Press Release 1
Local Residents Launch Campaign to Save 22 Acres of Desert Habitat from Private Development
PALM SPRINGS, CA — A grassroots coalition of Palm Springs residents has launched an urgent campaign to stop a private development deal that threatens 22 acres of desert land — a wildlife refuge that’s been untouched for nearly 50 years.The parcel, located between La Mirada and Belardo at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains, connects the desert floor to the mountain slopes and wash — a critical wildlife corridor for bighorn sheep, bobcats, burrowing owls, and other native species.
The land, long cared for by local naturalists- the late Madelyn and Kenneth Hinsvark- is now being sold by the Hinsvark Trust to a private developer, prompting an outpouring of opposition from neighbors and conservationists.
Residents are rallying and looking to raise $8–11 million to make a preservation-based counteroffer and place the land in a trust for permanent protection. The movement — Save Our Desert — has already mobilized the entire Historic Tennis Club neighborhood, where signs line Ramon Road, Fern Canyon Drive and La Mirada.
You can find photos and more information at SaveOurDesert.com
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Press Release 2
Local Residents Launch Campaign to Save 22 Acres of Desert Habitat from Private Development
PALM SPRINGS, CA — A fast-growing grassroots coalition of Palm Springs residents has launched a campaign to protect 22 acres of desert habitat currently in escrow with a private developer. For nearly half a century, this land — located between La Mirada and Belardo in the Historic Tennis Club neighborhood — has served as a critical wildlife refuge at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains.
Once lovingly maintained by the late Madelyn and Kenneth Hinsvark, documented lifelong naturalists who transformed their property into a haven for native species, the parcel now faces irreversible loss. If the Hinsvark Trust sells this land for residential construction, advocates warn, the fragile ecosystem that supports bighorn sheep, bobcats, burrowing owls, nighthawks, and other desert wildlife will be permanently disrupted.
“This land has been a living sanctuary for generations of desert animals. If development moves forward, there’s no alternative refuge for these species — they’ll be displaced or killed. We’re fighting to make sure that doesn’t happen.”- SaveOurDesert.com
Ecological Significance
The property forms a vital wildlife corridor linking the desert floor with the San Jacinto slopes and wash. Conservationists note that bighorn sheep, a fully protected species under California law, rely on this area for foraging and migration. Development could block natural pathways and force animals into roads and neighborhoods — a leading cause of mortality for the species.
Bobcats, another keystone predator, help maintain ecological balance by controlling rodent populations. Their disappearance could set off chain reactions of overgrazing, erosion, and loss of native vegetation.
Community Opposition
The proposed development has sparked broad opposition throughout the Historic Tennis Club neighborhood. Signs now line Fern Canyon Drive, La Mirada and Ramon, where residents are united against plans that would convert their residential streets into major access routes for the project.
Preservation Effort Underway
The coalition is urgently seeking $8–11 million in donations and funding pledges to make a preservation-based counteroffer and place the land under permanent protection — potentially through the Oswit Land Trust or a similar conservation partner.
Supporters can learn more at SaveOurDesert.com
