[Call To Order]
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TURN IT OVER TO YOU GUYS. STAFF. FOR STUDY SESSION. STUDY SESSION. YES. OKAY. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS. MY NAME IS ANDREW READ. AND TONIGHT I'M GOING TO BE. INTRODUCING KATY FIRST SPEAKER. I THINK SO, YEAH. THERE WE GO. SPEAKING TO THE MIC SO THEY CAN RECORD. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU KENDRA OF COURSE. GOOD AFTERNOON COMMISSIONERS KENJI REEF AND I WANTED TO
[Informational]
INTRODUCE OUR SPEAKER FOR OUR STUDY SESSION THIS AFTERNOON, MISS KATIE BURROWS. SHE'S GOING TO BE DISCUSSING NATIVE PLANT SPECIES AND KIND OF GOING OVER THOSE PLANT SPECIES SO WE CAN HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE'RE EVALUATING AND LOOKING AT AND OUR LANDSCAPE PLANS. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WELCOME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MR. VICE CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.I BROUGHT A LITTLE BOUQUET OF NATIVE FLOWERS FROM MY OWN GARDEN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CHANCE TO BE WITH YOU. MY NAME IS KATIE BARROWS. I LIVE IN LA QUINTA. I'M WITH THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY AND HAD HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH GABRIEL ABOUT A PRESENTATION THAT WOULD GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE BACKGROUND ON NATIVE PLANTS AND LANDSCAPING WITH NATIVE PLANTS, WHICH ARE BECOMING MORE POPULAR, AND IT'S VERY PROGRESSIVE OF THE CITY OF COACHELLA, TO BE LOOKING AT AN ORDINANCE THAT WOULD ENCOURAGE AND BASICALLY THROUGH ORDINANCE, INCLUDE THE USE OF NATIVE PLANTS AND LANDSCAPING. SO WITH THAT, LET ME JUST GO AHEAD AND GET STARTED. LET'S SEE. PUSH THE MIDDLE BUTTON. YES. THAT PUT IT UP OKAY OKAY. OH THAT'S TRUE. WE'RE NOT THERE YET. OKAY. THERE WE GO. GREAT. OKAY. SO I CALLED THIS BRINGING NATURE HOME. I THINK ONE OF THE REALLY WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES ABOUT USING NATIVE PLANTS IS IT DOES BRING A LOT OF THE ELEMENTS OF OUR DESERT ENVIRONMENT AND THE DESERT ECOSYSTEM INTO THE LANDSCAPE. AND CERTAINLY AS WE LOOK AT THE DROUGHTS THAT WE'RE ENCOURAGING OR THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AND CHANGES IN OUR CLIMATE, HAVING NATIVE PLANTS IS, I THINK, PARTICULARLY RELEVANT FOR PEOPLE FOR A LOT OF REASONS, WHICH I'M GOING TO DISCUSS IN A MOMENT. SO THIS AFTERNOON I WANTED TO JUST GO THROUGH SOME TOPICS, JUST VERY BRIEFLY TALK ABOUT THE DESERT ECOSYSTEM AND NATIVE PLANTS IN THE COLORADO DESERT, WHICH IS THE AREA THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN. KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND, WHAT IS WHAT IS MEANT BY A NATIVE PLANT VERSUS NON-NATIVE? WHAT'S KIND OF THE MEANING OF THAT? TALK ABOUT SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF NATIVE PLANTS, AND THEN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT ON SOME OF THE FAVORITE NATIVE PLANTS THAT ARE WE'RE SEEING A LOT MORE IN LANDSCAPING. I KNOW THIS ORDINANCE AND YOUR INTEREST WOULD APPLY TO POTENTIALLY RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT PLANTS THAT ARE BEING SUGGESTED AND PROPOSED ARE THOSE THAT ARE AVAILABLE. SO FINALLY, I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT LOCAL RESOURCES AND SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT'S AVAILABLE, BUT ALSO SOME OF THE OPPORTUNITIES TO PURCHASE NATIVE PLANTS, WHICH IS ALWAYS A BIG QUESTION AND HAVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS. SO THE DESERT ENVIRONMENT HERE IS TREMENDOUSLY RICH. AND JUST TAKING A LOOK AT OUR NATIVE ECOSYSTEMS, WE HAVE EVERYTHING FROM SAND DUNES TO PALM OASES. THE PICTURE IN THE UPPER RIGHT IS THE WHITEWATER CANYON AND THEN DOS PALMAS. ON THE LEFT SIDE. SO WE HAVE SOME TREMENDOUS EXAMPLES OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS. AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S SOMETIMES A SURPRISE TO PEOPLE IS THAT NATIVE PLANTS AND OUR DESERT ECOSYSTEM IS ACTUALLY VERY DIVERSE. THERE'S A LOT OF SPECIES. PART OF THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAVE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY, NOT JUST THE SAND DUNES ON THE VALLEY FLOOR, BUT WE HAVE MOUNTAIN RANGES AND HIGHER ELEVATIONS AND ALSO THE SALTON SEA. AND WE'RE ALSO KIND OF AT THE JUNCTURE OF THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE COLORADO DESERT. SO THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF DIVERSITY, AND THAT'S IMPORTANT TO ALL OF US. IT'S WHAT'S CALLED A BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOT. AND THIS MAP JUST SHOWS BY COLOR THE VARIOUS REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES AND OF COURSE, THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, BECAUSE OF THE RICH TOPOGRAPHY AND COASTAL ENVIRONMENTS AND HIGH MOUNTAINS,
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IS ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE IN THE COUNTRY. AND EVEN IN THE DESERT ENVIRONMENT, IT IS A FAIRLY HIGH. THE COLORS ARE TEND TO BE TOWARDS MORE TO THE GREEN THAT SHOW EXAMPLES OF HIGH BIODIVERSITY. AND IF YOU CAN SEE THIS CIRCLE THERE, THAT SHOWS WHERE WE'RE LOCATED. I'M JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THAT. AND THEN WE EVEN HAVE SOME RARE PLANTS, ENDANGERED PLANTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND ARE BEING PROTECTED THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF THE COACHELLA VALLEY MULTIPLE SPECIES PLAN, WHICH THE CITY IS A PART OF. SO WHAT IS A NATIVE PLANT AND WHAT'S DIFFERENT BETWEEN WHAT WE CALL A NATIVE PLANT? SO FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS DISCUSSION AND A MORE SORT OF TYPICAL NOW PEOPLE LOOK AT NATIVE PLANTS AS THOSE THAT GROW HERE NATURALLY AND WERE HERE BEFORE EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT IN THE, IN THE UNITED STATES. SO ESSENTIALLY A LOT OF THESE ARE THE PLANTS THAT WERE USED BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. I WAS AT A LECTURE AT UCR PALM DESERT LAST NIGHT WITH SIENNA THOMAS, WHO'S INVOLVED WITH THE TORRES MARTINEZ, TALKING ABOUT THE WAY THAT NATIVE PLANTS ARE USED IN MANY DIFFERENT WAYS BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. SO THOSE ARE REALLY WHAT WE'RE REFERRING TO IS THOSE PLANTS THAT HAVE BEEN HERE FOR, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY IN MANY CASES, THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS. AND IN MANY CASES, THOSE PLANTS ARE EVOLVED OR HAVE SOIL RELATIONSHIPS WITH FUNGI. IT'S KIND OF AMAZING TO UNDERSTAND THE DESERT SOIL AND HOW MUCH GOES ON BENEATH THE SOIL THAT IS IMPORTANT TO THE SURVIVAL OF PLANTS. AND THESE NATIVE PLANTS REALLY ARE, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AND ACTUALLY VERY WELL ADAPTED TO OUR DESERT CLIMATE, WHICH IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS. SO BETWEEN