Friends of the Desert Mountains, Greater Palm Springs

Thanks to Friends of the Desert Mountains, the natural beauty and unique wildlife of the Coachella Valley is in good hands. 

The MISSION of The Friends of the Desert Mountains (FODM) is to preserve land, to support education, conservation and research in the Coachella Valley, and to act as the support organization for the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument.

Why is it important?

For the past 35 years, Friends of the Desert Mountains has protected over 60,000 acres. They currently manage and monitor over 17,000 acres of conservation land. 

As Friends of the Desert Mountains, they are dedicated to building a community of support to help preserve the unique wildlife and scenic beauty of the Coachella Valley and Desert Mountains. The Friends’ vision for the Coachella Valley is a thriving and productive community integrated with a healthy and sustainable natural environment. They achieve this through their core values of Stewardship of the land, Collaboration with local partners and indigenous tribes, Education that will last a lifetime, and Access for All to the valley’s beautiful landscape. 

How do they do it?

Friends of the Desert Mountains is dedicated to building a community of support to help preserve the unique wildlife and scenic beauty of the Coachella Valley and local mountains. They acquire and preserve wildlands, promote stewardship of the trails, conduct educational programs, and support ecological outreach. 

Friends of the Desert Mountains works with biologists, conservationists, and government agencies to identify key lands for protection. They select land for its scenic, biological, recreational, or cultural significance, and then offer to purchase it from willing sellers at fair market value. Through these key acquisitions, they give permanent protection to the beauty, character, and diversity of the Coachella Valley.

As stewards of the land, they support the National Monument Visitor Center, and educate the community. They go into the field with kids, lead hikes, and give classes. By doing so, they hope to reveal the wonders of the fragile desert and mountains and instill an environmental awareness that will last a lifetime.

How you can #TravelKindly: 

• Choose Friends of the Desert Mountains as your local charity when booking your hotel in Greater Palm Springs or abroad. 
• Take a hike, partake in a history lesson, attend a yoga class, and more with Friends of the Desert Mountains. They are experts in leading safe, guided hikes and birdwatching walks. They also offer nighttime hikes during a full moon, host nighttime events and stargazing parties. See the full calendar of events and sign up here. 
• Make sure before you go on any hike to recreate responsibly, leave no trace, and bring the “10 Essentials.”
• Volunteer with the Friends, apart from the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes with working on individual projects, many Friends volunteers (and all of the staff) feel a sense of family that comes naturally with the shared values, exchange of ideas, and respect for each other and the environment that brings us together