Exploring the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve

Ammon Teare is the outreach and education coordinator for the Washington County HCP. With a lifelong love of the outdoors, Ammon has always been a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation and responsible land management. In his day-to-day work he leads the planning, coordination and implementation of public education programs supporting the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

Established in 1996, the reserve is a model for compromise between development and wildlife conservation. The listing of the Mojave Desert tortoise as “threatened” in 1990 led to the creation of a habitat conservation plan (HCP), which in turn protected over 60,000 acres of prime tortoise habitat and created a management plan for tortoises found on private or state land throughout the county. Now, the reserve has grown and, in addition to providing world-class recreation opportunities, continues to protect the desert tortoise and countless other native plant and animal species.

When he’s not visiting local classrooms to introduce kids to desert wildlife or staffing a booth at a community event, Ammon occasionally assists the county biologist and HCP administrator with research and management centered on the desert tortoise. In his spare time, you can find Ammon hiking and backpacking throughout the West, playing basketball or pickle ball at local parks, and spending time with his family.