THAT, THERE'S ALSO A LOT OF WHAT ARE CALLED WATER EFFICIENT OR DESERT OR LOW WATER USE PLANTS. AND THESE ARE ALSO PLANTS THAT ARE FOUND TO BE SUITABLE TO A DESERT CLIMATE. BUT IN MOST CASES THEY DO REQUIRE MORE SUPPLEMENTAL MOISTURE AND IN A LOT OF CASES, MORE CARE. AND I'M JUST GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THAT AS WE GO FORWARD. THE NATIVE PLANTS AND PLANTS IN GENERAL ARE THE FOUNDATIONS OF ECOSYSTEMS. SO ALL OF THE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN THE DESERT ARE DEPENDENT ON NATIVE PLANTS. SO INCORPORATING THOSE PLANTS IN THE LANDSCAPE, WE CAN REALLY HELP TO ENCOURAGE OUR LOCAL ECOSYSTEMS. WE FIND THAT MANY INSECTS, LIKE THE MONARCH BUTTERFLY THAT YOU MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH, WHICH IS VERY TIED TO THE OCCURRENCE AND AVAILABILITY OF MILKWEED. MANY, MANY INSECTS AND OTHER ORGANISMS. BUTTERFLIES HAVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARTICULAR PLANT SPECIES OR GROUPS OF PLANTS, AND PLANTS ARE UNIQUELY ADAPTED TO A DESERT CLIMATE. THIS JUST GIVES A QUICK MAP OF THE DESERT ENVIRONMENTS THAT WE SEE IN THE COLORADO DESERT, WHICH WE CONSIDER THE SORT OF PORTION OF THE SONORAN DESERT THAT'S IN CALIFORNIA, WEST OF THE COLORADO RIVER. THAT'S THAT AREA. BUT OF COURSE, IN THE DESERT, IT'S PRETTY MUCH ALWAYS A DROUGHT, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE HAD SOME VERY WET YEARS IN RECENT PAST. AND SO PLANTS HAVE ADAPTED TO THOSE, AND THE NATIVE PLANTS HAVE SPECIAL PROVISIONS. THIS IS AN OCOTILLO WHICH HAS THE ABILITY TO DROP ITS LEAVES PRETTY READILY DURING THE DRY SEASON. SO WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF NATIVE PLANTS? WHY WOULD WE ENCOURAGE AND WHAT WOULD BE THE ADVANTAGE TO YOUR RESIDENTS AND MEMBERS OF YOUR COMMUNITY OF USING MORE NATIVE PLANTS IN LANDSCAPE? PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT OF THAT IS NATIVE PLANTS SAVE WATER. THEY ARE USUALLY WHAT, ONCE ESTABLISHED, CAN BE WATERED QUITE INFREQUENTLY. I HAVE A LOT OF NATIVE SHRUBS IN MY YARD. ALL THESE FLOWERS CAME FROM THAT, AND THOSE OFTENTIMES COULD REALLY BE WATERED LIKE ONCE A WEEK. ONCE THEY'RE ESTABLISHED EARLY ON, THEY WILL NEED A LITTLE BIT MORE IN LOW RAINFALL YEARS LIKE WE'VE HAD SO FAR THIS YEAR. OF COURSE, MORE WATER WOULD BE AVAILABLE. IT IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT OPPORTUNITY FOR WATER SAVINGS, AND I'LL GIVE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT. THIS IS ACTUALLY MY FRONT YARD QUITE A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. IT DOESN'T QUITE LOOK LIKE IT'S QUITE A MUCH MORE PLANT GROWTH NOW, BUT THESE PLANTS ARE LOCALLY ADAPTED ESPECIALLY. ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS IS THEIR LOCAL ADAPTED ADAPTATIONS TO OUR CLIMATE. AND WITH GLOBAL OR WITH CLIMATE CHANGE, WE'RE SEEING INCREASINGLY HOT TEMPERATURES. AND THESE ARE PLANTS THAT ARE WELL ABLE TO HANDLE THOSE TEMPERATURES. WE ALSO ARE LOOKING AT RUNOFF, THE BENEFITS OF NOT HAVING TO DO AS MUCH WATERING AND NOT USING FERTILIZERS AND PESTICIDES. NATIVE PLANTS REALLY DON'T LIKE TO BE WATERED VERY MUCH, AND THEY DON'T NEED AND THEY DON'T LIKE FERTILIZER, SO THEY TEND TO OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE ADAPTED TO SOILS THAT ARE PRETTY POOR. AND MOST OF THE PESTICIDES THAT OTHERWISE MIGHT BE A POLLUTANT WOULD NOT BE NECESSARY IN GROWING NATIVE PLANTS. SO IN A LOT OF WAYS, THEY ARE MUCH EASIER TO USE. THEY DO SUPPORT THE LOCAL ECOLOGY. THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF OUR LOCAL DESERT MILKWEEDS, WHICH IS A PLANT THAT'S VERY ATTRACTIVE TO[00:10:02]
NOT ONLY THE MONARCH, BUT THIS BUTTERFLY, THAT DESERT QUEEN. AND MANY OF THESE PLANT AND ANIMAL SPECIES OR ANIMAL SPECIES, INSECTS AND BUTTERFLIES ARE DEPENDENT ON SOME OF THOSE NATIVE SPECIES. SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE. AND THEN POLLINATORS, WE ARE HERE. AND I WAS JUST READING ABOUT SOME OF THE CHALLENGES FOR BEEKEEPERS WHO ARE SEEING, ESPECIALLY WITH THE DROUGHT, DECREASING NUMBERS OF BEES AND FIGURING OUT HOW THEY'RE REALLY GOING TO MANAGE, BECAUSE AS THIS NOTES, ABOUT 80% OF OUR CROPS ARE ARE POLLINATED BY INSECTS, LARGELY BEES. AND SO THESE NATIVE PLANTS I HAVE ONE OF THE PLANTS HERE, THE DESERT MALLOW IN MY YARD. AND WHEN I GO OUT AND LOOK AT IT IN THE MORNING, THE BEES ARE IN THERE LIKE SLEEPING IN THE FLOWERS. SO IT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT TO TRY TO BRING MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR POLLINATORS.THIS IS WHAT A BEE LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT'S BEEN VISITING FLOWER. IT'S ALL COVERED WITH POLLEN.
AND OF COURSE AS IT MOVES AROUND, THAT HELPS TO MOVE THE POLLEN FROM ONE PLANT TO ANOTHER AND ENCOURAGE MORE GENETIC DIVERSITY. AND THEN OTHER WILDLIFE SPECIES ARE ALSO DRAWN TO PLANTS, ESPECIALLY THE NATIVE PLANTS. LOTS OF DIFFERENT BIRD SPECIES. AND SO THIS IS KIND OF A CARTOON. WHAT WE LOOK AT ARE NICE, VERY NEAT, WELL KEPT LANDSCAPE. AND FOR A BIRD THERE'S LOOKING AT WHAT ARE ALL THE DIFFERENT SOURCES OF FOOD AND HOW CAN THEY ENJOY THOSE NATIVE PLANT SPECIES THAT WOULD BE FOUND IN A GARDEN, SEEDS AND POLLEN AND FLOWERS THEMSELVES, AND EATING THE LEAVES. ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT FEEDING OPPORTUNITIES. THERE ARE ALSO, AS I MENTIONED, JUST AS A SUMMARY, VERY MUCH MORE EFFICIENT. SO 83% LESS WATER, MUCH LESS GREEN WASTE, WHICH IS A CHALLENGE FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO MANAGE AND DEAL WITH THAT GREEN WASTE. AND THE MAINTENANCE COSTS ARE MUCH LESS MORE SUSTAINABLE. I WOULD SAY ONE OF THE THINGS THAT GABRIEL AND I TALKED ABOUT IS THAT A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE THINK, WELL, IT'S DIFFICULT TO GROW THESE NATIVE PLANTS, AND IF WE TRY TO PUT THEM IN THE LANDSCAPE, THEY TAKE A LOT OF PRUNING. AND I TRIED TO SAY TO FOLKS, WELL, PROBABLY THE CHALLENGE IS THAT YOU'RE OVERWATERING THEM AND MAYBE, YOU KNOW, PROVIDING MORE MAINTENANCE THAN IS NECESSARY BECAUSE IN MOST CASES THEY KIND OF LIKE TO BE LEFT ALONE ONCE THEY GET ESTABLISHED. SO THERE ARE SOME DEFINITE BENEFITS FROM THAT SUSTAINABILITY STANDPOINT. AND PROBABLY TO MY MIND, ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT THEY'RE BEAUTIFUL AND BRING A LOT TO THE LANDSCAPE. YOU CAN HAVE LOTS OF DIFFERENT HUMMINGBIRDS VISITING. I KNOW WE'VE GOT HUMMINGBIRDS JUST VERY HEAVILY IN IN INVOLVED IN THE PLANTS IN OUR YARD. SO THE BEAUTY OF NATURE AND GETTING TO KNOW SOME OF THE LOCAL WILDLIFE AND SEEING THOSE INTERACTIONS IS ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, KIND OF A CONTRIBUTION TO EVERYBODY'S WELLNESS. THE BENEFITS OF SPENDING TIME IN NATURE OR EXPERIENCING NATURE ARE BECOMING MORE AND MORE RECOGNIZED. SO WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE GOOD PLANTS OR WHAT WE MIGHT CALL LOCAL FAVORITES? THIS PHOTOGRAPH IS A CHUPAROSA WITH A BEAUTIFUL