Coachella Valley Ecological Reserve Foundation Papers

This collection contains the records of the Coachella Valley Ecological Reserve Foundation (CVERF), led by Boyd Deep Canyon (BDC) Reserve Director Al Muth during the 1980s specifically with the goal of conserving the Coachella Valley fringe-toed lizard and other rare and endangered species associated with the region’s desert habitats. The CVERF was not under the umbrella of the NRS, but it represented a significant contribution to conservation in the surrounding community, including fostering one of the first habitat conservation plans approved under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.

This collection includes: (1) CVERF planning and strategy documents, (2) administrative papers, including correspondence with municipal governments, federal agencies, firms, and private individuals, and (3) documents pertaining to population growth, economic development, and land use in the region. Of particular note is a 1985 interview with Al Muth, focusing on the fringe-toed lizard story, conducted by the oral history program at California State University, Fullerton (CSUF).