Mojave National Preserve

First Annual 

Centennial Strategy for

August 2007
Site: MOJA

Mojave National Preserve protects diverse desert ecosystems and will preserve the

natural features unique to this transition of the Great Basin, Sonoran, and Mojave

deserts, and its associated human history and cultural resources. It will also provide

a place of discovery to young and old, to tourists and scientists, to local, regional,

national, and international visitors alike. 

Mojave is a focal point for scientific study by universities and a favorite destination

for schools to bring students to an outdoor living classroom. Students find

opportunities to learn about dark night skies and natural soundscapes, the desert

environment, native American and western expansion history, and the NPS mission.

Mojave’s facilities and operations set a high standard of excellence in their design

and energy efficiency. Sustainable facilities are blended in visually to minimize

their impact on the desert environment. Partnerships foster the expansion of Mojave’s

trail system and incorporate accessibility, sustainable materials and practices into

trail designs. Mojave becomes a model of sustainable design and practices.

 

Mojave National Preserve offers varied recreational opportunities that appeal to many

kinds of people, promoting the development of intellectual and emotional connections to

the Mojave Desert. Visitors discover that the desert environment has had a profound

effect on those who settled here, and that those pioneers in turn have left a lasting

legacy.

Through satellite interpretive sites at Nipton, Barstow, Needles, and other adjacent

communities, visitors are offered quality information about the Preserve through varied

formats including outdoor exhibits and brochures. Partners provide overnight

accommodations and commercial services that support park visitors and, with the NPS,

provide common stewardship and education messages.

Vision Statement

Dennis Schramm

Park/ Superintendent/ Program Manager

Year: 2007
Site: MOJA

X Provide inspiring, safe, and accessible places for people to enjoy - the standard

to which all other park systems aspire.

STEWARDSHIP

X Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Volunteers will assess park infrastructure, trails, campgrounds, and

interpretive displays to provide recommendations and site plans that improve

accessibility for all people. Park staff will take the necessary steps to

acquire funding and implement construction projects to meet these goals.

Mojave National Preserve will rehabilitate the Hole-in-the-Wall visitor

center. Visitors will have safe and easy access to information on

recreational opportunities and to desert ecosystems.

In a major network-wide partnership with the Resources Legacy Foundation

Fund, Mojave National Preserve will continue to protect desert park resources

from development through the acquisition of inholdings and their associated

water rights. This is an active partnership dating back several years; it

has resulted in over $10 million in donations to Mojave National Preserve.

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
Site: MOJA

X Improve the condition of park resources and assets.

STEWARDSHIP

X

X

Rehabilitate high-priority historic buildings to good condition, and help

communities to preserve their history through programs like Preserve America.

Restore native habitats by controlling invasive species and reintroducing key

plant and animal species.

Mojave National Preserve will continue to rehabilitate the buildings

associated with historic ranching and maintain corrals, tanks, troughs, and

other ranching features for visitors to explore and enjoy. The Rock Springs

Land & Cattle Company Historic District comprises nearly 850,000 acres of the

Preserve and is scattered with hundreds of buildings, structures and features

dating from the late 19th century to 2001 when cattle operations ceased. The

district possesses historic integrity; due to its continued use over time,

the extant features are generally in good to fair condition.

Historic mine sites will be completely inventoried and recorded and their

condition assessed for possible historic preservation treatments. We will

also record the cultural remains of historic homesteading in the Park

following a similar methodology. These efforts will facilitate Mojave

National Preserve's interpretation of the history of this part of the West.

Mojave National Preserve will actively engage its communities, visitors, and

partners to remove and control invasive species and to restore key native

species. The Park will encourage public education through park films,

exhibits, and interpretive programming designed to reach visitors, partners,

and communities about the impacts of invasives. The benefits of restoration

efforts extend beyond Mojave National Preserve’s borders to benefit adjacent

landowners.

In partnership with California Department of Fish and Game and several

federal agencies, Mojave National Preserve will introduce the endangered

Mohave tui chub into new habitats to achieve recovery and downlist the

species from endangered to threatened. Matching funds are available.