HUMMINGBIRD THAT'S VISITING THE CHUPAROSA, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE REALLY SPECTACULAR ONES. SO I THINK A COUPLE OF CONVERSATIONS I'M FIRST GOING TO START OUT WITH A COUPLE OF THE TREES THAT ARE PROBABLY SOME OF THE MOST SUITABLE. THE PALO VERDE IS NOW BEING PRETTY WIDELY USED. THE NATIVE PALO VERDE, THE BLUE PALO VERDE IS REALLY THE BEST ONE TO USE. SOMETIMES IN NURSERY STOCK, THEY'LL FIND THAT WHAT'S CALLED THE DESERT MUSEUM, WHICH IS A HYBRID THAT HAS A LITTLE BIT MORE SUITABILITY TO OUR SOILS AND SO ON. BUT PALO VERDE CAN BE JUST SPECTACULARLY BEAUTIFUL IN THE SPRINGTIME WHEN THEY START TO FLOWER. THEY DO PRODUCE A LOT OF NITROGEN, SO THEY NATURALLY ENRICH THE SOIL WITH NITROGEN. IT'S A NATURAL FERTILIZER. AND THEY DO DO PROVIDE A FAIR AMOUNT OF SHADE. SO I THINK I'M NOTICING MORE AND MORE PALO VERDE IS GOING IN. AND I THINK ESPECIALLY ADDING MORE TREES TO THE LANDSCAPE. I KNOW THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY PROGRESSIVE IN THE GRAPEFRUIT, GRAPEFRUIT BOULEVARD AND OTHER PROJECTS YOU HAVE THAT HAVE INVOLVED ADDING MORE AND MORE TREES, WHICH ARE REALLY IMPORTANT TO THE LANDSCAPE. ANOTHER REALLY NICE PLANT FOR LANDSCAPING. IT'S A SMALLER TREE CALLED THE DESERT WILLOW. IT HAS THESE GORGEOUS SORT OF ORCHID LOOKING FLOWERS. IT IS. THE PICTURE ON THE LOWER RIGHT IS THE SEEDS, AND DESERT WILLOW IS ONE THAT'S ALSO VERY ATTRACTIVE TO A LOT OF WILDLIFE. I'VE SEEN IT IN SOME OF THE PARKING LOTS IN CITIES. MORE RECENTLY I NOTICED IN THE COURTHOUSE BUILDING IN INDIO THEY'VE BEEN PLANTING DESERT WILLOW AND ESPECIALLY DURING OUR CLIMATE, I MEAN DESERT WILLOW. ONE CHALLENGE WITH IT IS IT'S WHAT'S CALLED DECIDUOUS. IT DROPS ITS LEAVES IN THE WINTER. BUT AS YOU
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AS YOU WATER IT MORE, IT TENDS TO HAVE A LONGER BLOOMING PERIOD. SO HAVING THESE PLANTS WITH THESE GORGEOUS FLOWERS IN PUBLIC SPACES IS A REALLY NICE ADDITION. HONEY MESQUITE IS ANOTHER ONE. THESE ARE ACTUALLY MORE EXAMPLES OF THE NATURAL MESQUITE HUMMOCKS, BUT HONEY MESQUITE IS ONE OF THE BEST SHADE TREES. IT HAS A VERY DENSE SHADE CANOPY. WE'RE SEEING THAT ALSO. ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS I HEAR PEOPLE COMMENT ABOUT WITH NATIVE PLANTS IS, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BRITTLE OR THEY ARE EASILY BLOW OVER IN WIND OR WHATEVER. AND ONE OF THE CHALLENGES IS THAT THEY DON'T GET WATERED PROPERLY. SO WHEN TREES ARE PLANTED, I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THERE COULD BE SOME GUIDELINES DEVELOPED BECAUSE THEY NEED TO BE DEEP WATERED. PEOPLE MAYBE HAVE A TREE PLANTED IN THEIR LAWN AND THE LAWN DOESN'T GET AS MUCH WATER. SO THEY REALLY NEED TO BE DEEP WATERED. SO THEY DEVELOP SOME VERY GOOD ANCHORED ROOTS. DESERT LAVENDER IS ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL SHRUB. I'VE GOT AN EXAMPLE HERE, ONE THAT'S REALLY POPULAR WITH BEES, VERY, VERY FLOWERY. IT'S KIND OF GOT THESE DELICATE LITTLE FLOWERS.IT HAS A REALLY NICE SAGE SMELL. AND IT'S ONE OF THE SHRUBS THAT'S GOOD FOR PLANTING ALONG WALLS, KIND OF AS A HEDGE HAS A KIND OF A HEDGE TYPE EFFECT. THIS IS THE CHUPAROSA, WHICH IS A SPECTACULAR PLANT, VERY EASY TO GROW. IT LOOKS MUCH BETTER IN IN A LANDSCAPE THAN IT DOES IN NATURE, BECAUSE IN NATURE IT TENDS NOT TO GET AS MUCH WATER, BUT THE PLANT CAN JUST BE. I HAVE ONE THAT LOOKS VERY MUCH LIKE THIS ON THE LEFT SIDE. I'VE GOT SOME EXAMPLES HERE. IT'S VERY POPULAR. THE LONG RED TUBULAR FLOWERS ARE THE FLOWERS THAT HUMMINGBIRDS REALLY LIKE.
SO THAT'S ANOTHER ONE THAT IS NICE TO HAVE A LOT OF COLOR. CREOSOTE BUSH IS ONE OF THE MOST RESILIENT PLANTS IN THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE. ALSO VERY IMPORTANT FOR POLLINATORS AND OTHER INSECTS THAT FEED ON ON PLANT SPECIES, THE FLOWERS AND SO ON. IT CAN BE A VERY ATTRACTIVE SHRUB. IT TENDS TO BE A LITTLE BIT LARGER. IT CAN BE PRUNED TO SORT OF HAVE SORT OF A BONSAI EFFECT. ALSO REALLY AMAZING ONE IN TERMS OF WATER. IT'S VERY, VERY WATER EFFICIENT. THERE EXAMPLES OF CREOSOTE BEING IN AREAS OF, OF OUR REGION WITHOUT GETTING ANY MEASURABLE RAINFALL FOR MORE THAN A YEAR AND STILL MANAGING TO SURVIVE. SO IT'S EXTREMELY WELL ADAPTED TO THE DESERT, PROBABLY OUR MOST COMMON NATIVE PLANT. AND THEN THE BRUTAL BUSH. THIS IS ANOTHER GREAT ONE. WE HAVE ONE IN OUR YARD THAT WE HAD IN A SPOT WHERE IT WASN'T GETTING A LOT OF SUN, AND WE JUST MOVED IT OVER AND IT LOOKS JUST LIKE THE PICTURE THERE. AND THESE ARE THE FLOWERS, THESE BRIGHT YELLOW DAISIES. SO THIS IS REALLY A GREAT ONE FOR HAVING LOTS OF COLOR. AND IT FLOWERS QUITE A BIT IF IT'S WATERED REGULARLY THROUGHOUT MUCH OF THE YEAR. AND THEN THE OCOTILLO IS A SPECTACULAR PLANT, ALSO HAS A VERY ARCHITECTURAL LOOK TO IT WITH THOSE TALL SORT OF STATELY BRANCHES AND SPECTACULAR RED FLOWERS. ANOTHER ONE, THE RED TUBULAR FLOWERS ARE VERY POPULAR WITH HUMMINGBIRDS. THE DESERT MALLOW. THIS IS A REALLY GREAT PLANT FOR COLOR. IT'S ALSO ONE I. THIS IS THE ONE WE FIND THE BEES SLEEPING IN AT NIGHT. SO FLOWERS ARE NOT JUST IMPORTANT AS A FOOD SOURCE OR FOR POLLEN, BUT THE BEES ALSO LIKE TO CURL UP INSIDE FLOWERS SOMETIMES AT NIGHT. AND THESE PLANTS ARE REALLY GREAT. THEY COME IN A LOT OF DIFFERENT COLORS, FROM PINK TO WHITE TO THIS ORANGE COLOR. I HAVE THEM IN MY YARD. THEY TEND TO SELF PROPAGATE, SO THAT'S KIND OF NICE, BUT THEY'RE REALLY GREAT SORT OF FLASHY COLOR IF YOU WILL. AND I HAVE THEM IN MY YARD IN THERE. I HAVE ALL THESE DIFFERENT COLORS. SO EVERY YEAR I'M NEVER QUITE SURE WHAT I'M GOING TO SEE, WHICH IS REALLY FUN. AND THEN THE JOJOBA, THIS IS A PLANT THAT HAD A LOT OF USES BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE. IT DOES HAVE A SORT OF A NUT THAT HAS AN OIL COMPOUND. YOU HEAR ABOUT JOJOBA NOW IT IS USED IN SHAMPOOS AND LOTIONS. AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE USED TO BE A LOT OF JOJOBA FARMS IN THE VALLEY UP NEAR WHERE THE ARENA IS NOW. AND ALSO AS YOU GO OUT TOWARDS BLYTHE, THERE'S STILL A FEW REMAINING JOJOBA FARMS. IT BECAME POPULARIZED AS A REPLACEMENT FOR WHALE OIL BECAUSE THE NUT, THE OIL THAT IS PRODUCED BY THE PLANT IS VERY THAT'S A VERY SORT OF HIGH QUALITY OIL. IT DOESN'T TEND TO GET STICKY, BUT NOW IT'S MUCH MORE POPULAR. AS I SAY, YOU FIND IT IN SHAMPOOS AND LOTIONS AND SO ON. BUT IT IS NATURAL. GROWS NATIVE HERE IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. THE NUTS WOULD HAVE BEEN GATHERED BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AS WELL. AND THEN FINALLY THE DESERT MILKWEED. THIS IS ANOTHER ONE THAT I THINK IS REALLY GREAT AND EASY TO GROW. AND IT TRACKS A LOT OF ALL OF THESE INSECTS ARE KIND OF SPECIFIC TO THE MILKWEED PLANT, INCLUDING THE BEAUTIFUL DESERT QUEEN
