25.3% of the Western Mojave planning area would be managed for long-term recovery and survival of desert tortoise populations.   Unfortunately the desert tortoise is classified as "Threatened" rather than "Endangered", therefore the government wildlife agencies may still allow some multiple use of the land, i.e. development, recreational vehicles.   Recovery is expected to require centuries for some desert tortoise populations.   The sooner habitat is acquired and protected the better the chances are for the survival and recovery of the tortoise and other desert species such as the California-listed Mojave ground squirrel, antelope squirrel and desert bighorn sheep.

According to USGS scientist, Charles L. Douglas, Desert bighorn sheep are the largest desert mammal, besides feral burros that compete for grazing habitat and water resources.   "Lamb survival is a boom or bust phenomenon in the desert.   In years having ample precipitation to generate new vegetative growth, and growth of annual plant species, ewes are able to obtain the nutrition needed to produce enough milk to wean healthy lambs.   In years having poor precipitation ewes may not conceive, or may have to terminate nursing before the lambs are able to obtain adequate nutrition from forage species.   If lambs must be weaned early, they have a slim chance of survival because their nutrition requirements are higher than any other animals in the population including lactating ewes”.

Currently, there is a lack of true cooperation from San Bernardino County, CA to protect and conserve important wildlife habitat due to their economic interests.   One of the most important public land interests of San Bernardino County is the development of the proposed Venture Star Rocket Launch Facility.   One of three sites being considered by Lockheed for "Venture Star" lies within the proposed tortoise reserve (the other two are located in Florida and Texas).   The Mojave site is considered the front-runner due to its nearness to Lockheed's "Skunk Works" plant in the City of Lancaster.   The facility includes up to five rocket launch towers, a three mile long runway, a large base complex, an access road and a water pipeline scattered over a 36 square mile site.

The proposed Ft. Irwin Military Base Expansion is also a massive threat to the fragile desert ecosystem.   To protect the delicate Western Mojave Desert ecosystem those nonfederal landholders of 460,000-acres must be willing to donate or sell their parcels of desert habitat.   Since the 1980’s, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Barstow office and Edwards Air Force Base, Land Tenure Adjustment (LTA) program has acquired approximately 53,000-acres, indicating that there are willing sellers.

Land prices in the region range from approximately $200 to $400 per acre in more remote regions, to about $400 per acre in the region north of Highway 58 and higher values south of Highway 58, reaching up to between $1200 and $1500 per acre north of El Mirage Dry Lake.   The BLM California Desert District uses a figure of $700 per acre when accepting funds from proponents who are required to compensate for projects in tortoise critical habitat but desire to do so by provision of a monetary equivalent rather than purchasing lands themselves.   For 368,000 acres the dollar cost would be $257,600,000.   To this must be added closing costs, title insurance and other fees;   a working estimate of $100/acre is used, or $36,800,000.   Finally, the costs of supporting a seven-person staff, working full time on acquisitions for five years, would be approximately $2,800,000.