90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast

It's been a minute since we published an episode, in part because Chris and Alicia have had complicated lives. Here's how we contend with bad news inside and out of the desert: we go to ground in the desert.Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We delve into the world of the saguaro cactus, exploring its cultural significance, scientific studies, and more. We talk to journalist Henry Brean of the Arizona Daily Star and Tucson storyteller Audrey Scheere about different aspects of this magnificent plant, the threats it faces,  and how people interact with it — for good or ill. Join us as we uncover the secrets of the saguaro!Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris and Alicia discuss the recent victory in delaying exploration for lithium near Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. They also announce the formation of the Desert Advocacy Media Network, the podcast's new nonprofit organization home. The hosts then delve into their love for the desert plant, the Globe Mallow. They share personal stories and observations about the plant's adaptability and its role in the desert ecosystem.Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mason Voehl from the Amargosa Conservancy joins hosts Chris Clarke and Alicia Pike to discuss the threat posed by a Canadian mining company's plans to conduct exploratory drilling for lithium near the Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Nevada. The drilling could potentially puncture the aquifer and cause catastrophic damage to the fragile ecosystem. The hosts highlight the conflict between the need for renewable energy and the preservation of biodiversity, and call for public support to protect Ash Meadows. They provide a petition and encourage donations to the Amargosa Conservancy to help in the fight. Episode photo of Devils Hole pupfish by Olin Feuerbacher/US Fish and Wildlife ServiceBecome a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We spend a lot of time correcting misapprehensions about the desert. But don't get the impression we think we're flawless! We've made our share of mistakes about the desert as well. In this episode, we share some of the things we once thought about the desert that are just plain wrong, on topics ranging from rainfall to rattlesnakes. And of course we do this on a hike in the Mojave Desert.Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chris and Alicia talk to Elizabeth Paige of Native American Land Conservancy and Save Our Springs.  Podcast episode photo by John Fowler.Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are flowers to be seen in the desert, if you know where to look. Chris and Alicia de-stress while enjoying the best of the desert, and discuss how best to celebrate such effusive blooms without destroying them.Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We here at 90 Miles from Needles are big fans of The Border Chronicle podcast and email newsletter, and in this episode, we're republishing an episode from that podcast first aired in November in which Melissa Del Bosque talks to Texas border activist Scott Nicol about how the Biden Administration is continuing to build Trump's border wall, though it's called something else. From The Border Chronicle's description: Scott Nicol is an artist, educator and environmentalist in South Texas who has advocated against border wall construction for years and is an expert on the subject. In this Border Chronicle podcast, Nicol talks about the current construction of wall in his community, which is being labeled as “levee repairs.” And he touches on other wall construction happening in other states despite President Biden’s promise during his campaign “that not another foot of wall” would be constructed during his administration. You can hear more of The Border Chronicle by checking out their website at TheBorderChronicle.com. Their email newsletter is extremely good. Also! 90 Miles from Needles is going non-profit! Public support of our podcast has been extremely gratifying, and yet we're going to have to bring in more resources to fulfill our vision for this podcast, of covering the whole desert without burning ourselves out -- and adding new voices to the show. We'll be bringing you more information on this as our work progresses over the next few months, getting our paperwork in order and assembling a top-notch and diverse board of desert activists, communicators, and other like-minded heroes. In the meantime, we could use your donations, if you've been meaning to drop us some cash!Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The US Interior Department is rethinking the ways it has managed big corporate solar on public lands, and we have opinions. Chris pontificates based on his many years of covering public lands renewable energy as a recovering journalist, and Alicia interrupts his solarsplaining once in a while to inject some non-jargon-ridden analysis. We love solar! We want it in our backyards! And we want to protect desert habitat from industrial development. We can do both.Also: we announce a new project, a special project podcast focusing on the wonderful Amargosa Basin in Nevada and California. More on that soon.  If you'd like to hear more of Charlie King's work, check out his website at charlieking.org.  The album Chris mentions in the closing notes can be purchased here, with all proceeds going to the artist.Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Alicia talks to a well-organized group of desert denizens who are working together to stop an inappropriate development from destroying their way of life, and the desert environment they cherish.  For more information, or to tell California's San Bernardino County to insist on a full environmental review of the project, see stopwonderinn.org Extra thanks to Lucas Basulto of NPCA and Saving Slowpoke, and to the wonderful Lisa M. for reading samples from the writing of Helen Bagley. Watch this site for news of Lisa's performance in March.Become a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.