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BUTTERFLY. THIS ONE ALSO HAS A KIND OF A LINEAR ARCHITECTURAL LOOK TO IT. I THINK IT'S ALMOST GRASS LIKE, BUT REALLY LOW MAINTENANCE. I'VE BEEN STARTING. WE'RE SEEING MORE AND MORE OF THAT BEING USED IN LANDSCAPES. SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF AN EXAMPLE OF SOME OF THE DIFFERENT PLANTS. I THINK SOMETIMES PEOPLE THINK OF DESERT LANDSCAPING. THEY THINK CACTUS AND GRAVEL, AND THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT MORE THAT YOU CAN DO. YOU CAN HAVE A REALLY SPECTACULAR LANDSCAPE.BUT JUST A COUPLE THINGS THAT I THINK MIGHT BE USEFUL FOR THE CITY AND THE COMMISSION TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU'RE GOING FORWARD WITH THE LANDSCAPING ORDINANCES, IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO LOOK AT THE LOCAL MICROCLIMATE. SO THE WHAT WILL GROW HERE IN COACHELLA? I LIVE IN LA QUINTA, PRETTY MUCH THE SAME BASIC. WE GET A LITTLE A FAIR BIT LESS RAIN. WE MAKE OUR RAINFALL AVERAGE IS ABOUT THREE INCHES. IN PALM SPRINGS IT'S ABOUT FIVE. SO THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WOULD DO WELL ON THE WEST END OF THE VALLEY THAT DON'T DO AS WELL HERE. SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT SORT OF LOCAL CLIMATE. ALSO LOOKING AT GROWING FOR POLLINATORS. AND I THINK THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE GREAT TO SEE THE CITY ENCOURAGE. AND WITH THAT, IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVE A LOT OF DIVERSITY, LIKE DIFFERENT PLANTS THAT GROW AND FLOWER AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR. SORRY, I THOUGHT IT WAS ON. SORRY. I GOT A NEW PHONE AND I'M NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO, I THOUGHT I SHUT IT OFF, I APOLOGIZE SO AND THEN JUST HAVING LIKE DIFFERENT BLOOMING TIMES FOR THE PLANTS THAT WOULD BE ATTRACTIVE TO POLLINATORS. ALSO THE WATERING SYSTEM, AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, THAT'S A PLACE WHERE JUST LETTING THE WATER SOAK INTO THE LANDSCAPE AND MAYBE WATER MUCH LESS FREQUENTLY, BUT WITH A LARGER QUANTITY. SO THIS IS WHERE SOME OF THE WATER EFFICIENCY AND WATER SAVINGS COME IN. ONCE THE PLANTS ARE ESTABLISHED, YOU CAN USUALLY WATER THEM MUCH LESS. BUT KIND OF THERE'S A THERE'S A PHRASE IN LANDSCAPING THAT REFERS TO RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE AND THEN WATERING LIKE MOTHER NATURE, LETTING IT SOAK IN. AND AGAIN, NOT, YOU KNOW, THE NATURAL RAINFALL PATTERN THAT WE HAVE IS PRETTY INFREQUENT, BUT WE CAN HAVE SOME PRETTY SIGNIFICANT RAIN. SO LARGER VOLUMES. BUT REALLY THAT ASPECT OF IT, I THINK, ARE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AS YOU'RE LOOKING AT LANDSCAPING PLANS.
AND THEN THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT I HEAR THE MOST PEOPLE WHO ARE A LOT OF THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS AND OTHERS WHO GET VERY UPSET ABOUT PRUNING, AND WE'VE BEEN HAVING SOME CONVERSATIONS ABOUT, I THINK THE COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT WAS LOOKING AT HAVING SOME PRUNING, BUT YOU TEND TO SEE PRUNING HAPPEN WITH TREES, ESPECIALLY WHERE THEY'LL JUST GO IN AND CUT THE TOP OF THE TREE OR ALL THE BRANCHES AT THE TOP OFF, WHICH IS REALLY BAD FOR TREES. AND SO THAT ASPECT OF HAVING SOME GUIDELINES ABOUT PRUNING WOULD ALSO BE, I THINK, IMPORTANT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO PUT A FAIR AMOUNT OF EXPENSE INTO PURCHASING TREES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'RE THE LARGER 24 OR 36 INCH BOX. AND IF THEY'RE NOT PROPERLY PRUNED, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO BE AS HEALTHY. AND AS I MENTIONED, ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT THE CHANGES IN OUR CLIMATE AND THE HOTTER SUMMERS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING, HAVING MORE TREES AND MORE SHADE IS JUST SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. AND MAKING SURE THAT THOSE TREES ARE KEPT WELL AND HEALTHY. SO WE HAVE THESE DIFFERENT PRUNING TIPS, AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST FOR THE CITY TO INCORPORATE, BECAUSE UNFORTUNATELY, YOU SEE A LOT OF EXAMPLES WHERE THE TREES ARE NOT PROPERLY PRUNED. ANOTHER I JUST WANT TO PUT A LITTLE PLUG IN. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S BEING ENCOURAGED BY FOLKS WHO ARE WILDLIFE ENTHUSIASTS AND SUSTAINABILITY FOLKS ACROSS THE VALLEY. AND THAT'S THE IDEA OF PALM TREES AND NOT PRUNING, NOT CUTTING OFF THE DEAD FRONDS. SO WE HAVE A LOT OF NATIVE PALM TREES THAT ARE THE CALIFORNIA FAN PALMS THAT ARE PART OF OUR LANDSCAPE AND OFTEN USED, AS, YOU KNOW, VERY DRAMATIC TREES. BUT THOSE PALM FRONDS THAT ARE HANGING DOWN ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT WILDLIFE HABITAT, ESPECIALLY FOR OWLS. THESE ARE THIS IS A GREAT HORN AND A BARN OWL. AND OWLS ARE EXTREMELY VALUABLE BECAUSE THEY EAT A LOT OF RODENTS. THEY EAT RATS AND MICE. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW IN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT'S A PROBLEM. SO NOT PRUNING THE PALM FRONDS AND LETTING THE FRUITS IS A WAY TO REALLY ENCOURAGE MORE WILDLIFE. AND THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING THAT THE CITY COULD CONSIDER AS A RECOMMENDATION, AS THERE'S MORE AND MORE EFFORTS THROUGHOUT THE VALLEY TO TRY TO SEE THAT THOSE PALM FRONDS ARE LEFT ON THE TREES SO THEY CAN PROVIDE THAT IMPORTANT HABITAT BECAUSE THE ANIMALS AND THE BIRDS ARE STRUGGLING. AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE EXPERIENCING THESE HOTTER TEMPERATURES. FOR THEM, IT'S A LOT WORSE. THEY DON'T HAVE AIR CONDITIONING TO ESCAPE TO. THIS
[00:25:04]
IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF THE MANY DIFFERENT KINDS OF BIRDS THAT DEPEND ON PALM TREES AND OTHER TREES AS PART OF THEIR HABITAT, AND THEN ROCKS AND BOULDERS. THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENS TO BE MY FRONT YARD IN LA QUINTA. IT'S JUST A SMALL LOT. MY HUSBAND REALLY LIKES ROCKS, BUT ROCKS ADD A LOT OF STRUCTURAL BENEFIT, BUT THEY ALSO TEND TO REALLY BE A GREAT HABITAT FOR WILDLIFE.YOU CAN HAVE MORE. NOT EVERYBODY IS GOING TO WANT TO HAVE MORE LIZARDS IN THEIR YARD, BUT LIZARDS EAT INSECTS AND ALSO SMALL MAMMALS AND OTHER CRITTERS THAT, YOU KNOW, HELP TO KEEP WEEDS AND ANNOYING INSECTS AT BAY. SO I ALSO FINALLY WANTED TO JUST SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. THERE'S A LOT OF I WOULD SAY THERE'S MORE GROWING INTEREST, ESPECIALLY IN USING NATIVE PLANTS IN THE LANDSCAPE. THIS IS A VIEW OF ONE YEAR WHEN THE LITTLE BUSH, THIS YELLOW DAISY, WAS IN TREMENDOUS SUPPLY. I'M NOT SURE WE'RE GOING TO SEE THAT KIND OF DISPLAY THIS YEAR WITH THE RAINFALL THAT WE'RE GOING WITHOUT SO FAR, BUT SOME YEARS IT CAN BE QUITE SPECTACULAR. SO ONE OF THOSE SOURCES IS A WEBSITE THAT IS MANAGED BY THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY CALLED CAL SCAPE. AND THIS IS A REALLY COOL RESOURCE THAT INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS CAN USE, AS WELL AS SOMEONE WHO IS DEVELOPING A LARGER PROJECT.
