Western Joshua trees are protected under California's Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act of 2023. Removing or relocating them in San Bernardino County requires a state permit and mitigation fees, with additional county Native Desert Plant Protection rules.
Assembly Bill 1283 (2023) granted Western Joshua trees full state protection short of Endangered Species Act listing while studies proceed. Take, removal, or transplanting requires a CDFW permit and mitigation fees scaled by trunk diameter, typically thousands per tree. San Bernardino County's Native Desert Plant Protection ordinance also covers ocotillo, smoke trees, blue palo verde, ironwood, and Mojave yucca on undisturbed parcels. Land clearing in Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, Lucerne Valley, and Twentynine Palms gateway areas faces the most aggressive enforcement. Federal Joshua Tree National Park lands are separately protected under National Park Service rules.
Unpermitted Joshua tree removal can result in mitigation fees of 1,000 to 5,000 dollars per tree plus state misdemeanor citations. Federal park violations carry separate criminal penalties and restoration costs.
See how Fontana's protected tree species rules stack up against other locations.
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