Mojave National Preserve
Protecting Deserts

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Our deserts are among the fastest growing places anywhere in the United States. These areas were places to get through during this country's westward expansion, even places to fear. The myth of the Great American Desert, which in nineteenth century minds included the Great Plains, helped to slow movement west. But with more effective means of transportation, and the introduction of the air conditioner, this region has entered the new urban economy and registered massive growth. Las Vegas is currently the fastest growing large urban area in the nation, gaining over 5,000 new residents each month. The city has grown from 852,646 residents in 1990 to 1,201,073 in 1996, a 40% increase in only 6 years. New subdivisions appear weekly. Los Angeles, itself a semi desert, is rapidly spilling out of the coastal basins and out into the desert. In the north Palmdale, Lancaster and Victorville and in the east Banning, Palm Springs and Indio are quickly becoming extensions of the metropolitan area. Pheonix, knocked off the list as the fastest growing city by Las Vegas, is still among our fastest growing and our largest cities. San Diego is growing very quickly and extending into our deserts. And in between these big cities are dozens of smaller cities, rapidly filling with new migrants and the nation's retired population. California, New Mexico, Hawaii, Arizona and Nevada are the five fastest growing state in the United States. Population Growth in the Desert Region 1850 1900 1950 1996 Los Angeles 1,200 102,479 1,970,358 15,747,000 Las Vegas 30 100 48,289 1,201,073 Pheonix 50 (in 1868) 5,554 106,818 1,159,014 San Diego 650 17,700 334,387 1,183,102 Tucson 3,000 7,531 45,454 449,637 Estimated Future Population Growth 1995 2025 California 31,589,000 49,285,000 Arizona 4,218,000 6,412,000 Nevada 1,530,000 2,312,000 As growth accelerates, it has become clear that this generation will be the last with the opportunity to protect large chunks of the desert. The American people took such a step when they created the Mojave National Preserve. Here generations to come can see the magnificent vistas and unusual plants and animals that make our deserts so unique. As John Van Dyke said in his classic book The Desert, "The deserts are the breathing spaces of the west and they should be preserved forever." Deciding how much of this legacy we will save from development is our choice.