IT'S A LANDSCAPING WEBSITE WHERE YOU CAN ACTUALLY TYPE AN ADDRESS IN, AND IT WILL GIVE YOU INFORMATION ABOUT THE NATIVE PLANTS THAT GROW IN THAT AREA. IT GIVES INFORMATION ABOUT THE SPECIFIC PLANTS, WHAT KIND OF SHADE OR SUN THEY LIKE, WHAT KIND OF WATERING REGIME, AND ALSO TALK ABOUT IF THERE'S CERTAIN BUTTERFLIES OR INSECTS PEOPLE WANT TO HAVE MONARCH BUTTERFLIES. IT WILL, YOU KNOW, TALK ABOUT HOW YOU CAN ENCOURAGE OR WHAT WHAT ANIMALS, ESPECIALLY BUTTERFLIES, WILL BE FOUND ON THOSE PLANTS. IT'S A REALLY HELPFUL RESOURCE. AND AS I SAY, YOU CAN GET INTO MORE DETAIL ABOUT THE INDIVIDUAL PLANT AND SOME OF THE BEST CONDITIONS FOR IT. IT'S KIND OF A DIGITAL, YOU KNOW, GARDENING GUIDE, WHICH IS REALLY HELPFUL. OUR LOCAL CHAPTER THAT I'M IN INVOLVED WITH, THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, RIVERSIDE SAN BERNARDINO CHAPTER, AND WE HAVE A LIST WHICH I ACTUALLY B BE HAO MAKE THAT AVAILABLE TO THE CITY, BECAUSE ONE OF THE BIG QUESTIONS PEOPLE HAVE IF YOU'RE SAYING WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE NATIVE PLANTS IS WHERE DO I BUY THEM? AND THERE ARE MORE AND MORE RESOURCES AVAILABLE. THERE'S A NURSERY IN INDIO CALLED GREEN DESERT, WHICH HAS BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A LONG TIME. THEY'RE PRIMARILY A WHOLESALE NURSERY, BUT THEY'VE BEEN MAKING NATIVE PLANTS AVAILABLE. THERE'S A NURSERY CALLED MACIAS THAT HAS SEVERAL LOCATIONS, SO THIS IS KIND OF A LIST OF THE DIFFERENT RESOURCES SO THAT PEOPLE CAN FIND A PLACE TO PURCHASE NATIVE PLANTS, BOTH AT THE, YOU KNOW, SORT OF LARGER WHOLESALE MARKET AND ALSO FOR INDIVIDUAL RESIDENTIAL. THE NATIONAL WILDLIFE FEDERATION HAS A CERTIFIED WILDLIFE HABITAT PROGRAM WHERE YOU CAN YOU KNOW, THIS IS KIND OF A NEAT PROGRAM THAT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO MAKE THEIR LANDSCAPES NOT JUST A BEAUTIFUL FOR THEIR OWN ENJOYMENT, BUT FOR WILDLIFE HABITAT. AND YOU GET THIS LITTLE SIGN. THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY ALSO HAS THESE NATIVE PLANT SIGNS THAT FOLKS CAN GET TO PUT IN THEIR YARD, AND THAT'S KIND OF A COOL WAY ALSO TO REPRESENT THE BENEFITS OF THOSE PLANTS. AND THEN LOCALLY, WE'VE HAD SOME NATIVE PLANT SALES. WE ACTUALLY HAD A AS PART OF THE. PROGRAM, WHICH IS A CALIFORNIA NATURALIST PROGRAM THAT IS TAUGHT OVER HERE AT THE LIBRARY THROUGH AFM AND CACTUS TO CLOUD INSTITUTE. WE HAD A NATIVE PLANT SALE. THAT'S WHERE GABRIEL AND I FIRST STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, THIS CONVERSATION THAT WAS BACK IN OCTOBER OF LAST YEAR, AND WE ALSO HAD ONE IN INDIO IN NOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR, AND WE HAD A REALLY GOOD TURNOUT. SO THAT'S A REALLY NICE PLACE FOR INDIVIDUAL PROPERTY OWNERS. AND WE WERE EXCITED BECAUSE BOTH OF THOSE WERE THE FIRST TIME WE HAD A NATIVE PLANT SALE IN THE EAST VALLEY, AND WE'RE HOPING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT NEXT YEAR. THE LIVING DESERT IS A GREAT RESOURCE, EVEN FOR THEY'VE ACTUALLY RE KIND OF RECONSTITUTED THEIR PROPAGATION PROGRAM AND THEY'RE PROPAGATING A LOT OF PLANTS. THEY ALSO HAVE A NATIVE PLANT SALE. BUT THAT WOULD BE A RESOURCE. I THINK THEY'RE, YOU KNOW, KIND OF LOOKING AT SORT OF COMMERCIAL SCALE PROPAGATION OF MANY PLANTS NATIVE, LOCAL TO THIS REGION, BUT ALSO OTHER PARTS OF THE DESERT AND THEN THE COACHELLA VALLEY WATER DISTRICT. THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST WIDELY KNOWN RESOURCE FOR LANDSCAPING IN A WATER EFFICIENT WAY. BUT THIS GUIDE ALSO INCLUDES A LOT OF THE
[00:30:05]
I THINK ALL THE PLANTS THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER, A LOT OF THE NATIVE PLANTS ARE INCORPORATED IN THE EFFICIENT, AND IT'S A REALLY COMPREHENSIVE BOOK THAT YOU CAN FIND ONLINE THAT REPRESENTS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU WHERE DO YOU PLANT THESE? WHAT ARE THE BEST ONES? BECAUSE I WILL SAY, ONE OF THE CHALLENGES I SERVED ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION IN THE CITY OF LA QUINTA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS. IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE I DID THAT, BUT WE WERE ALWAYS HAVING THE ISSUE OF LANDSCAPING PLANS COMING IN WITH LANDSCAPING FIRMS THAT WERE USED TO WORKING IN THE COASTAL AREA OR ORANGE COUNTY, AND THEY BRING IN THIS PALETTE OF PLANTS AND WE'D LOOK AT IT AND GO, THOSE ARE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT IN THE DESERT. SO HAVING THESE KINDS OF RESOURCES, I THINK IS REALLY HELPFUL FOR LANDSCAPE PLANNERS AND FOLKS WHO ARE PUTTING TOGETHER PLANS FOR RESIDENTIAL PROJECTS. ANOTHER KIND OF COOL EXAMPLE, THE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH IN RANCHO MIRAGE HAS RECENTLY PUT TOGETHER A SACRED GROUNDS PROJECT WHERE THEY ARE GROWING NATIVE PLANT LANDSCAPING ON THEIR CHURCH PROPERTY, AND THEY ARE KIND OF USING IT AS A DEMONSTRATION GARDEN. SO THEY'VE GOT LIKE AREAS WHERE THEY'RE PLANTING A LOT OF FLOWERS AND POLLINATOR PLANTS, AND THEN OTHER EXAMPLES OF NATIVE LANDSCAPING. FINALLY, WE ALSO HAVE GUIDELINES FOR PLANTING AND INFORMATION ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE BEST WAY TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR INVESTMENT IN GROWING THESE PLANTS IS PAID OFF BY KIND OF DOING THE RIGHT THING. AND THEN THESE ARE JUST SOME RESOURCES WITH REGARD TO CAL SCAPE, I MENTIONED THERE IS A MASTER GARDENERS PROGRAM IN THE COACHELLA VALLEY. ACTUALLY, SOME OF THE MASTER GARDENER FOLKS HAVE BEEN WORKING WITH THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY ON PUTTING TOGETHER SOME SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAMS FOR HAVING KIDS, LEARN ABOUT GROWING VEGETABLES, BUT ALSO GROWING NATIVE PLANTS. AND WE'RE WORKING ON A POSSIBLE PROJECT IN THERMAL, THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY AND OTHERS ARE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE. AND THEN JUST REALLY BRIEFLY, I THOUGHT I WOULD TELL YOU JUST VERY MUCH. YOU MAY NOT HAVE HEARD OF THE CALIFORNIA NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY. IT'S KIND OF LIKE THE AUDUBON SOCIETY FOR PLANTS. IT IS A STATEWIDE ORGANIZATION AND NONPROFIT THAT FOCUSES ON CONSERVATION OF NATIVE PLANTS AS WELL AS HORTICULTURE AND ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GARDEN AND ESPECIALLY TO USE NATIVE PLANTS. WE HAVE ALL KINDS OF INFORMATION GUIDES. THERE'S A SCHOOL GARDEN PROGRAM. AS I MENTIONED, THERE IS AN EFFORT WITH A COUPLE OF SCHOOLS LOCALLY, ONE IN THE RIVERSIDE AREA AND ONE HERE IN THERMAL TO DEVELOP A SCHOOL