It seems like this sick behavior is nothing more than anti intellectualism. Weak minded and uneducated regaling in the opportunity to stick it to the
"elites". Just shows what's right under the surface of civility.
68
The park superintendent indicated to me by phone that employees or volunteers are forbidden by congress & by law, to protect what is normally in their care, during a shut-down!
Outrageous.
49
@ogn just put them in a museum? So all the people could come and see them? Depressing.
7
Unlike many National Parks that prohibit off-road vehicles, Joshua Tree Park allows them. Because of this there is no shortage of 'red-neck' visitors tearing around on various off-road-vehicles. The damage was to be expected considering the majority of visitors.
46
I've never visited Joshua Tree National Park.
Not too long ago some president had the wisdom and foresight to protect these treasures and created your national park system. Teddy Roosevelt and Yosemite comes to mind. They exist so that future generations can experience the same jaw drop ping moment that made him act. These places belong to everyone, everywhere and Americans are only the curators, and getting a failing grade at that. Makes me sad.
51
Joshua Tree NP is a very special place. I don't think there is any other place like it. The scope of it, the magnitude, and the beauty...just magic. If you think it is just desert and rocks and wierd trees you are mistaken. These trees only grow here in this micro climate. They are special and rare. To destroy one is to destroy something we probably wont ever get back. We may not have the time the way we treat our planet.
41
I'd wager that if someone wanted to spend time checking out social media posts, you'd find photos of the damage and of the folks doing the damage. Reminds me of the people who like to put rope swings on fragile landscapes in Arches or who need to climb barriers to try and get a "perfect" photo to brag about what they've done.
35
This article infuriated me because this damage was so unnecessary. It would seem the miscreants who did this probably thought they could get away with it because there were no Park service personnel around.
However, by leaving behind their trash, beer cans, foot prints, tire tracks and human waste, they also left something else behind - their DNA.
I hope the Park Service is treating those items as possible evidence for future arrests, convictions and jail time. They deserve no mercy for destroying the American people's treasured parks.
75
Is this intentional destruction of natural habitat by ignorant yahoos vastly different than the Administration's irresponsible granting of drilling rights to the fossil fuel industry in the country's national parks and off-shore waters?
77
@John Grillo
No - The only difference is Trump is trashing the environment to make Billionaires more money. Who knows why these vandals trashed these beautiful trees - they are likely trump supporters, and those folks don't always think rationally.
45
The vandals won't be silent long, soon they will post their escapades, then we can prosecute them...unfortunately the punishment won't be harsh enough.
69
My wife and I went to Joshua Tree National Park just when the shutdown took place. At that time there the gates were not closed so you could just enter the park. We took dirt road on what is called the "Geology Loop". The road is clearly posted '4-wheel drive only'. But as we were starting down the first steep hill, we encountered a small sedan that was stuck in the sand. I stopped and the people told me they had no cell phone reception (daa!) so they needed help. I said it was difficult to turn around and if they were still there after we finished the loop we'd help. And sure enough there they were a hour and a half later and were really mad because no one had come along. I pulled them out but as soon as they tried to move they got stuck again. The same thing happened when I pulled them out again. Finally I told them that I would notify a towing company when we got back to Twenty-Nine Palms. They started yelling at me, and I quickly drove off.
82
The Earth can't be killed by us. Plants will regrow. Animals, if only bacteria and insects, will survive. It will always be indescribably complex and beautiful.
Whether or not WE will remain on the Earth to enjoy it is another story...
16
@DP: Human pollution and environmental damage are destroying plant, animal and microbial species that have never been discovered or described by scientists. Some of these species might have given us cures/prevention for diseases, but now we will never find them. The Trump administration has done all it can to accelerate this ongoing damage to our environment.
37
Centuries?
We no longer have centuries.
The time to act is now.
31
I'm as outraged as anyone. I have a question though: Why didn't the California state government keep the park fully staffed during the shutdown?
