6 p.m. Feb. 18, 2025: Coachella Valley Plant Communities and Climate Challenges

Join UC Riverside researchers Dr. Lynn Sweet and Sienna Thomas to explore ways that the landscape of the desert has been changing. The speakers will draw on lessons from traditional ecological knowledge and other ongoing research to highlight major impacts of climate change on plant communities in the Coachella Valley. Discover how shifts in plants affect biodiversity, wildlife, and the overall health of the desert. Learn ways that you can care for the land and contribute to research to build lasting climate resilience within your community. RSVP here. 

6 p.m. March 18, 2025: Climate Change in California's Inland Deserts

As the hottest and driest region of California, climate change in the Inland Deserts will bring more extreme high temperatures, with daily average high temperatures projected to increase by up to 8-14ºF by the end of century. Rainfall rates, which are currently low, are expected to become even more variable, with increasing probability of extreme events such as flash flooding, severe drought, and wildfires. Changing water availability is also affecting the region through the Salton Sea, and the sustainability of agriculture and ecological systems in the region. At the same time, renewable energy and development, as well as housing, land development, and human migration patterns are impacted by climate change and are transforming the region. In this talk, I will discuss the unique challenges and opportunities posed by climate change in the Inland Deserts region, focusing on how we can best adapt to the new climate we find ourselves in, and how we can protect cherished features of the region in a warmer future. RSVP here.