The proposed Avi Kwa Ame (pronounced Ah-VEE kwa-ah-may) National Monument, home to our country’s biggest Joshua tree forest, now boasts Nevada’s largest Joshua tree.
The Nevada Division of Forestry recently documented the Joshua tree’s size at 118 points; 87 inches in diameter, 24 feet tall, and 28 feet wide. There are only two Joshua trees in the United States that are larger, both located in California’s Mojave National Preserve.
The Nevada tree is located about three miles west of State Highway 164 on the East Wee Thump Backcountry Road. Nevada’s previous big tree champ was located in Las Vegas and checked in at only 94 points.
Avi Kwa Ame, Mojave for Spirit Mountain, has been under threat of industrial development. The proposed monument area includes about 380,000 acres of land sacred to 12 Native American tribes.
Avi Kwa Ame contains biologically diverse and culturally significant land, along with outdoor recreation like hiking, rock climbing, horseback riding, camping and stargazing, and more.
It’s also home to the historic Walking Box Ranch. Local, state, and national conservation groups such as The Wilderness Society, National Parks Conservation Association, Conservation Lands Foundation, and Get Outdoor Nevada have partnered with local tribes to secure a national monument designation to protect the area’s future.
People interested in protecting the area can sign a petition here.
For more information, visit their website.
