Episodes

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge protects one of the world's most remarkable concentrations of desert springs and endemic species, but a new mining proposal raises concerns about the groundwater sustaining them. Mason Voehl of the Amargosa Conservancy returns to discuss lithium exploration proposed by Rover Critical Minerals and the campaign to stop it. Chris and Mason examine the mining claims, the initial pause secured by conservation groups, and why industrial activity near Ash Meadows could have consequences extending far beyond the footprint of a mine.

Desert plants often look timeless, and some nearly are. Chris Clarke explores the astonishing longevity of desert vegetation, from the roughly 11,700-year-old King Clone creosote ring to chollas and Mojave yuccas that can survive far longer than their appearance suggests. He also explains how researchers estimate plant ages when tree rings aren't available, using historical photographs, repeated observations, and long-term ecological studies. The result changes the way we see seemingly ordinary plants: some desert landscapes contain living organisms whose histories stretch back centuries or millennia.

Along the Rio Grande in El Paso, Rio Bosque Wetlands Park provides a rare riparian refuge within the Chihuahuan Desert—and a vision of what ecological restoration can accomplish. Chris Clarke talks with conservationist Jon Rezendes about threats from proposed highway development, community efforts to protect the wetlands, and the extraordinary diversity of birds and other wildlife that depend on them. Their conversation expands into a larger vision of rewilding the Rio Grande Valley, restoring ecological connections, and perhaps someday welcoming Mexican wolves back to the region.

Looting archaeological sites isn't harmless collecting: it destroys irreplaceable information and damages places that remain culturally important to Indigenous communities. Chris Clarke talks with Shannon Cowell and Dustin Whiting of Archaeology Southwest about looting and vandalism across the Southwest, the laws governing cultural artifacts, and the larger question of heritage justice. They explain how visitors can recognize threats, behave responsibly around cultural sites, and help protect places whose significance extends far beyond the objects someone might carry away.

For the 50th episode of 90 Miles from Needles, Chris Clarke looks beyond individual conservation battles to ask what the desert protection movement itself needs. He reflects on resource extraction, disappearing local news coverage, the shortage of people working consistently on desert issues, and the role independent journalism can play in building a stronger movement. It's both a progress report on the podcast and an argument for something larger: informed communities willing to become long-term advocates for desert landscapes.

Sometimes the desert is best understood through stories. Chris Clarke visits the Amargosa Basin during a spectacular wildflower bloom before sharing three tales about the strange relationships that shape desert life. He considers evidence of surprisingly sophisticated behavior in bursage plants, the long and complicated relationship between humans and coyotes, and the seductive power of what we sometimes call desert magic. Together, the stories offer a playful but thoughtful exploration of how humans perceive—and sometimes misunderstand—the living desert.

Great Salt Lake is shrinking, threatening an ecosystem of hemispheric importance to migratory birds. Chris Clarke travels to Utah to examine efforts to protect the lake and the Wilson's phalarope, a remarkable shorebird that depends on saline wetlands during its enormous migrations. Scientists and advocates consider whether the Endangered Species Act could provide another tool for protecting both the bird and its habitat, while Utah residents gather at the State Capitol to demand action for the lake.

Some landscapes become part of who we are. Chris Clarke reflects on his relationship with Avi Kwa Ame, the southern Nevada landscape protected as a national monument in 2023 after years of Indigenous-led advocacy. Personal stories of desert exploration mingle with excerpts from the monument's designation celebration and voices from the campaign to protect it. The result is both a portrait of an extraordinary place and a meditation on how loving a landscape can change the course of a life.

The U.S.–Mexico border wall doesn't divide only people. It cuts across wildlife habitat, migration routes, watersheds, and some of North America's most biologically diverse desert landscapes. Chris Clarke talks with conservation scientist Myles Traphagen of Wildlands Network about the ecological consequences of border barriers and the humanitarian crisis unfolding alongside them. They discuss wildlife movement, habitat fragmentation, border policy, and what a more humane and ecologically informed approach to the border might look like.

The Chihuahuan Desert stretches across northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, encompassing extraordinary biological and cultural diversity. Chris Clarke talks with Janae Reneaud Field, Kathia Gonzalez, and Rocio Ronquillo of El Paso's Frontera Land Alliance about protecting this often-overlooked desert. They discuss community conservation, environmental education, and the campaign to protect Castner Range, while exploring what it means to build a conservation movement rooted in the communities that call the Chihuahuan Desert home.

