A new exhibition at the Lancaster Museum of Art and History is aiming to raise awareness about the endangered Joshua trees. The exhibition, titled “Desert Forest: Life with Joshua Trees,” is part of the Getty’s PST Art: Art & Science Collide initiative. It features various artworks depicting Joshua trees, including paintings, drawings, mixed media pieces, historical works, and illustrations dating back to 1880.
The exhibition was developed with scientific consultation from California State University Northridge evolutionary biologist professor Jeremy Yoder. Yoder also contributed two essays to a book that accompanies the show. The first essay explores the role of Joshua trees in the Mojave Desert ecosystem and their mutualism with Yucca moths. It also discusses their evolutionary history up to the present day. The second essay focuses on how climate change is threatening Joshua trees due to hotter and drier desert conditions.
According to Yoder, Joshua trees are crucial for providing food and shelter for a wide range of desert-dwelling animals such as birds, mammals, insects, and reptiles. He believes that residents of the Antelope Valley will find this exhibition particularly meaningful since Joshua trees are an integral part of their local ecosystem.
Yoder emphasizes that it is important for the public to be aware of the threats facing Joshua trees as they currently have protected status but are still vulnerable due to climate change impacts like wildfires. To better understand how these iconic desert plants cope with variations in climate conditions, Yoder is currently sequencing hundreds of Joshua tree genes as part of his research at CSUN’s College of Science and Mathematics.
this exhibition serves as a platform for scientists and artists alike to collaborate in highlighting both the cultural significance and ecological importance of preserving these unique desert species.
