In 1998 we bought a 22 acre farm in the southern California desert near the border of Mexico. The land is adjacent to a canal which provides lots of clean water from the Rocky Mountains via the Colorado river. We planted about 5 acres in date palms and have designated the entire property as a wildlife refuge. We live here and enjoy the occasional sighting of coyotes, bobcats, raccoons, foxes, skunks, rabbits, reptiles, migratory and year round birds, aquatic animals, plus a wide variety of beautiful insects.
As human activity such as cattle grazing continues to encroach upon wildlife habitat, safe havens like this become more and more crucial.
There is no need to ever use by-products of animal exploitive industries to fertilize the date trees since we maintain a naturally balanced eco-system. When on occasion fertilizers are used we choose non-animal explotive options.