What can Joshua trees teach us about family? Chris Clarke reads an excerpt from his book in progress about the Mojave Desert's signature plant, weaving natural history with personal memory and reflections on kinship. Through encounters with Joshua trees and the landscapes they inhabit, he considers relationships among plants, animals, people, and place—and challenges the idea that nature consists of isolated individuals rather than communities of interconnected lives.

Arizona's Great Bend of the Gila holds an extraordinary concentration of Indigenous cultural sites, wildlife habitat, and largely intact Sonoran Desert landscape. Chris Clarke talks with advocates Skylar Begay and Mike Quigley about efforts to secure permanent protection for the region. They discuss its cultural and natural history, threats from development and destructive recreation, habitat for species including Sonoran pronghorn, and why protecting the Great Bend means recognizing a landscape shaped by thousands of years of human history.

Groundwater and surface water may have different names, but ecologically they're often the same resource. Chris Clarke talks with Patrick Donnelly of the Center for Biological Diversity about a major Nevada Supreme Court decision involving Coyote Springs, a proposed desert city whose groundwater pumping could damage the Muddy River and endangered wildlife. The ruling affirms Nevada's ability to consider interconnected groundwater and surface-water systems together, with potentially important consequences for water management throughout the state's arid landscapes.

When developers proposed a large glamping project called Flamingo 640 in California's Mojave Desert, local residents organized to stop it. Chris Clarke talks with Caroline Partamian, Justin Merino, and Luke Basulto about concerns over wildlife, traffic, noise, and the project's effects on the surrounding rural community. They recount how neighbors organized, challenged the proposal, and ultimately prevailed—a case study in how local activism can successfully shape land-use decisions and protect desert communities.

The federal government is reconsidering where utility-scale solar development should occur across the American West. Chris Clarke examines the Bureau of Land Management's draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, the alternatives it considers, and the enormous areas of public land potentially available for solar development. He looks at exclusion zones, environmental impacts, and an alternative largely absent from the discussion: putting far more solar on rooftops and already-developed land instead of intact desert habitat.

In this episode of "90 Miles from Needles: The Desert Protection Podcast," host Chris Clarke introduces four books that will challenge preconceptions about the desert. The first book, "The Arid Lands: History, Power, and Knowledge" by Diana K. Davis, challenges the notion that deserts are wastelands in need of development. The second book, "Peoples of a Sonoran Desert Oasis" by Jared Orsi, explores the history and culture of Quito Bacito and the impact of border policies on the oasis. The third ...

Desert bighorn sheep are among the Southwest's most iconic animals, but their future depends on protecting habitat and reducing threats such as disease transmission from domestic livestock. This episode explores the biology of these remarkable climbers, the conservation challenges they face, and the efforts underway to ensure they remain part of the desert landscape for generations to come.

Independent journalism and grassroots conservation both depend on engaged communities. This special Giving Tuesday episode explains how listener support helps sustain 90 Miles from Needles and the Desert Advocacy Media Network while reflecting on why independent voices remain essential to protecting the deserts of the American Southwest.

Artist, naturalist, and bestselling author Obi Kaufmann joins the podcast to discuss California's deserts, public lands, and the stories maps can tell. Together we explore how art, science, and conservation can help people see familiar landscapes with fresh eyes—and inspire them to protect what they discover.

Protecting the desert can be emotionally difficult work. This deeply personal episode reflects on grief, disappointment, and resilience in conservation, exploring how people continue fighting for the landscapes they love even after setbacks and losses. It's a conversation about hope as much as hardship.

The saguaro cactus is an enduring symbol of the American Southwest, yet its life story is even more remarkable than its silhouette. This episode explores the biology, ecology, and cultural significance of the Sonoran Desert's iconic giant, revealing how saguaros support countless other species throughout their centuries-long lives.

Every spring, brilliant orange globemallow flowers brighten the desert landscape, but their importance goes far beyond their beauty. Learn about one of the Southwest's most recognizable native wildflowers, its role in supporting pollinators and wildlife, and the ways native plants help desert ecosystems recover and thrive.

Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is one of the most extraordinary desert oases on Earth, home to crystal-clear springs and species found nowhere else. This episode explores the refuge's unique ecology, the conservation challenges it faces, and why protecting desert water is vital for preserving biodiversity throughout the Southwest.

For generations, Americans have been taught that deserts are barren wastelands waiting to be developed. This episode challenges those misconceptions by exploring what science—and the desert itself—actually tells us about biodiversity, resilience, and why changing our understanding of these landscapes is essential to their protection.