Native Peoples Episodes

Chris argues that federal environmental law remains indispensable but insufficient, calling for durable local power, community narratives and relationships capable of defending desert places when national protections are weakened or ignored.

Writer Morgan Sjogren describes the emotional and ecological stakes of renewed attacks on Bears Ears and Grand Staircase–Escalante, connecting monument boundaries to rivers, cultural landscapes, resource extraction and everyday life in southern Utah.

After a personal loss and production hiatus, Chris speaks candidly about the podcast’s reach and asks listeners to help by reviewing, recommending and sharing the show so desert reporting can find the people who need it.

Russ McSpadden documents plans for a second wall through Organ Pipe and Cabeza Prieta, including damage to sacred geoglyphs, groundwater and wildlife habitat made possible by sweeping REAL ID Act waivers.

Chris explains how collapsing local media has stripped desert communities of context and institutional memory, and introduces the Fellowship for Desert Reporting as a way to support emerging journalists and deeper, systems-aware work.

Laiken Jordahl describes the unusually broad Big Bend coalition opposing border-wall construction, where ranchers, conservationists and local officials are defending wildlife, the recovering Rio Grande and cross-border community life.

Caroline Tracey discusses Salt Lakes: An Unnatural History, tracing how water diversion transforms terminal lakes while using natural history, queer theory and personal narrative to challenge the idea that saline landscapes are barren or disposable.

Responding to sexual-assault allegations against César Chávez, Chris examines the damage caused by hero worship and argues for accountable, distributed movements that value collective work above charismatic leaders.

Dr. Jackie Grant explains how a Congressional Review Act attack on Grand Staircase–Escalante’s management plan could destabilize public-land planning nationwide, despite extensive local participation and the monument’s ecological and economic importance.

Desert tortoise biologist Tim Shields explains experimental tools for deterring ravens, confronting invasive schismus grass and measuring ecosystem health—work intended to give future restorationists practical ecological leverage.

Timbisha Shoshone leaders commemorate the Homeland Act’s 25th anniversary in Death Valley, recounting displacement, return and the continuing struggle for honest representation, cultural survival and respectful federal partnership.

Mary O’Brien of Project 1100 explains how commercial honeybees compete with and spread disease to native solitary bees, why public lands are essential pollinator refuges and what genuine bee conservation requires.