History of the Preserve
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Fire and Water:
A Little History
Big Morongo Canyon has been a desert oasis, providing food and water, for thousands of years. In the mid-1800s homesteading and ranching began, taking advantage of the water and vegetation. Big Morongo Canyon was a working ranch, passing from one rancher to another until 1968. The Nature Conservancy purchased 80 acres from J. L. Covington in 1968 to preserve the environment and save this unique ecological habitat. Soon afterward, San Bernardino County obtained 160 acres in the adjacent canyon and in 1974 the combined 240 acres were dedicated as a Wildlife Preserve.
In 1982, the Bureau of Land Management recognized the ecological features of the area and designated almost 3,700 acres of the ridge and canyon as an “Area of Critical Environmental Concern”. The Nature Conservancy took over management of the Preserve until 1994.
In 2016, the preserve was incorporated into the new Sand to Snow National Monument protecting 150,000 acres of land between Joshua Tree National Park and Mt. San Gorgonio. The monument is mostly protected wilderness and includes the popular Pacific Crest Trail. It creates wildlife corridors connecting the preserve with Joshua Tree National Park. These corridors allow wildlife, including mule deer, bighorn sheep, mountain lions, and the California black bear to move freely across the wilderness in search of food and water.
Fires
Historically, the area has been subject to wildfires. In 1992, a fire swept through the preserve destroying structures and leaving only embers behind. The Friends of Big Morongo Preserve was organized to collect donations and manage the restoration of the area. In 2005, another major fire destroyed the boardwalk on the Marsh Trail and some of the few remaining buildings from the ranching era.
As the climate warms, fire remains an ever-present danger to the structures and wildlife in the preserve. Of course, open flames, smoking, and fires are strictly prohibited in the preserve..
Water
The other natural threat to the preserve is water. In late summer we can get monsoonal storms that turn streams into raging torrents that rip up the land, destroy structures, and flood the homes of many desert dwellers. One such storm struck in August of 2023; it dumped a year’s worth of rain on the area in 2 days.
Honored for Conservation
The preserve has had many enthusiastic, knowledgeable volunteers who have made a significant impact on conservation in the area. In 1930, Minerva Hamilton Hoyt created the International Deserts Conservation League to promote the conservation of desert lands worldwide. Her tireless efforts led directly to the establishment of Joshua Tree National Monument in 1936. She was perhaps the first great desert conservationist. The Minerva Hoyt California Desert Conservation Award recognizes individuals or organizations that have worked to further Minerva Hoyt’s legacy by making notable achievements in the areas of leadership, protection, preservation, research, education, and stewardship of California’s desert lands. The award seeks to recognize an individual or persons whose efforts lead to a significant and lasting contribution on behalf of the deserts of California.
Four people associated with Big Morongo Canyon Preserve have been honored with this prestigious award:
The Zellers
Dee and Betty Zeller were the preserve hosts for over 20 years.
Dee served as a bird expert guiding weekly bird walks and could often be found on trails toting a chainsaw to clear downed trees. While serving as volunteers and preserve hosts, Dee and Betty were honored, recognized, and awarded many accolades, including the Bureau of Land Management’s “Making A Difference” National Volunteer Award. They were awarded the Minerva Hoyt Conservation Award in 2013.
Betty passed away in 2015 and Dee in 2022. The kiosk at the preserve is named after them and the Betty and Dee Zeller memorial bench is found at the Education Center. Many of our visitors fondly remember sharing stories with them.
Robin Kobaly
She led the preserve through some of its most difficult times, including recovery from the devastating 1994 fire and the transition from a small county reserve to a 31,000-acre BLM preserve and eventual incorporation into the Sand to Snow National Monument. Robin was awarded the Minerva Hoyt Conservation Award in 2018.
Cindy Zacks
Latest News
Newsletter – August 20
On Saturday, September 26, we will celebrate National Public Lands Day with our partners from the Sand to Snow National Monument. California Cadet Corps and members of the Single Marine Program of the 29 Palms Marine Corps base will help us to pull out downed, cut timber from alongside the Marsh Trail. In addition, we will have a bird walk and a nature journaling class. See the links below for registration. Yes, we need your help to reduce the amount of downed fuel in the preserve!
On October 16, we are hosting Birding for Kids with Desert Recreation District and Desert Sands Unified School District (Coachella Valley) to provide enriching opportunities at the preserve. We will gift each of the 25 children, ages 4-10, their own Nocs binoculars so they can continue their new activity at their homes and public spaces.
In addition, elementary schools and homeschool programs are already beginning to make reservations for field classes in the new school year. Providing children with meaningful outdoor education is one of the outstanding opportunities we offer at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. For many young students, a visit to the Preserve is their first opportunity to experience nature firsthand—to explore a wetland, observe birds and wildlife, and discover the importance of protecting our natural world.
Newsletter – August 6
Yes, it has been hot in the desert! Everyone, including the wildlife, is looking to cool off. Despite the heat, we continue to provide safe environmental education for families during the summer.
In July, we completed five sessions of Summer Science Fun! with 88 participants. Our education team designed and implemented programming for children during their summer break on the shaded porch and inside the cool, air conditioned Nature Center. Both the children and their parents felt the science experiments and craft projects were exciting and rewarding.
Thank you for supporting our 30th Anniversary fundraising campaign which was a great success! Here are wonderful comments that accompanied donations:
We love our visits out there. You guys are doing everything right!
Blessings and keep up the great stewardship.
This is one of my happy places. We are honored to support it in life and beyond, as a beneficiary of our estate!
Newsletter – July 23
Imagine standing quietly on a shaded boardwalk as the morning sun filters through towering cottonwoods. Birds fill the air with song. A family pauses to watch a mule deer emerge from the trees. Children excitedly discover a butterfly resting on a native wildflower. For a moment, the noise and stress of everyday life disappear.
Moments like these happen every day at Big Morongo Canyon Preserve because people like you care.
Your generosity helps protect one of California’s most remarkable desert oases while creating opportunities for thousands of visitors each year to experience nature, learn about conservation, and discover why places like this deserve our protection.
This month marks the 30th anniversary of Friends of Big Morongo Canyon Preserve. As we celebrate this milestone, we are proud of everything our community has accomplished together, and we are also looking toward the future.