I know the Utah state government spent $80,000 out of our own state budget for exactly this reason. The government shutdown happened during a busy tourist weekend. The Utah Office of Tourism picked the three most heavily trafficked National Parks for Christmas and gave the NPS money to keep them open. Utah isn't getting reimbursed.
I'm curious why California, which has the biggest public tourism budget in the entire nation by a very wide margin, didn't think protecting Joshua Tree was important enough to use state funds to prevent vandalism. I know they have numbers on holiday visitation. The shutdown impact wasn't unannounced or unknown. The Joshua Tree damage could have been prevented.
53
@Andy
California is a far bigger and more diverse state than is Utah with State and National Parks, forests, and public lands across a much larger area.
The Joshua Tree National Monument is accessible from many public thoroughfares.
California has had a lot of demands upon it's public funds all of which are urgent not all of which can be funded.
The National Parks are in the jurisdiction of the Federal Government.
49
@Casual Observer
That doesn't answer my question. California has an allocated tourism budget north of $100 million. Utah has a tourism budget between $20 and $25 million. Utah spent $80,000 in tourism money to protect portions of federal National Parks. Why didn't California?
$80,000 is nothing out of a $25 million budget. California has at least 4x that amount with less public land as a percentage of total acreage. Do you see the problem?
16
Off road vehicle riding has gone on steadily for at least six decades in California deserts and one of the things that happens is destruction of any artifacts or organic life which off roaders are asked to leave alone. The idea that some rare plant or human art from thousands of years ago should keep them from racing across the land seems to be a great imposition upon a lot of people.
31
At times like this, I remember an old film "Silent Running" from 1972. Much of the world's vegetation had been moved to orbiting space stations and people gleefully took pleasure in destroying the remaining trees.
8
@JAR
I remember that film well. Douglas Trumbull was SE director on "2001: A Space Odyssey." George Lucas went on to shamelessly plagiarize Douglas' techniques without credit in the original Star Wars trilogy.
I'm not sure that film means exactly what you think it means though. "Silent Running" was a little more errant than most people generally give it credit.
Good reference but I'm not sure this is right place.
3
What a sorry statement about human beings and Americans in particular. It's just sickening that some ignorant individuals (that's the nicest description I could come up with) would take advantage of the situation and deliberately trash a national park and a sensitive ecosystem. This just wouldn't happen in any decent society and it's a sad reflection of how bad things have gotten. These people should receive jail time or at least very stiff fines, and the public should not be allowed to enter the Parks if another government shutdown happens.
68
@Martha
The people who destroyed this Park would not be stopped; they would find other ways to enter the Park. I agree with the fines and some jail time. Joyriding around a closed Park is one thing; the deliberate destruction of the landscape and ecosystem is quite another. These are the individuals who vandalize a home after they rob it; they vandalize a store after they break the windows or doors to enter. This is serious anger. Hopefully, DNA is being collected from what they left behind. Chances are they are in a data base for petty crimes. We have the money to do this.
20
This is not a republican or democratic problem. The hand full of visitors to all the national parks just can't behave. Defecting where the please, destroying property and landscape, basically acting badly. While living outside societies rules, they are probably self proclaiming to love nature.
I don't believe the article stated how delicate these trees are. One comment stated, grow them in a greenhouse. These trees only grow in a couple of regions in the world, the Mohave desert and the mid east I believe. A greenhouse is not an option.
The lack of respect shown to the Earth's treasures is probably reflected in their every day Life.
44
@Susan
I'm not sure what your are referring to by saying "This is not a republican or democratic problem". Obviously, trashing the environment is a problem for everyone. Also, it is obvious that one of these groups has much more respect for the environment and wants to protect it rather than trash it.
18
What a sorry statement about human beings and Americans in particular. It's just sickening that some ignorant individuals (that's the nicest description I could come up with) would take advantage of the situation and deliberately trash a national park and a sensitive ecosystem. This just wouldn't happen in any decent society and it's a sad reflection of how bad things have gotten. These people should receive jail time or at least very stiff fines, and the public should not be allowed to enter the Parks if a government shutdown arises again.
