90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast

S5E28: 4 Things You Need to Know about Desert Flooding

Episode thumbnail photo by Bo Insogna. The deadly August 29 flood in Grand Canyon National Park received national attention, but it was not an isolated event. Flooding

S5E27: Sonoran Toads and the Dirty Business of Ego Death

Journalist Kimon de Greef joins Chris Clarke to discuss his new book, The Ego Trip: Psychedelic Toads, a Trail of Deaths, and the Guru Who Peddled Transcendence. The So

S5E26: Maps, Vanished Lakes, and Two Desert Squirrels

We think of range maps as static representations of where plants and animals belong. It doesn't often occur to us that maps are just snapshots of a constantly changing wo

S5E25: The Vaquita Can Still Recover

The vaquita is the world’s smallest and most endangered cetacean, but the handful still living in Mexico’s Upper Gulf of California may be more resilient than recent head

S5E24: Tree Sit at the Border

Border-wall contractors have destroyed three ancient Fremont cottonwoods in Lochiel, Arizona. Estimated to have been 200 to 250 years old, the trees stood in the path of

S5E23: Beyond Laws: Building a Movement to Save Our Deserts

Federal environmental laws matter. They have prevented destructive projects, protected wildlife and cultural sites, and given communities a way to challenge powerful inte

S5E22: Morgan Sjogren on the War on Utah's National Monuments

On July 13, 2026, President Trump announced new reductions of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments, removing protections from nearly three million

S5E21: Don't Mine 29! Australian Company Threatens Joshua Tree

An Australian company has amassed mining claims across roughly 20,000 acres near Twentynine Palms and Joshua Tree National Park. Dateline Resources says its Music Valley

S5E20: Our Love for Fireworks Could Harm the Desert

Fireworks are an American tradition—and a predictable source of wildland fires. Every year, July Fourth produces a sharp national increase in firework-related ignitions,

S5E19: Greenlink West Carves a Costly Path Through Wild Nevada

We visit the Amargosa watershed to discuss Greenlink West, a transmission project now under construction that will ship energy from Vegas-area solar facilities to data ce

S5E18: Desert Heat: Who Really Pays the Price?

In this timely episode, Chris discusses the best ways to avoid becoming a statistic while hiking during desert heat waves. He also points out that the vast majority of pe

S5E17: The Desert Needs Our Voice and We Need Your Help

In the wake of a personal loss and a several-week hiatus, our host Chris wonders about the future of the podcast and whether it's doing what we need it to do to get to th

Short Update: Explaining Our Brief Hiatus

Content note: sadness. Due to the death of a close family member, we will return on June 5. Listen if you want a few details.  Pet Loss Resources and Support Hemang

S5E16: The Double Border Wall: A New Environmental Catastrophe

In this episode, Chris talks with longtime border environmental activist Russ McSpadden about the controversial plans to erect a second border wall on the U.S.-Mexico bor

S5E15: When Commerce Meets Culture: Art Fairs in the Desert

Episode Summary: In this episode, host Chris Clarke revisits the spirited discussion surrounding the High Desert Art Fair and its portrayal in media. Cindy Bernard and

S5E14: River of Cheeseburgers: The Surprising Water Guzzlers of the West

In this episode of "90 Miles from Needles: The Desert Protection Podcast," Chris dives deep into the pressing issue of the Colorado River water crisis. As the lifeblood o

S5E13: A Partnership Torn Asunder

Episode Artwork by Carl Dennis Buell. In this episode of "90 Miles from Needles," host Chris Clarke shares a poignant and introspective narrative about his early years

S5E12: Whose Desert Is It Anyway? Navigating Change in the Mojave

About the Guest(s): Ruth Nolan: Ruth Nolan is a distinguished poet, educator, and an ardent desert advocate residing in the Joshua Tree area. With extensive experience

S5E11: Help Us Preserve Deep Desert Reporting

In this episode of "90 Miles from Needles,"  Chris describes how the rise of the internet and profit-driven media ownership have decimated local news outlets and journali

S5E10: ¡No al muro! Big Bend Neighbors Fight Proposed Border Wall

In this episode, host Chris Clarke engages in an enlightening conversation with Laiken Jordahl from the Center for Biological Diversity. Focusing on the contentious issue