As Storyliving by Disney’s first community Cotino continues to take shape in Rancho Mirage, California, it’s making a meaningful impact on students through a new partnership with The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. Alongside Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment team, they recently hosted a career camp aimed at inspiring the next generation of conservationists.
The event welcomed 20 students from Desert Mirage High School’s Green Academy for a day of immersive learning, guided tours, career chats and hands-on conservation activities aimed at helping bridge classroom learning with the real world. The camp marked Cotino’s first community program focused on biodiversity youth education.
“The most important species to focus on in conservation is people,” said Dr. Zak Gezon, conservation director for Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment, who spoke to the students about his career journey. “They need to know they can make a difference and that there are great careers in the sciences. The students we’re engaging with today are the decision makers of tomorrow, and they’re going to make a big difference in their communities, for people and wildlife alike.”
Connecting to a Larger Conservation Movement
Leaders at The Living Desert emphasized the importance of showing students how conservation careers operate behind the scenes, offering a glimpse into the diverse roles that support environmental stewardship.
“The Desert Defender Career Exploration Camp gives high school students an inside look at how The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens works, and all the incredible team members who make conservation happen,” said Dr. Anna Young, vice president of learning and impact at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. “Thanks to Storyliving by Disney’s support, students connect classroom learning to real-world applications and discover how their own talents and passions can have an impact on desert conservation.”
The camp is part of Desert Defenders, a broader community education initiative led by The Living Desert and supported by Disney. Designed to engage schools and neighborhoods across the Coachella Valley, the program encourages participants to take an active role in conservation through creative, hands-on projects like building native pollinator gardens and designing waste reduction strategies.
Investing in Youth, Community and the Future
“Conservation begins with connection and with understanding the people who make it possible,” said Dr. Ramsa Chaves Ulloa, sustainability program manager for Disney Signature Experiences. Chaves Ulloa also shared her career highlights with the students. “Through the Desert Defenders Career Exploration Camp, Storyliving by Disney gives students a rare opportunity to see how every role contributes to protecting wildlife and creating community impact. We spark curiosity, build appreciation and inspire the next generation to take action for nature.”
During the camp, students created “pollinator pods,” or small seed balls made from native plant seeds, clay and compost. Gezon and Chaves Ulloa then planted them at Cotino, linking student efforts to tangible conservation work in their own backyard. Through supporting programs like Desert Defenders, Disney helps ensure that students not only learn about conservation but also take part in protecting their desert home.
“It was a great experience to be with the animals, to be with the zookeepers and to learn new things,” said Violeta, a Desert Mirage High School Green Academy student who participated in the Desert Defenders Career Exploration Camp.
Walt Disney’s Legacy of Conservation and Storytelling
Walt Disney’s connection to the desert began in the 1930s at Smoke Tree Ranch in Palm Springs. His love for the region inspired the 1953 documentary The Living Desert, which blended real footage with storytelling and helped inspire the naming of The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. In 1993, Disney animators returned to study meerkats for The Lion King, deepening the creative partnership and reinforcing the link between conservation and creativity.
Gezon added, “Walt Disney famously said, ‘Conservation isn’t just the business of a few people. It’s a matter that concerns all of us.’ He cared deeply about the natural environment, and that commitment has been part of the Disney difference for over a century.”
Discover how Disney continues to invest in youth, community and the future of our planet at impact.disney.com. And learn more about the Living Desert’s community education initiatives by visiting World Desert Day.