14
Would I be stepping over the line to state that I would be willing to bet that the vandals that did this were also white supremacists as well. After all they are the kind of people that don't think they have to follow the rules of decency.
22
I think what happened in Joshua Tree is an apt metaphor for what Trump has done to America. A blatant disregard for nature and the rule of law, selfish exploitation of natural resources for a temporary and destructive gain, just to show that he(they) "pwned the libs" (if you have teenage kids like me you'll know what I mean).
We may never recover from his and his followers malevolence and greed.
76
And we can be sure that these destructive drunk fools are the ones complaining there are too many restrictions in national parks about vehicles restricting cramping. They're also the ones who don't believe in climate change and science. They think universe begins and ends with them. There is no history or future in their self-absorption.
37
Let’s take a vote of party allegiance for those who destroyed the trees. Guess red or blue voters. Result? Not even a contest.
13
I realize that many on these comments don't like the Boy Scouts but this is the kind of conduct that BSA teaches is wrong. Beginning in Cubs boys (and now girls) are taught leave no trace. That is a good concept that needs to be taught to every kid (and re-enforced in some adults). Not to say there isn't the occasional idiot in BSA but on the whole much better behaved than average.
I also note that in some parks the concessionaires paid their employees to clean park amenities, etc. In Yellowstone the hotel operator lead the effort to plow roads, etc. (FYI the operator is owned by conservative Phil Anschutz). So a question might be should the government be running the parks?
7
People are the problem.
16
Remember when the Bundy brothers and their band of freeloading ranchers took over the Malheur Wildlife Refuge building in Oregon and thoroughly trashed it during their standoff with the federal government? Well the vandals and “inconsiderate guests” (euphemism alert!) who caused the gratuitous damage in Joshua Tree National Park during the shutdown are of the same ilk. All they want is for the government to get out of their way so they can damage at will while exercising their god-given right to “freedumb.” Government is not the problem, but these people sure are.
79
This incident is a teaching moment. The national parks are set aside for the use and enjoyment of everyone. By design, they are "protected" in order to preserve their existence. As we can see, if they aren't actively monitored and defended, there are plenty of individuals who don't care about the commons or about preserving our natural habitats. Unless we want to sell off the parks and let private guards regulate the condition and access to them, then we need to believe that a National Park Service (the government, we) must protect them.
36
Whenever there’s a story of this magnitude, I wonder if we’re going to make it.
35
"a story of this magnitude"? how many trees was it? all the story says is a "small number". what kind of half-way reporting is this story
5
@bored critic
not the number of trees. the magnitude refers to the amount of sheer selfishness and ignorance.
23
The park was visited by tens of thousands during the shutdown. It does not sound like all but a few engaged in sheer destruction if only a few trees were lost. I, too, would like to know how many.
3
Thanks Republicans! And here I am thinking that the only national park suffering from irreversible damage is Glaciers national park in Montana.
54
takes 2 sides to ma8ntain a shut down. also thanks to nancy p.
3
@bored critic
actually no. mitch mcconnel had the votes to stop the shutdown. he didn't put the legislation forward.
34
@bored critic: was not aware the Ms. P. was Speaker of the house at the beginning of the shutdown nor speaker for the two years of total GOP control of all houses of government.
15
I have lived in the Joshua Tree area for twenty plus years. Every year I would observe that the vegetation, primarily creosote bushes, would shrink from the lack of rainfall. Joshua trees only occur in specific areas; now with climate change, scientists predict that the namesake of this park will no longer be.
It takes time living in the desert to understand the fragility of it, that a tire track, even a footprint from a heavy boot will last longer than I've lived there, decades.
Too many times I've seen the weekend warriors from the city, in their motorized vehicles drive wantonly through the desert, not caring about anything than their own pleasure, leaving a trail of garbage, empty beer cans, and tire ruts.
My hope is that a super germ will wipe out the majority of mankind before he completely destroys the planet. I presume that is why God gave man free will: So he can destroy himself!