Mojave National Preserve will partner with Chevron to establish capacity for

juvenile desert tortoise studies and to determine predation. They will

together construct a state-of-the-art head-start facility to jump-start

desert tortoise recovery efforts in Mojave National Preserve. This effort

will include readily accessible visitor education and interpretation

regarding the desert tortoise life cycle, threats, and recovery efforts.

X The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
Site: MOJA

X Improve the condition of park resources and assets.

STEWARDSHIP

X

X

Improve high-priority assets to acceptable condition, as measured by the

Facility Condition Index.

Complete all cultural resource inventories for designated priority resources.

Park staff will continue to implement the Facility Management Software System

and develop a Park Asset Management Plan (PAMP). A 10- to 15-year strategic

vision will be developed to enable better management of the Park's asset

portfolio. The PAMP will identify assets that are at risk of failure and/or

incur significant repair and replacement costs, and will document the most

cost-effective approach to maintaining, repairing, or replacing the asset

portfolio. Park management will continue to develop PMIS projects to support

this initiative.

Mojave National Preserve will build a new maintenance facility that will

allow the maintenance staff to work safely and efficiently in a hot desert

environment. Park staff will maintain visitor facilities in good condition,

as measured by the Facility Condition Index and Asset Protection Index.

Mojave National Preserve will continue to incorporate sustainability and

energy efficiency in all maintenance activities and new construction.

Mojave National Preserve will maintain the Park’s system of solar generation

in good condition, as measured by the FCI and API, through Cyclic and

Preventive Maintenance.

Native peoples have occupied various areas within the Preserve from at least

11,000 years ago until modern times. About 1,300 archeological sites, most of

them dating to the prehistoric period, have been entered into Mojave National

Preserve's ASMIS database. Mojave will prepare an Archeological Overview and

Assessment that will provide a summary of previous research and a thorough

synopsis of what is known about the prehistory of the area, including its

abundant rock art, based on a study of the pertinent literature. Once

completed, the NPS will then be able to identify gaps in both the

geographical and temporal coverage of earlier work and prioritize the

archeological research needs of Mojave National Preserve. This effort will

make it possible to plan for future archeological research in the area, both

by NPS staff and by potential research partners in educational institutions.

Our efforts to complete our inventories of prehistoric cultural resources

will then be prioritized by area based on potential visitor impacts combined

with identified research needs.

X

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
MOJA

MOJA

Site:

Site:

X

X

Assure that no compelling chapter in the American heritage experience remains

untold and that strategically important landscapes are acquired, as authorized by

Congress.

Encourage children to be future conservationists.

STEWARDSHIP

STEWARDSHIP

X

X

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Lured by a cycle of particularly wet years, settlers established homesteads

and attempted dry land farming in the east Mojave beginning in about 1910,

with the majority were centered in the Lanfair Valley. Because well drilling

there proved to be only marginally successful, settlers there were forced to

haul water overland. By the end of the 1910s, the more typical dry years had

returned and many homesteaders were forced to leave the area, a process that

was basically completed by 1923. Of particular interest is the fact that

most of the homesteaders who moved to the Lanfair region were African

Americans and their attempts at homesteading in the harsh environs of what is

today the Preserve form a story that the park will make available to visitors

based on sound historical research. 

Mojave National Preserve will plan and develop onsite orientation and

interpretation materials at historic ranches to tell the story of the early

20th century Rock Springs Land & Cattle Company Historic District.

Similarly, the history of mining in the area will be highlighted by

interpretive materials at historic sites in the diverse Standard Mining

District.

Mojave National Preserve will plan and develop a residential outdoor program

for school-age children. This program will be targeted at local schools and

will offer schoolchildren the opportunity to experience the desert through

participation in resource management monitoring programs.

In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the City of Barstow,

Mojave National Preserve will support a research and educational display

about the endangered Mohave tui chub at the Desert Discovery Center in

Barstow, California.

X The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
Site: MOJA

X Reduce environmental impacts of park operations.

