Around 3,500 trees are expected to be destroyed despite outrage from locals, and it's all part of a project that aims to produce 530 megawatts of renewable energy.

California's Joshua trees are a protected species, but Democratic California Governor Gavin Newsom's Fish and Game Commission gave the project's developer, Avantus, a controversial exemption to chop down the trees in 2020 following closed-door meetings between California wildlife officials and industry executives. Although the company claims it is trying to maintain the wildlife in the area and has reduced the scope of the project from its original proposal, it has done little to alleviate widespread criticism of numerous aspects of the project.

Moreover, some critics are complaining that energy from the solar panels is going to be sent to the area's wealthier communities, meaning that the environment is suffering for something that will only benefit a privileged few. One area where the trees are being cut down, Boron, has a poverty rate that is double the state average, and its residents will not be able to access the green energy produced. It will be sent to wealthier communities in the Silicon Valley and Central Coast hundreds of miles away instead, where it will power around 180,000 homes.

Petition against the project draws more than 52,000 signatures
Residents have organized a petition against the project, and it has already attracted more than 52,000 signatures since being launched earlier this summer.

It reads: "Ancient Joshua Trees are going extinct, and we must save them. The Aratina Solar Project in Boron, California, is approved to destroy nearly 4,000 ancient Joshua Trees in this forest…These iconic trees have stood for centuries, providing habitat for numerous species and contributing to the unique biodiversity of our region."

The petition points out that the trees are already under threat, with predictions that they could lose 90% of their habitat by the end of the century should current trends continue. This project will only accelerate their demise.

They added: "We need sustainable energy solutions that do not come at the cost of irreplaceable natural treasures."