Living Desert Reserve

Map Satellite

Lying on the alluvial plain at the mouth of Deep Canyon, the Living Desert Reserve preserves the plant community typical of the Coachella Valley.

The dominant species, both on the plain and the adjacent mountain slopes, is the creosote bush, Larrea tridentata, which in portions may comprise nearly two-fifths of the plant cover. Other species present on the plain include brittle bush, Encelia farinosa, burro-weed, Ambrosia dumosa, indigo bush, Psorothamnus schottii, desert lavender, Hyptis emoryi, and desert-mallow, Sphaeralcea ambigua. The latter, together with the Larrea, are the dominant species on the rocky hillsides.

Along the wash which traverses the Reserve, four species are dominant: palo verde, Cercidium floridum, desert willow, Chilopsis linearis, smoke tree, Psorothamnus spinosus, and chuparosa, Justicia californica. Beaver-tail cactus, Opuntia basilaris, is the most common cactus on the Reserve. There is some ocotillo, Fouquieria splendens, on the hillsides.

Animal life is abundant and over 100 species of birds have been observed here. Among the many animals found here are desert kit fox, Vulpes macrotis, antelope ground squirrel, Citellus leucurus, round-tailed ground squirrel, Citellus tereticaudus, gray fox, Urocyon cinereoargenteus, bobcat, Lynx rufus, verdins, Auriparus flaviceps, ground dove, Columbigallina passerina, black-tailed gnatcatcher, Polioptila melanura, sidewinder, Crotalus cerastes, chuckwalla, Sauromalus obesus, desert iguana, Dipsosaurus dorsalis, and the uncommon Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard, Uma inornata. The red-spotted toad, Bufo punctatus, has recently populated a guzzler on the Reserve.

The hillsides that bound the alluvial plain are of Mesozoic granitics. There are sand dunes on the Reserve.

Integrity: Approximately 10 hectares (25 acres) are utilized for buildings, an arboretum specializing in desert plants, zoo facilities, etc. There are trails and picnic sites in portions of the remainder of the area however, most of the Reserve is in a natural condition. The wash was channelized in 1978.

Use: Research, education, observation.

Ref: Zabriskie, Jan. 1979. Plants of Deep Canyon, University of California, Riverside, 175 pp.

April 1982