view of the Milky Way is framed by Joshua trees at Joshua Tree National Park. (Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Tim)

State biologists on Wednesday recommended against designating the western Joshua tree as threatened with extinction, saying claims in a petition filed by environmentalists about the effects climate change will have on the living symbols of the California desert are premature.

A final decision by the Fish and Game Commission on the petition filed by the Center for Biological Diversity is expected in June. If not listed, it will be up to local jurisdictions to set limits on development of commercial, residential and solar and wind projects across thousands of acres of southeastern California’s sunniest real estate.

About 40% of the western Joshua tree’s range is on private land where a state endangered-species law would apply, according to the petition. The area includes the rapidly growing cities of Palmdale, Lancaster, Hesperia, Victorville and Yucca Valley.

The western Joshua tree "is currently abundant and widespread," wrote authors of a 158-page analysis made public Wednesday. This abudance "substantially lowers the threat of extinction within the foreseeable future," the document said.