113
These people think they have a right to drive off-road in national parks, carry and use hand-guns, make as much noise as they like, and control women's reproductive behavior - and they are not Democrats, scientists or atheists.
109
Lock Them Up!
Any thoughts on how we are so scared to speak up now that people (young guys, probably) get away with this?
Guess it's just the role model on top now making things worse. As in, what law nowadays?
I imagine they were all ILLEGALS who did it. With duct tape on the women.
14
@bored critic
well! a mind reader!! who knew? why are you trolling these comments. not sure what you're offering is criticism. more like cynicism.
3
If we cannot care for a tree, how will we care for one another?
69
It's too bad that there aren't an abundance of places in SoCal where you can drive around endlessly.
18
Thanks for reporting on this vandalism. We need to know and evaluate everything that's going on in this administration and the results in real life.
46
Oh wow really. Hunh. Well anyhow, was that some sick off-roading or what, dude! Just making America greater again some more.
19
This is why we can't have anything nice.
Seriously, we seem to have entered a phase, perhaps encouraged by the behavior of our developmentally arrested president, where we are intent on fouling our own nest (to put it nicely).
There have always been people who prided themselves on leaving their name engraved or spray painted on pristine rock, people who think the desert is just a big sand box for them to drive around in, people who pillaged ancient indigenous sites. I'm not saying it's any worse now than it ever was, but the atmosphere feels as if it's shifted as we roll back environmental protections and withdraw from climate change efforts. More digging, more mining, more drilling, making places like Bear Ears smaller, more of a sense that the natural world is ours to drive on and over, to chop down and burn.
The damage to our parks was predictable; it happens even when they're open and patrolled. We need to restore a sense that these treasures are not replaceable within our lifetimes if we choose to destroy them.
125
this has nothing to do with trump. it has to do with the dnc indset of the current generation
2
@ bored critic Yes it does have to do with Trump, his damaging environmental policies, his shrinking of monuments that are historically and culturally significant...his priorities are clear regarding public places like our national parks. Why defend a person who has consistantly demonstrated a shocking lack of care for others?
21
What an absolute disgrace! This sickens me.
24
Thought it terrifies me, especially as the parent of a young child, when I think about climate change, disappearing nature and ecosystem damage, it's pretty clear: Humanity will get exactly what it deserves. It's a shame.
27
Thanks TrumP! Rack this up to "winning!"
24
There was destruction and vandalism on the National Forest around Lake Tahoe during the shut down too. People knew they could get away with it. Big trucks and snow mobiles going around gates and entering wilderness areas. People cutting down trees for no apparent reason. Garbage and human feces strewn all around trailheads. Make America Great Again, yeh sure...
90
@Jimmy Diesel the same people who have no objections to Trump allowing the diminishment of Bear Ears Park, or selling off mining and digging rights in the Alaska wilderness ... careless and indifferent to preserving something for those of us not rich or not looking to get rich off natural, irreplaceable resources.
21
“We say they grow an inch a year, and in a wet year it might grow five inches or a foot but in a dry year it might not grow at all.” So, grow them in a nursery and water them a lot.
3
@ogn Hear hear!
3
@ogn @Bonnie Balanda Or, how about not wrecking stuff in the first place?
16
@ogn You seem to have missed the point of the article.
17
People,if you want to call them that ,are much worse than animals because animals do not know any better.
29
@Alan Einstoss Plus, animals will only destroy something if they need to eat it.
19
@Alan Einstoss People are animals my friend.
9
@Bob R - you clearly have never met my dog!
4
There are few crimes I find more disturbing than vandalism against living creatures, including both animals and old trees in national parks. Such behavior suggests serious psychological problems at best. Here's hoping that there is, somewhere in the debris, clues to the identity of the vandals. Anyone convicted of destroying even one Joshua tree should face years in prison, followed by years of public service in National Parks and they should be provided all the psychological help possible.
136
People Suck.
66
MAY take centuries to grow?
No: WILL Take centuries to grow!
