03/26/2026
How do we plan for a more climate-resilient Coachella Valley?
In partnership with the UC Riverside Center for Conservation Biology, the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy supported the Desert Climate Resilience Initiative for the Coachella Valley, a project advancing science, community engagement, and climate planning across our region.
Through this initiative, researchers worked to better understand:
🌱 how native plant communities may shift under future climate conditions
🌍 which areas may serve as climate refuges for biodiversity
🌿 how desert landscapes store carbon and why that matters for resilience
This work led to the development of the PARC Toolkit, a climate mapping tool designed to help inform conservation, land management, and long-term planning in the Coachella Valley. Visit the link in bio from to learn more about the Desert Climate Resilience Initiative and explore the PARC Toolkit.
Just as importantly, this initiative connected research with community. Through workshops, public presentations, educational materials, and outreach in underserved communities, the project helped make climate science more accessible and grounded in local knowledge.
We are proud to support work that brings together science, community partnership, and stewardship to help shape a more resilient future for the Coachella Valley.
Thank you to our local partners featured here:
Photo descriptions:
Image 1: Fieldwork — learning directly from the land.
Image 2: Indoor Plant Workshop — hands-on learning connects people to the plants and ecosystems of the Coachella Valley.
Images 3–4: Classroom and lecture — Outreach & Engagement Lead Danelle Angeline Baronia and Dr. Lynn Sweet share insights from the field, building understanding through science and education.
Images 5–7: Outreach & Engagement Lead Danelle Angeline Baronia presents the Desert Climate Resilience Initiative at the 2026 California Native Plant Society Conference.
Image 8: Outreach table and community engagement — connecting with the community through outreach, partnerships, and accessible science.
Images 9–10: Communication across barriers — GIS Specialist Luis Barrios helps break language barriers through Spanish-translated lectures and educational materials.
Image 11: Community — building connections that make conservation meaningful and fun.
