Palm Desert — On Thursday, September 25th, local businesses Big Wheel Tours and Red Jeep Tours hosted a roundtable discussion on the economic power of public lands featuring special guest Congressman Ken Calvert. More than 20 business owners and chambers of commerce representatives gathered to share their personal experiences with how the continued protection of local public lands, including the newly-designated Chuckwalla National Monument, has driven tourism and a thriving outdoor economy in the Coachella Valley.

“I recently had the opportunity to meet with Coachella Valley business leaders about the vital role our public lands, including the recently created Chuckwalla National Monument, play in the local economy. These lands support jobs, drive tourism, and provide extraordinary recreational opportunities. I believe these invaluable assets must be protected for future generations,” Congressman Ken Calvert said after the event.

California is home to a massive outdoor recreation economy, totaling $81 billion in Gross Domestic Product. The durable protections in place for local national forests, Joshua Tree National Park, Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains, Sand to Snow, and Chuckwalla National Monuments have connected the Coachella Valley to this booming sector. According to the National Park Service, Joshua Tree National Park alone contributed $214 million to the local economy, with the lodging and restaurant sectors receiving the most direct benefits. This activity also provides significant jobs in the community. In Riverside County, 17% of all private employment is travel and tourism related, sectors that are growing 50% faster than the U.S. economy.

“At an economic roundtable I co-hosted with Red Jeep Tours and special guest Congressman Calvert, local business leaders emphasized just how vital our public lands — especially places like Chuckwalla National Monument — are to the Coachella Valley’s economy. These lands draw visitors, support small businesses, and are central to the region’s identity and long-term prosperity,” said event co-host, owner of Big Wheel Tours, and Palm Desert Councilmember Evan Trubee.

Protecting these cherished places will ensure that local economies continue to grow as residents and visitors spend money in communities surrounded by our public lands.

“For more than three decades, Desert Adventures has introduced tens of thousands of people to the raw beauty and hidden stories of our desert. I’ve seen the way visitors light up when they touch the ancient rocks, hear the whispers of Cahuilla history, and stand in awe of a landscape that feels both fragile and eternal. That’s why protecting public lands like Chuckwalla National Monument is not optional—it’s essential. Conserving these places means keeping cultural stories alive, guarding delicate habitats, and ensuring that unique desert ecosystems endure. It also means sustaining the lifeblood of our local economy: a tourism industry rooted in wonder, respect, and connection. At this roundtable, business leaders came together to affirm what many of us already know—these lands are not just backdrops for adventure, they are the soul of our community and the promise of its future,” said event co-host and Red Jeep Tours by Desert Adventures owner Kimberly Renee.

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