Indigenous Solidarity Gardens & Endangered Species

On May 27, 2025, our partner, The High Desert Institute, launched a GoFundMe campaign focused on two connected efforts: Indigenous Solidarity Gardens and Endangered Species Gardens.

Donate here: Indigenous Solidarity Gardens & Endangered Species

Indigenous Solidarity Gardens

We are growing ceremonial crops such as white sage and ceremonial tobacco at the request of our Indigenous partners and providing them free of charge, with no expectation, for use in their ceremonies.

So far, we have worked primarily with Mayan Spiritual Leaders to provide ceremonial tobacco and sage plants for multiple ceremonies throughout the year.

This means they can avoid purchasing plants, which helps keep Mayan money in Mayan pockets while building stronger community ties through permaculture and mutual aid.

This year, we have already more than doubled our early production. We are raising funds for supplies, including higher-quality terra cotta pots, so these plants can live longer and continue serving the community for years.

Endangered Species Gardens

Another key piece of the long-term plan for The High Desert Institute’s future land projects (called Outposts) is to build gardens where we cultivate endangered plants in the regions they are from.

Many of the High Desert’s endangered plant species are long-lived, including Joshua Trees and Saguaros.

We have already started this work because these species take many years to reach a point where they can survive on their own in the wild under current conditions. Temperatures in the High Desert are much higher than they were a few decades ago, and rainfall has dropped significantly as air pollution keeps more water suspended as humidity rather than returning it as rain.

Our future Outposts plan to use this challenge to the plants’ advantage. We will install solar-powered atmospheric water generators that extract humidity from polluted air and deliver it through careful, conservative irrigation strategies designed to help these plants survive the harsh conditions humanity has created.

About The High Desert Institute

The High Desert Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working to build a foundation for the survival of humanity, and a long-time partner of BWB/SF.

Campaign Status

• Goal: $1,000
• Raised: $1,193!