64
Assuming that the ecosystem has centuries left.
28
It takes a truly disgusting person or persons to do a thing like this. These vandals, if caught, should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and then some, Like community service working in the park all summer.
83
@USMC1954
All Summer?
For many years!
24
@Eugene for however long it takes for new joshua trees to grow to 20 feet.
18
You should inform readers that it was an administration decision to open the parks during the shutdown, with no staff to police them. During past shutdowns the parks were closed. This ecological damage to parks is squarely the result of bad decisions by this administration. These parks are meant to be preserved for future generations.
198
I take it you haven't been to Joshua Tree or many other National Parks. Yes it was closed but as noted in the article barriers and gates etc were knocked down or broken through. Also Joshua Tree is more vulnerable to that than many as it is adjacent to the small city of Twenty Nine Palms and the small towns of Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley. Considering it is an ecological area, home to many native plants and animals the entirety of its border just like other parks is not fenced!
49
@CitizenJ
And its a sad statement that people can't behave themselves unless a uniformed officer is there to say 'no!'. But even when Yellowstone is open idiot tourists ignore all sorts of warning signs to get a better photo at the hot springs or with bison.
Yes the administration opened the parks, but it is the self-centered fun seekers who own ATVs or feel the need to defecate without digging a cat hole who deserve criticism. These jerks would have likely driven around barriers or gates anyway. Its not as if Joshua Tree is surrounded by razor wire.
It's time to stop blaming administrations - local, state or federal - for every last example of bad personal behavior.
26
The park was open for at least the first 8 days of the shutdown. All of the campgrounds were open and full. It’s the peak of the busy season, so thousands more visitors arrive daily for daytripping. Meanwhile, NPS staff were on a skeleton crew, mostly all law enforcement rangers. If the gates were shut from the get go—a prudent course of action followed in past shutdowns—then the minimal LE ranger presence could have focused on any illegal trespassing, and probably minimizing the attempts of the bad actors to wreck significant damage to the park resources. This decision to remain open during the shutdown, by the way, was made in the early days of the administration, so as to avoid the fall out of an upset public. PR over preservation.
57
I just can not connect the dots. Could you track down one of the violators and ask them what was their motivation? How do people get so disrespectful of an old tree????
31
@Laura S.
My hunch is they aren't disrespectful. At least not intentionally disrespectful.
They are indifferent.
With an attitude that nature (and everything else) is here for my personal amusement or my personal use.
They are well trained consumers.
20
The selfishness and ignorance of the American public never ceases to amaze. Who goes in to a NATIONAL PARK and leaves garbage - rangers on patrol or not? Chopping down trees?? Unbelievable.
185
This was a predictable, actually, a PREDICTED result of the Trump administration trying not to alienate the public and its support for the Wall. Aside from "dirtbag" rock climbers (a name worn proudly by those who have quit the 9-5 to travel and climb), the winter crowd at Joshua Tree is heavily skewed towards well-off retirees, who are more prone to voting Republican and donating to campaigns. Coincidence?
Even after the problems became blatantly obvious, Zinke failed to recognize his bad judgment, and his acting successor Bernhardt also failed.
(Yes, you're right. I am angry.)
95
@Davy_G
Dave, just to be sure I understand you, your thesis is that the federal government's partial shut-down turned a bunch of "well-off" retired Republicans into vandals who chopped down Joshua trees in the park? Do I have that right?
8
@James No, what he's positing is that the parks were left open to placate wealthy donors and the side effect of that was vandalism from whomever.
40
@Aaron - You are correct.
12
Seems to me that the key fact is missing: how many? Saying a "small number" is hopelessly vague. I'm sure a small number of trees die every year from natural causes. It sounds like other vandalism and lawless behavior were a bigger problem.
14
@David
The linked article said “several” were cut down by vandals so vehicles could drive into banned areas, where more damage was surely done. What if the total were “only” 5 or so? That hardly makes it acceptable.
48
@NA. Of course it doesn't make it acceptable, but let's understand the facts better.
7