The goal of this project was twofold:
 
1)    To identify areas where maintenance or restoration of ecological connectivity is essential for conserving the unique biological diversity of California’s deserts
 
2)    To produce implementable linkage designs and provide the necessary data and information to inform land management, land acquisition, restoration (e.g., habitat restoration and restoration of permeability across transportation barriers), and stewardship in connectivity zones.
 
In 2009, SC Wildlands brought together regional ecologists to conduct a formal evaluation of linkages associated with the California deserts. This process identified crucial linkages between landscape blocks that could be irretrievably compromised by development projects over the next decade unless conservation action occurs.
 
Previously-completed fine-scale linkage designs for focal species exist for five essential connectivity areas that fall along the margins of the California deserts namely the Tehachapi Connection, San Bernardino-Little San Bernardino Connection, San Bernardino-Granite Connection, San Bernardino-San Jacinto Connection and the Joshua Tree-Twentynine Palms Connection (Penrod et al. 2003, 2005abc, 2008).