GARDEN AT THE SCHOOL. SO WE'VE GOT A LOT OF THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. WE ALSO OFFER HIKES AND PLACES WHERE PEOPLE CAN GO SEE WILDFLOWERS. AND SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY. AND WITH THAT I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. AND IF THERE'S TIME, I HAVE A SHORT CHUCKWALLA SHOULD I DO THAT? DO YOU HAVE IT? HE'S GOT. YEAH. OKAY. YEAH. GABRIEL MENTIONED IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL FOR ME TO GIVE YOU A VERY SHORT BACKGROUND ABOUT THE NEW CHUCKWALLA NATIONAL MONUMENT. SO I HAVE JUST A FEW SLIDES TO AS IT HAPPENS, I WAS INVOLVED IN THE COALITION OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT WAS ACTIVE IN TRYING TO ENCOURAGE THE DESIGNATION OF THE NATIONAL MONUMENT. SO SINCE IT JUST HAPPENED SLIGHTLY MORE THAN A MONTH AGO, I THOUGHT MIGHT BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO HEAR A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT. AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE TO SEE A LOT OF NATIVE PLANTS, TOO. SO, YEAH. SO THE CHUCKWALLA NATIONAL MONUMENT, IF YOU WANT TO JUST OH, I GUESS I CAN. THAT'S RIGHT.I'LL GO BACK TO THIS ONE. SO THE CHUCKWALLA NATIONAL MONUMENT, AS YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD, PRESIDENT BIDEN ACTUALLY OFFICIALLY DESIGNATED THE CHUCKWALLA NATIONAL MONUMENT ON JANUARY 14TH IN WASHINGTON, D.C. I WAS VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS ABLE TO GO TO WASHINGTON, DC AND PARTICIPATE OR WATCH THE SIGNING CEREMONY, SO THAT WAS VERY EXCITING. BUT THIS IS AN EFFORT THAT'S BEEN UNDERWAY FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, INVOLVING A BROAD BASE OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE COACHELLA VALLEY AND BEYOND. WE ENDED UP WITH GETTING, YOU KNOW, MANY, MANY THOUSANDS OF SIGNATURES ON PETITIONS AND BUSINESSES SUPPORTING MOST ALL THE VALLEY CITIES DID A RESOLUTION OF SUPPORT. SUPERVISOR PEREZ PROVIDED A LETTER OF SUPPORT. IMPERIAL COUNTY AND THE IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT ALSO WERE SUPPORTIVE, AND IT WAS REALLY FOCUSED ON PROTECTING SOME OF THESE SIGNIFICANT LANDS FOR THEIR CULTURAL, HISTORIC, ECOLOGICAL AND SCIENTIFIC IMPORTANCE. AND WHAT IT ENDED UP WITH IS ABOUT 620 IS ABOUT 624,000 ACRES. I NEED TO UPDATE THAT SLIDE OF LAND THAT IS ALREADY ACTUALLY BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LAND. WHOOPS. LET'S SEE, I THINK WELL, I'M JUST
[00:35:08]
GOING TO GO AHEAD. I MIGHT MY MAP MAY HAVE DROPPED SOMEWHERE. SO BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT LAND IT WAS ALREADY EXISTING BLM LAND. BUT WHAT THE NATIONAL MONUMENT DESIGNATION DOES IS HOPEFULLY NOT ONLY BRING MORE RECOGNITION TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE AREA, IT ALSO DOES PROVIDE PROTECTION, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LOCAL TRIBES WHO HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY INVOLVED IN THE EFFORT TO GET THIS DESIGNATION. AND WE'RE PRESENT IN WASHINGTON, D.C. ENSURE THAT SOME OF THESE INDIGENOUS LANDSCAPES AND AREAS LIKE THE PAINTED CANYON, WHICH IS THE ANCESTRAL AREA. THE CREATION STORY FOR THE TORRES-MARTINEZ IS LOCATED IN MARTINEZ, EXCUSE ME, PAINTED CANYON. SO IT BASICALLY APPLIES TO FEDERAL BLM LAND. IT DOESN'T APPLY TO ANY PRIVATE LAND WITHIN THE MONUMENT. THERE ARE RIGHTS OF WAY AND UTILITY CORRIDORS THAT WERE AVOIDED WITHIN THAT NATIONAL MONUMENT. IT DOES FIT WITH THE PROPOSED EAGLE MOUNTAIN PUMP STORAGE PROJECT, AND ALSO ALL OF THE EFFORTS REVOLVED AROUND THE SALTON SEA. THE BOUNDARIES WERE IDENTIFIED TO AVOID AREAS THAT HAD BEEN DESIGNATED FOR SOLAR ENERGY THROUGH WHAT'S CALLED THE DESERT RENEWABLE ENERGY CONSERVATION PLAN. AND ACTUALLY, THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF COORDINATION WITH THE SOLAR INDUSTRY. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON, WHICH MAINTAINS THE UTILITY CORRIDORS AND IMPERIAL IRRIGATION DISTRICT, ON ALL OF WHOM WERE ULTIMATELY VERY SUPPORTIVE OF THIS EFFORT. SO WHAT IT DOES IS IT DOES IT DOES PROVIDE FOR, FOR EXAMPLE, AREAS THAT ARE USED FOR OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE TRAVEL, FOUR WHEEL DRIVE OR JEEP TRAVEL WOULD CONTINUE TO BE OPEN AND AVAILABLE AS LONG AS PEOPLE FOLLOW DESIGNATED ROUTES. IT IS A PRETTY RUGGED TERRITORY, AND A LOT OF IT IS DIFFICULT TO SEE IF YOU DON'T MAYBE GET THERE BY A FOUR WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE.IT DOES CONTINUE TO ALLOW FOR EXISTING USES. IT'S A VERY POPULAR AREA FOR HIKING. YOU HAVE PAINTED CANYON AND LADDER CANYON AS WELL AS OTHER AREAS FURTHER TO THE EAST, HUNTING ROCK, HOUNDING OFF HIGHWAY VEHICLE USE ARE ALL WOULD CONTINUE. SO REALLY, MOST ALL OF THE USES WOULD NOT CHANGE. ONE OF THE CHANGES IT DOES INVOLVE IS THAT MINING NEW MINING PERMITS WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED. AS IT IS, THERE'S REALLY NO COMMERCIAL MINING GOING ON IN THE NATIONAL MONUMENT. INDIVIDUAL WHO HAVE AN EXISTING, YOU KNOW, SMALL SCALE MINING PERMIT MAY NEED TO GO THROUGH A PROCESS, BUT IN GENERAL IT ONLY RELATES TO NEW MINING CLAIMS. AND THEN, AS I MENTIONED, THERE ARE SOME REALLY IMPORTANT. FOR SOME REASON SOME OF THE PHOTOS AREN'T SHOWING. I'M NOT SURE. BUT CORN SPRING IS AN AREA OUT TO THE EAST. IT'S A BLM CAMPGROUND AND THERE ARE SOME REALLY SPECTACULAR ROCK ART SITES THAT YOU CAN SEE READILY FROM THE ROAD IN CORN SPRING. THERE ARE ALSO SOME VERY INTERESTING WORLD WAR TWO HISTORICAL SITES. THIS WAS AN AREA THAT GENERAL PATTON WAS KNOWN AS THE DESERT TRAINING CENTER, AND LITERALLY THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS WERE STATIONED THERE AND WERE INVOLVED IN DESERT TRAINING DURING WORLD WAR TWO. AND SOME OF THE REMNANTS OF THAT ARE STILL THERE. A LOT OF THE ROCK PATHS AND OTHER HISTORICAL SITES, AND THOSE WOULD NOW BE MORE SECURELY PROTECTED. AND THEN THERE'S AN AWFUL LOT OF IMPORTANT HABITAT FOR BIGHORN SHEEP, FOR CHUCKWALLAS DESERT TORTOISE, AND A LOT OF BEAUTIFUL WILDFLOWERS. IT'S ALSO, I THINK, ONE OF THE REALLY KEY REASONS THAT THIS WAS PROPOSED BY THE COALITION THAT WAS SUPPORTIVE, WAS TO ENCOURAGE ACCESS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE EAST VALLEY. I MEAN, THIS IS ESSENTIALLY IN THE BACKYARD OF COACHELLA AND COMMUNITIES LIKE MECCA. AND SO A LOT OF THE INTEREST GOING FORWARD WILL BE TO WORK WITH LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO ENCOURAGE WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN GET OUT AND ENJOY THESE BEAUTIFUL AREAS.
