Living Desert hosts 5th annual international conservation summit

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) - The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is hosting its 5th annual International Desert Conservation Summit, taking place January 16–18, 2026. The three-day event will feature conservation leaders from around the world. The event will spotlight efforts to protect desert wildlife and habitats.

The summit kicks off tonight with a welcome reception from 6 to 8:30 p.m. You can view ticket registration and the event schedule on their website.

Keynote speaker Paul Rosolie has spent his career protesting the Amazon rainforest. "Every ecosystem is important. That's the thing. It's not just saving the rainforest. It's not just saving the oceans, desert ecosystems are being destroyed as well," says Rosolie.

The desert makes up one third of Earth's land mass. "Deserts are one of those under-appreciated habitats," says Living Desert CEO Allen Monroe.

Monroe and Rosolie say that you don't have to be a conservationist to help preserve the desert ecosystem.

"Plant local plants, make sure that the plants you're bringing here are desert adapted," says Monroe.