ENVIRONMENT

X Reduce the environmental impacts of park operations on air and water quality.

Mojave National Preserve will institute a robust program of air quality

monitoring to provide data that is completely comparable to those being

acquired at other desert parks in order to track the growing effects of

nearby metropolitan areas. The Park will continue to monitor its soundscapes

and brilliant night sky to ensure that future visitors will be able to enjoy

the silence and serenity that make Mojave National Preserve such a special

place.

Mojave National Preserve will continue to minimize its impact on the

environment through the use of alternative energy, green cleaning supplies,

recycling and reuse, use of bio-base lubricating oils, purchase of recycled

content papers and products, replacing all of its incandescent bulbs with

fluorescent, conserving water and energy through education and action, and

educating park staff and visitors on how to protect the environment from

greenhouse gases. The Park will demonstrate and inspire leadership in

innovation in environmental stewardship and green practices.

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
Site: MOJA

X Inspire an environmental conscience in Americans.

ENVIRONMENT

X

X

X

Establish programs to showcase exemplary environmental practices and increase

visitor awareness of how the practices apply to their daily lives, as

measured by surveys.

Demonstrate environmental excellence through increased use of alternative

energy and fuels at every park.

Serve as a model for energy efficiency, under Executive Order 13423, by

ensuring Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

Mojave will serve as a public forum to test new energy conservation materials

and will provide constantly updated information to visitors about them.

Visitors will be able to observe first hand sustainable construction

materials and energy conserving vehicles in use and get information about

their effectiveness from park staff.

Mojave National Preserve will replace all of its hydraulic fluids in park

equipment with bio-based fluids to reduce potential impacts to the

environment from accidental spills.

A percentage of gasoline-engine vehicles will be replaced with alternative

energy vehicles in the Park’s vehicle fleet.

Mojave National Preserve will partner with both its Desert Network parks and

with user groups to build and improve sustainable alternative energy

systems. Mojave will partner with the California State University at

Fullerton to expand the solar energy system that supports the Desert Studies

Center at Zzyzx. Improving the system will eliminate the need for diesel

electric power, reduce greenhouse gases and fuel costs, and become a showcase

for visitors and education groups that visit Zzyzx.

Alternative energy design, systems, and sustainability will be included in

all new construction projects. The future maintenance facility at Baker will

incorporate sustainable design, construction, and include a solar system

capable of providing all of its energy needs.

Mojave National Preserve will engage with partners at universities and

landscape design firms to bring the best sustainable design concepts to the

table for each new facility to be planned and constructed in the Park and for

nearby gateway communities. These facilities will be very highly LEED rated,

and will be built to complement the desert landscape. They will set a

standard for other parks to follow.

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
MOJA

MOJA

Site:

Site:

X

X

Inspire an environmental conscience in Americans.

Engage partners, communities, and visitors in shared environmental stewardship.

ENVIRONMENT

ENVIRONMENT

X

X

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Mojave National Preserve will continue to support the efforts of the

California Conservation Corps and the Student Conservation Association by

sponsoring their participation in resource management projects within the

Park and providing them with training in the Leave No Trace ethic. In

southern California, the Corps provides outdoor work experiences to inner

city youth who otherwise would have little or no contact with the natural

world. Working and camping in the Mojave Desert creates opportunities to

broaden participants' awareness of the environment in fundamental ways.

Mojave National Preserve will actively engage its communities, visitors, and

partners through a combined effort to implement energy conservation and

sustainable building practices throughout the desert and to educate all

parties about the benefits of this program.

Mojave will engage its university and community partners to identify and

adopt an environmental stewardship mentality that closely aligns with the NPS

mission. Mojave will model the stewardship behavior that is desired and

sponsor partnerships that serve to change improve practices or educate

residents and visitors about stewardship values.

Mojave National Preserve will continue its participation and involvement in

the Desert Managers Group to create partnerships that can help the Park to

preserve the Desert’s cultural and natural resources.

