Miley Cyrus Sparks Backlash for Climbing a Yucca as It Can Cause Irreversible Damage to the Tree

This week, actress and singer Miley Cyrus posted images of herself climbing and swinging from Joshua trees. A number of people replied positively to the posts.

However, a couple of others were not pleased that she was climbing the endangered and protected trees.

Miley Cyrus, 26, has received some backlash for climbing the endangered and protected Joshua tree or Yucca brevifolia. Some people praised the “beautiful” Instagram photos, while many others were not so pleased.

The star posted her first photo on Monday morning, where she was seen looking down from the yucca tree. The musician was dressed in a skin-tight floral bodysuit.

She captioned the post, “Looking down at all the pretty drama.” People who weren’t too happy with the post quickly filled up her comments section urging her to refrain from climbing the trees.

However, around eight hours later, she followed it up with a similar image. This one she simply captioned, “Monkey Bizzzzznassssss.”

Again the star received posts reprimanding her. A follower named briattstahh wrote: “I love you, but get off the [expletive] yucca. They can’t sustain heavy weight, and your platform tells people it’s ok to get on trees. Our national parks are doomed.”

Rachhamby wrote:

“Do not climb Joshua trees. It is incredibly damaging to them. As a public figure it is your responsibility to set a good example to your followers so we can preserve these trees for generations to come.”

On Twitter william hart wrote:

‏“Hey. I work for the Joshua Tree National Park and you should not climb Joshua trees. Their limbs are very fragile and don’t regenerate. We have issues with visitors climbing and damaging our iconic trees. Please take this down so others don’t climb and damage them. Thanks.”

Cyrus appeared to be shooting near the windmills in Palm Springs. She was doing a photo shoot with photographer and videographer Alice Moitié.

The Mojave Desert Land Trust’s Executive Director Geary Hund released a statement pleading with her to refrain from climbing the trees. His statement also revealed that Joshua trees had a shallow root system meaning any additional weight could damage its branches.

Hund wrote:

“We ask that Miley Cyrus consider her status as a public figure and remove this photo from her social media accounts in order to educate others and to prevent potential damage to Joshua trees.”

The trees are protected in Joshua Tree National Park, Mojave National Preserve, and in several city and counties in the region. Joshua trees are succulents that grow in the desert.

Currently, the US Fish and Wildlife Service is in the process of considering the trees for inclusion in the Endangered Species Act, due to its vulnerability to climate change.

In a less offensive post, Cyrus surprised her fans last month by posting a series of short videos and pictures showing her transforming her hair to look like her former character Hannah Montana. Her hairstylist Sally Hershberger and colorist Justin Anderson were responsible for the change.

Some fans wondered if the makeover symbolized a possible reboot of the show.