The Desert Protective Council Records (1938-2016) document the operations of the Desert Protective Council and various environmental causes across the United States. The collection consists of correspondence, publications related to environmental projects, news clippings, newsletters, and topical files. The collection is divided into three series: Administrative Files, Publications, and Topical Files.

The Desert Protective Council (DPC) was first hatched around a campfire in October 1954. What started as a group of over 100 individuals successfully resolving to protect Joshua Tree National Monument from mining grew into a nonprofit dedicated to the preservation of desert plants, animals, and landscapes. Notable conservationists of the time were affiliated with the DPC, including the organization's first President and Executive Director, Desert Magazine founder Randall Henderson; biologist Edmund Jaeger; Trailfinders founder Harry C. James; and Dr. Henry Weber. The organization was officially incorporated as a 501(c)(4) nonprofit in July 1955, a designation that would allow for political lobbying for their various causes.

66.62 Linear Feet

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