IWV Conservancy

Connecting, inspiring, educating and advocating for nature in the Indian Wells Valley.

A special thank you to local photographer Chet Steele (1) for allowing the IWV Conservancy to use his amazing pictures for the website - they are definitely inspiring.

Mission Statement

Here in east central California high desert, the Indian Wells Valley is at a unique regional intersection of the Great Basin and Range, Mojave Desert and the Sierra Nevada Mountains. We are fortunate to have not only desert, but riparian canyon areas and subalpine forest in the Sierra foothills. We are also on the Pacific Flyway migration route for over 2,000 birds each year. Facing significance environmental challenges such as a rapidly declining water table, alternating years of extensive drought followed by record rainfall, the loss of Sierra Nevada forests to bark beetle and rising wildfires, increasing loss of wildlife, springs and plants, we must work together to restore our valley. These animals and habitats depend on us to be good stewards of our environment in order to thrive. In return, nature takes care of us.

Vision

To provide a collaborative, community-based approach to promote conservation and environmental resilience in our valley by the partnering with established nature-focused groups.

Values

We are people who value the beauty of nature, clean water, air, and healthy environments in which diverse plants, animals and humans can thrive together. We believe in honesty, competency, and collaboration of diverse groups which will ensure fair access to nature, resources and a balanced conservation for the betterment of the valley.

Our Valley's Name History

Indian Wells Valley gained its name from early white settlers acknowledging the First Nations people (2) who used the spring waters of our valley: the Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone), Nüümü (Northern Paiute)(3) and the Nuwa Kawaiisu (4).