LOTS OF DIFFERENT SUPPORTERS WHO, YOU KNOW, SIGNED LETTERS AND PETITIONS AND SO ON THAT HELP TO ENCOURAGE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION TO TAKE THIS IMPORTANT STEP. SO WITH THAT, I'LL MOVE BACK AND JUST SEE IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. YEAH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. VERY INFORMATIVE INFORMATION. DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS I DO ACTUALLY. WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION. I LEARNED SO MUCH BY THE WAY. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT. LET'S GO BACK TO THOSE NATIVE PLANTS BECAUSE YOU MENTIONED THAT WE HAVE SOME RARE PLANTS ALSO GROWING. YES. SO WITH THOSE RARE PLANTS BE CONSIDERED NATIVE PLANTS OR WERE THOSE OKAY. JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE. ACTUALLY I
[00:40:04]
CAN SHOW YOU IN THIS PHOTOGRAPH, THE PURPLE FLOWER UP IN THE MIDDLE IS CALLED THE MECCA ASTER. AND AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, IT'S A PLANT THAT ONLY GROWS IN THE MECCA HILLS AND ACTUALLY IN A LOCATION UP BEHIND INDIO IN THE INDIO HILLS. SO ALL OF THE PLANTS THAT ARE ENDANGERED ARE NATIVE TO THE DESERT AND USUALLY ARE OCCUPYING SOME HABITAT THAT'S MORE LIMITED, LIKE THE SAND DUNES. SEVERAL OF THEM ARE GROW IN THE SAND DUNES, BUT THERE'S TWO THAT ARE OUT IN THE CHUCKWALLA NATIONAL MONUMENT, THE MECCA ASTER, AND ONE CALLED THE OROCOPIA SAGE, WHICH GROWS IN THE OROCOPIA MOUNTAINS. AND BOTH OF THOSE ARE FOUND ONLY IN THOSE LOCATIONS AND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD. SO IT'S PRETTY EXCITING TO HAVE PROTECTION FOR THEM. SO WE HAVE NATIVE RARE PLANTS JUST FOR THOSE PARTICULAR AREAS. OKAY. I WANTED TO UNDERSTAND THAT DISTINCTION. SO THANK YOU. AND THEN GOING BACK TO BECAUSE WE DO HAVE, YOU KNOW, LANDSCAPE AGREEMENTS AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT, I LOVE THAT CONCEPT OF HAVING LIKE A GUIDE. DID YOU GUYS HAVE A GUIDE WHEN YOU WERE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION BECAUSE YOU STATED YOU WERE IN A PLANNING COMMISSION? DID YOU CREATE A GUIDE FOR YOUR, YOU KNOW, FOR THOSE DEVELOPERS OR THOSE INDIVIDUALS? YOU KNOW, I THINK OTHER THAN THE ORDINANCES THAT WOULD RELATE TO LANDSCAPING, I DON'T THINK WE DID HAVE THAT. AND I WILL SAY IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE THE CITY OF COACHELLA, CONSIDERING THE PROPOSED NATIVE PLANT ORDINANCE, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL. AND I THINK WE'D BE. I MEAN, I THINK THE INFORMATION IS PRETTY MUCH OUT THERE. IT'D JUST BE A MATTER OF PULLING IT TOGETHER, OF COURSE. BUT I THINK ESPECIALLY AS WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, THE DROUGHTS THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING AND THE CHANGES IN CLIMATE, IT'S GOING TO BE MORE IMPORTANT FOR FOLKS TO HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT ARE THE PLANTS THAT ARE GOING TO DO? WELL, YEAH, WE WANT THOSE PLANTS TO THRIVE. RIGHT? ABSOLUTELY.YOU DON'T WANT A BIG INVESTMENT IN LANDSCAPE PLANTS THAT ISN'T GOING TO BE SUCCESSFUL. YEAH. SO I GUESS MY QUESTION WOULD BE TO KENDRA AND THE TEAM, YOU KNOW, AS WE'RE MOVING FORWARD WITH THIS, YOU KNOW, CONCEPT, RIGHT, WITH THIS NATIVE PLANT ORDINANCE OR CONSIDERING NATIVE PLANTS AS WE MOVE FORWARD WITH LANDSCAPE AGREEMENTS OR LANDSCAPE CONSIDERATIONS FOR, YOU KNOW, WHEN WE DEVELOP COMMUNITIES OR WHATEVER. I LOVE SOME OF THESE SLIDES. YOU KNOW, THESE ARE GREAT EXAMPLES JUST TO, YOU KNOW, SHARE WITH THE APPLICANT THAT IT COULD HELP THEM MAKE A DECISION FOR THOSE NATIVE PLANTS THAT WOULD, YOU KNOW, HELP THEM MAKE A STRATEGIC OR SMART DECISION AS TO LIKE KEEPING UP WITH THE ORDINANCE, BUT ALSO IT'S GOING TO BENEFIT THE PLANET, BUT BENEFIT ALSO THE APPLICANT NOT WASTING WATER. SO YOU KNOW ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. SO IS THERE ANY THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT? ARE YOU GUYS CONSIDERING A GUIDE? YEAH. ONCE THE ORDINANCE GOES INTO EFFECT AND GABE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT I BELIEVE THAT IT WAS THE INTENT THAT THE CITY WOULD PUT TOGETHER A GUIDEBOOK OF RESOURCES TO SHOW WHAT THE NATIVE PLANTS ARE IN THE AREA, AND THEN WHERE TO GET THEM, AND HAVE KIND OF A SIMILAR GUIDELINES THAT SHE PRESENTED TONIGHT AND THAT YOU GUYS ARE MAKING REFERENCE TO. THANK YOU, KENDRA, BECAUSE WE CAN USE SOME OF THE STUFF FOR INSPIRATION. KATIE. SO THANK YOU. I LOVE THE RESOURCE. YOU KNOW, WHERE YOU CAN GO TO THE GARDEN, YOU KNOW, SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITY. SO I LOVE IT. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT.
