Affected Resources .......... 9 Table 2. Priority Resources and Their Components ......................................................................... 19 Table 3a. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Archeological Resources .................................................................................................................... 34 Table 3b. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Ethnography ....................................................................................................................................... 35 Table 3c. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— History ................................................................................................................................................. 35 Table 3d. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Historic Structures ............................................................................................................................. 36 Table 3e. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Cultural Landscapes .......................................................................................................................... 37 Table 3f. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Museum Collections and Archives .................................................................................................... 37 Table 3g. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Native Flora ....................................................................................................................................... 38 Table 3h. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Native Fauna ...................................................................................................................................... 39 Table 3i. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Oases, Springs, and Other Riparian Areas ....................................................................................... 41 Table 3j. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Geologic Resources ........................................................................................................................... 41 Table 3k. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Paleontological Resources ................................................................................................................ 42 Table 3l. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Water Resources (sans oases / springs) ............................................................................................. 42 Table 3m. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Night Sky ............................................................................................................................................ 42 Table 3n. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Air Quality ......................................................................................................................................... 43 Table 3o. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Soundscape ........................................................................................................................................ 43 Table 3p. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Scenic Views ....................................................................................................................................... 43 Table 3q. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Wilderness Character ........................................................................................................................ 43 Table 3r. Long-Term and Short-Term Stewardship Goals for Priority Resource— Landscape-scale and Cross-boundary Resources and Collaboration .............................................. 44 ii | Bridging Science and Management for Today and Tomorrow Table 4a. High-Priority Stewardship Activities for Priority Resource— Archeological Resources ...................................................................................................................