long weekend at whitewater preserve near palm springs

SEASONAL STUDY CAMPING TRIP

꩜DESERT PLANTS꩜

inquiry with plants & ecosystems

towards caring for ourselves & the earth

APRIL 3-6 2025

An early Spring study: desert camping edition! April 3-6th, 2025
email rose.plantfriends@gmail.com with questions and to register <3

7 spots available in this desert plant study camping trip!

Facilitators: Guest facilitator Svetlana Iachkova (Field botanist with the Mojave Desert Land Trust, UC-ANR California Certified Naturalist, Horticulturalist & Designer) and core facilitator Rose Fairley, UC-ANR California Certified Naturalist, Native Landscape Designer; Camping resource coordinator Doe Barnett

Plant Friends will donate 5% of tuition to the Malki Musuem and the Wildlands Conservancy

Camping Location: Whitewater, CA (about 25 minutes from Palm Springs)

The Wildlands Conservancy Whitewater Preserve will be our home base for the study. We will spend time in the preserve and also make field trips to nearby desert locations.

A beautiful stream flows through this desert canyon, creating a biodiverse area featuring many different plant communities. This is where we will camp and cook sans internet and cell service.

The exact schedule is still unfolding, but here are some components we’re especially excited to share:

+ Plant walk at Mission Creek Preserve in the transition zone between the Sonoran and Mojave deserts with a guest facilitator, Svetlana Iachkova!

+ Hike in nearby Palm Canyon to a spectacular palm oasis to get to know the only palms indigenous to California

+ Visit to the Malki Museum. The museum is “committed to preserving the cultural traditions and history of the Cahuilla Indians and other Southern California Indian tribes. Malki also founded an academic publishing press in 1965, which has printed many high quality books and materials on Native American culture, including the well-known Journal of California and Great Basin Anthropology.”

+ In the works / to be finalized: evening soak in a hot springs at an organic date farm!

Sample Schedule

Thursday: Check-in between 3pm and 4pm; setup camp; explore

Friday AM: Sunrise stream-side walk in the Whitewater Preserve; leisurely breakfast & visit to the Malki Museum

Friday PM: Lunch, plant walk in the preserve; 4:45pm depart for date farm hot springs, dinner

Saturday AM/PM: Breakfast, packed lunch day trip to a location chosen by our guest facilitator Svetlana Iachkova; Dinner

Sunday: Breakfast, pack up & depart, 2 mile hike in Palm Canyon at the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Reservation

Food: I’ll have two propane burners available for use. We’re still finalizing plans for food. We will provide a welcome dinner on Thursday. Participants will otherwise be in charge of their own food, but we will create the option to join in group meal planning to spread out the responsibility!

Tuition: Sliding scale $160-$480

SLIDING SCALE RECOMMENDATIONS - this is a guide only as income not take into account many other circumstances in addition to income so adapt as needed

$480 or more- Income greater than $300,000 per year OR recipient of substantial familial/generational wealth

$400 - Income greater than $220,00 per year and less than $300,000 per year

$320 - Income greater than $80,000 per year and less than $220,00 per year or recipient of substantial familial/generational wealth

$240- Income greater than $60,000 per year or benefit from intergenerational wealth

$160 - Income less than $60,000 per year

* Camping is by donation at the preserve. Plant Friends will contribute 5% tuition to the Wildlands Conservancy & Malki Museum. If you don't have camping gear or experience, this is a great beginner opportunity and we will help facilitate gear loans and support <3