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
MOJA

MOJA

Site:

Site:

X

X

Encourage collaboration among and assist park and recreation systems at every

level—federal, regional, state, local—to help build an outdoor recreation network

accessible to all Americans.

Establish “volun-tourism” excursions to national parks for volunteers to help

achieve natural and cultural resource protection goals.

RECREATION

RECREATION

X

X

X

Rehabilitate over 2,000 miles of trails within or connected to national

parks, including trails accessible to those with disabilities.

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Increase annual volunteer hours by 100 percent, from 5.2 million hours to

10.4 million hours.

Through its partnership with City of Barstow, Mojave National Preserve will

continue to develop the Barstow-Kelso Railroad, a proposed excursion rail

service to bring weekend visitors from the greater Los Angeles area to

Barstow, then on to Mojave National Preserve’s Kelso Depot Visitor Center via

a scenic rail route.

In partnership with our gateway communities, the Bureau of Land Management,

and the California State Parks, Mojave National Preserve will build and

maintain a network of accessible hiking, biking, equestrian and motor vehicle

trails that provides a diverse variety of recreational experiences to

visitors. Trails will connect to other public lands management units to form

a seamless, inter- and intra-state network.

Mojave National Preserve will expand existing volunteer group programs, such

as Volunteer Vacations. Seasonal staff will work in coordination with the

Park’s volunteer coordinator to advance these programs.

Mojave National Preserve will develop additional volunteer housing and

campsites to facilitate expansion of volunteer program.

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
MOJA

MOJA

Site:

Site:

X

X

Expand partnerships with schools and boys and girls associations to show how

national park experiences can improve children’s lives.

Focus national, regional, and local tourism efforts to reach diverse audiences

and young people and to attract visitors to lesser-known parks.

RECREATION

RECREATION

X

X

X

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Increase visitation by 25 percent at lesser-known parks through a national

tourism effort aimed at helping people to discover the breadth of parks and

experiences.

Increase the number of visitors that attend ranger-facilitated programs such

as campfire talks, hikes, and school programs.

Mojave National Preserve will rehabilitate the Kelso School for use as a

field center. The Park will recreate the ambiance of a one-room classroom

where facilities such as restroom and water are available to host class

visits. Students will be able to study the desert in the field; they can then

move inside the classroom to experience first-hand life in the small,

isolated towns, as was common across the Mojave Desert 100 years ago.

Mojave National Preserve will reach out to urban children by partnering with

gateway communities to develop a residential outdoor school for multi-day

desert learning activities. Regional school districts, such as Las Vegas and

Los Angeles, are being considered.

Mojave National Preserve and California Department of Transportation

(CalTrans) are working together to provide interstate highway welcome centers

with tour information for Mojave National Preserve.

Mojave National Preserve will develop interpretive exhibits at high-profile

venues leading to the Park. Examples include the Outlet Mall at Primm,

Nevada, McCarren International Airport and the proposed Ivanpah Valley

Airport, all of which serve or will serve the greater Las Vegas area.

Mojave National Preserve will develop ranger-facilitated programs to be

offered at campgrounds and visitor centers.

X The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
MOJA

MOJA

Site:

Site:

X

X

Cooperate with educators to provide curriculum materials, high-quality programs,

and park-based and online learning.

Introduce young people and their families to national parks by using exciting

media and technology.

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

X

X

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Increase the number of web hits through the introduction of advanced,

interactive features that attract young people to national parks.

Mojave National Preserve will strengthen its partnership with the Desert

Discovery Center, a community-based education consortium of federal, state,

local, and non-governmental agencies providing environmental education

programming and activities in Barstow, California. We will professionalize

our programming to create compelling experiences and to meet State standards.

Mojave National Preserve will invite local teachers for an overnight workshop

in the Park to open discussions about Mojave’s potential as a place of

learning.

Mojave National Preserve will design, create and launch an interactive

webpage for children.

X

X

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
MOJA

MOJA

Site:

Site:

X

X

Promote life-long learning to connect generations through park experiences.

Impart to every American a sense of their citizen ownership of their national

parks.

