Coachella Valley Preserve
specialized to live on sand dunes, and for many of them, equally restricted and
threatened in their distribution.  In fact, desert sand dunes harbor one of the most
species rich communities found in our southwestern deserts, with many of the dune
today there is fewer than 5% of that habitat remaining in viable condition.  Over the
years, the lure of mild winter temperatures and beautiful scenery has resulted in an
explosion of human development.  As canyons filled with houses, development
pushed into the valley's center, blocking the vital sand movement processes the keep
the dunes alive.  Today the majority of the remaining, viable dune habitat is
contained in the Coachella Valley Preserve system.