APPRECIATE IT. YOU ANSWERED MY QUESTION I'M SORRY. NO. GO AHEAD. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WE PUT TOGETHER A LIST FOR EXAMPLE MOLAR I SEE MOLARS SEEN MOON. YEAH I SEE BOB WILLIAMS THERE. SO YEAH. YOU KNOW WE PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO THE PUBLIC ALSO TO DEVELOPERS AND JUST THE GENERAL PUBLIC WHEN THEY'RE LOOKING AT, YOU KNOW, PUTTING TOGETHER A DESERT LANDSCAPE. YEAH. SO MOST OF THESE NATIVE PLANTS THAT YOU DID MENTION ARE AVAILABLE AT MOST OF THESE NURSERIES. WELL, I'VE HAD AN INTERESTING EXPERIENCE BECAUSE I ORGANIZED THIS PLANT SALE FOR THE NATIVE PLANT SOCIETY, AND WE DID IT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2022. AND SO I NEEDED TO GO OUT AND FIND WHERE TO GET THEM. AND IT WAS A LOT LESS. THERE WAS A LOT LESS AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME THAN THERE IS NOW. BUT I'VE BEEN FINDING I THINK THE NURSERIES ARE STARTING TO SEE MORE DEMAND FOR NATIVES. AND I ALWAYS TELL PEOPLE WHEN THEY SAY, WELL, WHERE DO I BUY THEM? I SAY, GO TO YOUR NURSERY AND TELL THEM YOU WANT, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BUY A LITTLE BUSH BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO CREATE THE DEMAND. BUT I WOULD SAY THERE'S MUCH MORE. AND EVEN, LIKE I SAY, ON THE SCALE OF A COMMERCIAL PROJECT, THERE'S MORE THAT I SEE AVAILABLE. SO BUT I DO THINK THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT. YOU DON'T WANT TO HAND THEM A LIST AND A BUNCH OF PLANTS AND THEY'RE GOING TO GO, I CAN'T FIND THESE ANYWHERE. HOW ABOUT THE LIVING DESERT? YOU DID MENTION THAT THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER. YEAH. ARE THEY SELLING TO THE PUBLIC OR THEY DO. THEY HAVE FAIRLY RECENTLY KIND OF BROUGHT BACK THEIR PROPAGATION PROGRAM. AND THIS YEAR, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY YEARS, THEY HAD A NATIVE PLANT SALE. AND I KNOW THEY'RE WORKING WITH A NUMBER OF CITIES. I THINK THEY MAY HAVE. HAVE THEY DONE A
[00:45:05]
PROJECT IN COACHELLA FOR POLLINATION? NOT THAT I KNOW. THEY HAVE A PROJECT THAT'S FUNDED WHERE THEY'RE PUTTING IN POLLINATOR GARDENS IN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, AND I WASN'T QUITE SURE IF THEY HAD DONE ONE HERE, BUT I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BECOME MORE AND MORE OF A RESOURCE BECAUSE THEY'VE NOW GOT A REALLY GREAT TEAM OF FOLKS WHO KNOW, REALLY KNOW THEIR STUFF, AND THEY'RE AND THEY'RE GROWING THINGS, TOO. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY PLAN TO SELL, YOU KNOW, LIKE ON THE SORT OF LIKE THE WHOLESALE. BUT THEY, THEY USED TO DO THAT. THEY USED TO SELL TO SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, DEVELOPERS WHO WERE PUTTING IN. SO MAYBE THEY'LL COME BACK TO THAT WOULD BE NICE. YEAH, I WOULD RECOMMEND THAT CITY PURSUE THAT AND MAKE THAT AVAILABLE.YEAH. IT'S IMPORTANT, YOU KNOW, NOW THE CHALLENGES WITH THE CLIMATE CHANGE. AND WE HAVE TO RESORT BACK TO THE NATIVE STUFF. SO YEAH, TALKING ABOUT CHALLENGES, ARE THERE ANY CHALLENGES THAT WE CAN ENCOUNTER BY GROWING THESE NATIVE PLANTS OR IMPLEMENTING THEM IN THE LANDSCAPE? I THINK PROBABLY THE BESIDES BEING ABLE TO FIND WHERE TO BUY THEM. AND THAT'S GETTING MUCH BETTER. I THINK THE CHALLENGE THAT I MEAN, I'D SAY THE CHALLENGE THAT MOST PEOPLE HAVE IS THEY WANT TO TREAT THEM LIKE THE SORT OF STANDARD LANDSCAPE PLANTS, AND THEY'RE NOT THE SAME AS PETUNIAS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR ONE OF THE, YOU KNOW, FLOWERS THAT WE GROW A LOT OF DURING THE WINTER SEASON. THEY LIKE TO BE NEGLECTED AND THEY DON'T LIKE TO BE FERTILIZED. AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY CAN BE PRUNED, BUT AND YOU CAN. SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE ONE OF THE BIGGER CHALLENGES FOR PEOPLE IS JUST SORT OF GETTING USED TO, YOU KNOW, THE SORT OF REGULAR MAINTENANCE THAT MIGHT BE TYPICAL FOR A NON-NATIVE PLANT.
SO WE WOULD HAVE TO ALSO INCLUDE LIKE A HOW TO CARE PLAN FOR WHOEVER THAT IMPLEMENTS THESE, THESE FLOWERS. YEAH. BECAUSE THEY DON'T I MEAN THEY THEY REALLY DON'T LIKE FERTILIZER.
THE SOILS IN THE DESERT ARE PRETTY POOR GENERALLY SPEAKING. AND THE MEMBERS LIKE THE PALO VERDE AND OTHERS ACTUALLY ESSENTIALLY PRODUCE WITH MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI. THEY PRODUCE NITROGEN, WHICH HELPS, BUT MOST OF THEM DON'T REALLY DO WELL IF THEY GET TOO MUCH WATER OR IF THEY GET FERTILIZER. SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING IS JUST GETTING USED TO.
THE SORT OF MORE INTENSIVE MAINTENANCE AND PUTTING THAT AWAY AND JUST LEAVING, JUST LETTING THEM BE. OKAY. THANK YOU. SO WE HAVE BOTH. WE HAVE THE WINTER FLOWERS SEASON. YEAH.
AND THEN WE HAVE THE SUMMER FLOWER SEASON ALSO THAT THE NURSERIES PROVIDE. SO I MEAN YOU CAN CONTROL WITH THEM LIKE I WANT TO HAVE A LOT OF FLOWERS. SO I WATER THEM MORE, ESPECIALLY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T HAD MUCH RAIN. SO YOU CAN ALSO CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF GROWTH BY HOW MUCH YOU WATER, BECAUSE THEY CAN THEY CAN SURVIVE WITH VERY LITTLE. SO I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY MY COMMENT ON THAT. THOSE ARE BEAUTIFUL. THOSE COME OUT OF YOUR GARDEN. YEAH. YEAH.
JUST PICK THEM RIGHT BEFORE I CAME. AND THINGS ARE JUST STARTING NOW THAT IT'S WARMED UP A LITTLE BIT, EVERYTHING'S STARTING TO POP. SO BEAUTIFUL FLOWERS. WONDERFUL. GREAT. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION. ANY MORE QUESTIONS FROM OUR COMMISSIONERS? NO.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. OKAY, SO FOR THE RECORD WE RECOMMEND THAT PUT TOGETHER A LIST. YEAH I LIKE THAT LIST. YOU KNOW SOME OF THESE THINGS WE CAN USE FOR INSPIRATION FOR OUR GUIDES, FOR THOSE THAT USE. AND WE CAN POST SOME OF THIS STUFF ALSO FOR LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, US, YOU KNOW, OR WHOEVER HAS A HOME HAS A LANDSCAPE. IT'S GOOD INFORMATION OVERALL. LIKE THAT THING ABOUT THE TREES AND PRUNING THEM. I MEAN, I HAD NO CLUE HOW TO GUIDE. I THINK THE HOW TO GUIDE IS FRUSTRATED. WHEN I WAS THE ONLY THING I WAS GOING TO MENTION ON THE FRONT FOR THE PALM TREES IS, I THINK THE OTHER FLIP SIDE OF IT IS THAT IF IT'S IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, YOU DON'T PRUNE THEM BECOMES A FIRE HAZARD. BUT IF IT'S NOT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT WE KEEP THE FRONDS ON IT. IT GIVES IT A NICE LOOK. I KNOW THAT THE CHUCKAWALLA AREA THERE THAT INTEL'S IN PALMS HASN'T TRIMMED THAT IN PROBABLY YEARS AND YEARS, BUT THAT'S A NICE SETTING THERE. YEAH. NO THAT'S A FAIR POINT. THERE ARE SOME IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF FLIP SIDE TO IT. YEAH. SO YEAH. SO YEAH CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE GET THERE.
YEAH. THANK YOU THANK YOU. PERFECT. DO YOU WANT TO CLOSE THE MEETING OR. YEAH. ALL RIGHT.
OKAY. OKAY OKAY OKAY. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMISSIONER. NO. OKAY. SO WE'LL KIND OF CLOSE THE. STUDY S
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.