EDUCATION

EDUCATION

X

X

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Mojave National Preserve will plan and develop a residential outdoor program

for school-age children. This program will be targeted at local schools and

will offer schoolchildren the opportunity to experience the desert through

participation in resource management monitoring programs.

In partnership with the Bureau of Land Management and the City of Barstow,

Mojave National Preserve will support a research and educational display

about the endangered Mohave tui chub at the Desert Discovery Center in

Barstow, California.

Mojave National Preserve will develop a series of satellite interpretive

sites along paved roads that describe major park themes. Sites may include

short, accessible walking or driving trails, shade structures, and outdoor

exhibits to facilitate a connection between visitors and the hidden but

compelling stories of the Mojave Desert. 

Mojave National Preserve will develop a high quality orientation film to be

shown at the Kelso Depot Visitor Center. A longer version that provides a

broader and deeper understanding of the Park will be developed for Internet

or DVD. The latter will extend the Mojave National Preserve experience into

the home.

Mojave National Preserve will develop quality orientation exhibits for park

headquarters in Barstow.

X

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
MOJA

MOJA

Site:

Site:

X

X

Be one of the top 10 places to work in America.

Use strategic planning to promote management excellence.

PROFESSIONALISM

PROFESSIONALISM

X

X

Attain the highest employee satisfaction rate of all federal agencies, as

measured by Office of Personnel Management surveys.

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Mojave National Preserve listens to its employees' concerns and desires to

provide a working environment that is highly satisfying and a corresponding

wage and benefits package that is competitive in the area. Mojave offers

flexible work schedules, telecommuting and part-time employment to meet

employee needs and preferences.

Mojave National Preserve will engage partners in strategic visioning to align

the goals and objectives of the Preserve closely with future trends in order

to stay in step with emerging issues. Mojave will be leaders and innovators

and will actively solicit and encourage innovation in all areas of park

management.

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
MOJA

MOJA

Site:

Site:

X

X

Promote a safety and health culture for all employees and visitors.

Model what it means to work in partnership.

PROFESSIONALISM

PROFESSIONALISM

X

X

X

Reduce the number of employee lost-time incidents and serious visitor

injuries by 20 percent.

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Other Park/ Program performance goal(s)

Mojave National Preserve provides a safe and healthy work environment for

employees and visitors by sponsoring regular safety training, providing

personal protective equipment, and eliminating safety hazards when

discovered. In partnership with local health vendors Mojave will sponsor

local health fairs to provide regular screening tests and educational

materials. Mojave recognizes the benefits of ergonomics and provides

training and equipment to ensure safe office work. Employees in the field

are equipped with the necessary tools to do the job correctly and safely.

Mojave National Preserve has over 17,000 abandoned mining claims. The park

has documented over 4,000 mine shafts, adits, and other open excavation

related to these claims. The park will develop and implement an abandoned

mine lands safety program through partnerships with other land management

agencies in the desert ad with the California Department of Conservation.

Park visitors who explore abandoned mines and associated historic sites –

close to 20 percent of approximately 600,000 visitors annually – will have

safer experiences in Mojave National Preserve.

Mojave National Preserve currently has several partnerships through which it

is developing educational, recreational, resource protection, and endangered

species recovery projects. The Park shares staff and resources with

neighboring desert parks in the Mojave Network, and partners through the

Desert Managers Group with multiple land management agencies on a wide

spectrum of projects. Two of our partners operate in-park higher education

research and education facilities. Mojave will increase cooperative

initiatives both through existing partnerships and new relationships.

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS
Site: MOJA

X Make national parks the first choice in philanthropic giving among those

concerned about environmental, cultural, and recreational values.

PROFESSIONALISM

X Improve communications and marketing capacity to increase public

understanding of our mission, opportunities, and benefits.

Mojave National Preserve will establish a Friends Group to develop fund

raising efforts. This group will ensure that philanthropic givers are aware

of the mission and purpose of Mojave National Preserve and are provided

accurate, timely and relevant information regarding the Preserve’s special

resources and values.

The work described currently is supported by OFS and/ or PMIS