LUCERNE
VALLEY
An
Ecological
Perspective
Prepared by:
Silver Sage
PO Box
534
Lucerne
Valley, CA 92356
(760) 248-7927 or
www.ssreclamation.com
UNDERSTANDING LUCERNE VALLEY, CALIFORNIA
Complex geologic processes have shaped the varied topography and soil types
that make up the 505.3 square miles of Lucerne Valley, California. The
movements of tectonic plates have resulted in the formation of the Ord Mountain
range to the north, and the San Bernardino Mountains at the southern border of
this community. Runoff waters from these mountains have no pathways to the
ocean, so the interior drainage of Lucerne Valley collects in the lowest points of
this area. These points are called, “dry playas,” and are commonly referred to as,
“dry lakes”. The sloping accumulations that form the skirts at the bases of the
mountains are called, alluvial fans, or ‘bajadas’. Soils are formed in Lucerne
Valley primarily through physical weathering, (wind and water) of parent rock
material. Due to the arid climate of Lucerne Valley, soils tend to be poorly
developed and very thin.
The localized climate and geological
processes here dictate our natural
vegetative coverage. Local biome
types are rich with species diversity
and micro-climate adaptations. The
southern border, (upper elevations)
can best be described as
Pinyon/Juniper woodlands,
transitioning northward to Blackbrush
scrubland, Joshua Tree woodland,
Creosote scrubland, and finally down
to Saltbush scrub communities that
surround the alkali sinks, (dry lake
beds) at the lowest points in the valley. These distinct native plant communities
are each adapted to varying rainfall amounts and soil structure types.
The native plant communities that make Lucerne Valley a beautiful place to live
ameoliorate, (make better) the soils, clean our drinking water, control flooding,
prevent erosion from the wind by controlling dust, sequester carbon from the
atmosphere, and cool the ground surface. The natural complexities of the local
ecosystems and their functionality are only now beginning to be understood.
One such understanding is the interactions between soil fungi and plant roots.
We now know that this interaction is extremely fragile. Pesticides and chemical
fertilizers can disrupt this symbiotic relationship. The most visible scrub species
in Lucerne Valley is the Creosote Bush, (Larrea tridentata.) Science has recently
found that Creosote is capable of a special type of photosynthesis whereby the
enzyme to fix carbon dioxide works more efficiently in the heat. This plant’s
ability to sequester carbon, even on the hottest days, makes it unique. This is
only one example of a beneficial native species. There are many more native
varieties that contribute to this unique valley we live in.
LAND USES
The arid environment experienced here in Lucerne Valley creates many
challenges. Aquifer recharge rates, water contamination, dust control, and land
use are but a few of the hot issues faced by our town planners and resource
managers. Lucerne Valley, which encompasses some 505 square miles of arid
desert, is intersected by numerous miles of dirt roadways, pockets of housing
developments, and private water utility companies that supply these various
communities. Neighborhoods are connected to a centralized road leading to the
commercial district of the town. The primary industry is the calcium carbonate
surface mining in the San Bernardino mountain range located along the town’s
southern border.
One of the major contributors of dust pollution in the valley comes from
inactive/abandoned farmland, whose surfaces are further stripped by the high
winds that regularly move through this area. Left alone, recovery of the natural
ecosystems in these areas is slow and exacerbated by the prevailing arid
conditions.
CONCLUSION
The challenges presented today, (dust control, carbon dioxide emissions, and a
warming desert) can be offset temporarily by planting trees at a rate of 12 per
acre, (conifers) along with possible biological restoration of abandoned farmland.
The town of Lucerne Valley could reach a more sustainable balance by
community involvement and a sharing of available knowledge. A few issues
facing the town today cannot be tackled by any single individual, industry, or
government body. Only by developing a synergistic relationship among its own
citizens can Lucerne Valley look ahead to a better tomorrow
Carbon Sequestration : The process through which carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere is absorbed by trees, plants, and crops by photosynthesis, and stored
as carbon in biomass, (trees, branches, foliage, and roots) and soils.
Sustainability: The ability to achieve continuing economic prosperity while
protecting the natural systems of the planet and providing a high quality of life
for its people.
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