Loading...

PODCAST

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast

Join Chris Clarke and a variety of guests as they explore the challenges and opportunities of the American Southwest"s fragile ecosystems. Engaging interviews with experts, activists, and advocates on conservation, land management, and environmental justice. Science and sentiment, politics and philosophy, hiking and history, culture and creativity all go into defending the desert. Be forewarned: We are out to recruit you to the cause.

science nature

All Episodes

31:30

S5E32: Hiding Big Projects in Small Pieces

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/10/02

As promised a few episodes back, Chris explores a sneaky trick developers sometimes try to use to evade legally required environmental analysis of their projects. Segmentation, the term of art for dividing a large project into smaller pieces to obscure the environmental impacts of the whole project, is likely to become more frequent as the Trump administration keeps hacking away at environmental protection laws. Chris provides a handful of illuminating examples: Cadiz gets the Interior Department

en-US

42:47

S5E31: Desert Dispatch, Data Centers, and the People...

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/09/25

Desert Dispatch Media is bringing together artists and communities to document how the AI buildout is affecting desert lands and the people who live there. Chris talks with organizer Melinda Matson Spina, filmmaker Jodi Darby, and musician Sage Bond about their planned community-led documentary, a short film for public assemblies, and the stories they hope to gather across the Southwest. Sage describes composing with sounds and materials from the land, while Jodi explains how footage contributed by

en-US

44:57

S5E30: Why Deserts Need Defending

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/09/17

For our 150th episode, we return to a foundational question: why does the desert need people speaking up for it? Chris offers four answers. Deserts are widely misunderstood as empty or expendable. They remain surprisingly understudied, even when familiar species such as Joshua trees are concerned. Desert protection cannot be separated from Indigenous sovereignty, migration, heat inequality, contaminated water, and the lives of working people. And beneath the science, policy, and activism lies a

en-US

34:08

S5E29: Why Was the North Kaibab Trail Still Open?

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/09/11

Journalist Joe Dana of 12 News in Phoenix joins Chris Clarke to discuss questions raised by the August 29 flash flood in Grand Canyon National Park—and what happened inside the National Park Service before the disaster. After the 2025 Dragon Bravo Fire, Grand Canyon Trails Supervisor Adam Gibson warned publicly that the upper North Kaibab Trail had become a substantially more hazardous environment. In a March appearance on The Grand Canyon Hiker Dude Show, Gibson described debris flows,

en-US

31:14

S5E28: 4 Things You Need to Know about Desert Flooding

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/09/04

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 struck communities, parks and backcountry destinations across Utah, Arizona and New Mexico throughout the summer. Chris Clarke presents four things we should understand about desert flash floods: they are regional rather than isolated disasters; they are fundamental forces that build desert landscapes; blaming victims can undermine

en-US

61:19

S5E27: Sonoran Toads and the Dirty Business of Ego Death

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/08/28

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 Sonoran Desert toad (Incilius alvarius) spends most of the year underground, emerging to breed during summer rainstorms. It is also the only animal known to produce 5-MeO-DMT, an extraordinarily powerful psychedelic compound, in its defensive secretions. That biological curiosity has made the toad the center of a global psychedelic

en-US

34:15

S5E26: Maps, Vanished Lakes, and Two Desert Squirrels

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/08/14

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 world. In the Mojave Desert, two sister species of desert ground squirrel coexist nearly side by side. A field guide's range maps will tell you where those species live right now. But those maps also convey hints out of Deep Time, and those hints can explain not only why the squirrels live where they do, but also how the two species

en-US

37:58

S5E25: The Vaquita Can Still Recover

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/08/07

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 headlines suggest. In 2025, researchers concluded that there was a 67 percent probability that seven to ten distinct vaquitas had been observed in the study area. That was a count of animals seen, not an estimate of the species’ total remaining population. Researchers also found evidence that vaquitas are continuing to

en-US

36:21

S5E24: Tree Sit at the Border

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/08/01

Border-wall contractors have destroyed three ancient Fremont cottonwoods in the tiny community of Lochiel, Arizona. The trees, estimated to be 200 to 250 years old, stood within the path of two proposed 30-foot border walls through the San Rafael Valley. One landmark cottonwood remains—and activists have occupied it in what may be the first tree sit organized against border-wall construction. Kate Scott joins Chris Clarke from the Casita de la Esperanza, the activists’ base in the former

en-US

30:05

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

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/07/24

Episode Summary: In this episode, Chris Clarke highlights the Trump administration's attempts to dismantle crucial environmental laws and the effect of those rollbacks on desert landscapes. He guides listeners through the gutting of environmental and cultural protection laws, and argues for a more localized, community-centric approach to advocacy for the desert. Key Takeaways: The Trump administration's policies threaten the stability and effectiveness of long-standing environmental protection

en-US

31:32

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

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/07/17

Episode Summary: This episode covers the recent decision by the Trump administration to drastically reduce the acreage of Bears Ears and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monuments in southern Utah. Listeners are will hear the central issues surrounding desert conservation, including potential threats of resource extraction like uranium and coal mining, which loom as monuments face reduction. The episode features Morgan Sjogren, a writer deeply connected to the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase

en-US

41:38

S5E21: Don't Mine 29! Australian Company Threatens...

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/07/10

Episode Summary: In this episode of "90 Miles from Needles: The Desert Protection Podcast," host Chris Clarke focuses on mining in the California desert, in particular, a rare earth elements mine proposed by an offshore mining startup. This 20,000-acre mine would be surrounded by Joshua Tree National Park and the gateway community of Twentynine Palms. Joined by Chance Wilcox of the National Parks Conservation Association, Chris explores the complexities and potential consequences of mining

en-US

20:13

S5E20: Our Love for Fireworks Could Harm the Desert

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/07/03

Against the backdrop of the current wildfire season, which has ravaged vast areas across states like Utah and Colorado, Chris draws attention to a major human activity causing these fires, particularly the use of fireworks. The discussion is timely, as it coincides with the Fourth of July celebrations, a period notorious for firework-related fire ignitions. Listeners are taken on a journey through a detailed analysis of wildfire statistics and historical data, stressing the pervasive problem of

en-US

39:56

S5E19: Greenlink West Carves a Costly Path Through...

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/06/26

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 centers near Reno. This project not only threatens to enable an explosion of data centers in Northern Nevada, but also incentivizes solar developers to concentrate development in largely untouched desert in the Mojave and Great Basin. Key Takeaways: The Greenlink West transmission line is purportedly for energy distribution but

en-US

36:06

S5E18: Desert Heat: Who Really Pays the Price?

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/06/19

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 people suffering injury and death from extreme heat have little other choice. Migrants, the incarcerated, and outdoor labor all face serious threats from hot weather, with little recourse to protect themselves. That's why state and federal protections for workers and the incarcerated are so crucial. Notable Quotes: "Heat turns minor

en-US

17:15

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

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/06/12

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 the people who need to hear it. Listeners are encouraged to take a few easy and free (or cheap) steps to help spread the word of 90 Miles from Needles, including posting reviews on Apple, Spotify, or our website; boosting us on social media, and so many other possible ways to help. A full episode will come your way on 6/19!Become a

en-US

9:17

Short Update: Explaining Our Brief Hiatus

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/05/27

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 Hemangiosarcoma in dogs Donate to our Fellowship for Desert ReportingBecome a desert defender!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

en-US

38:44

S5E16: The Double Border Wall: A New Environmental...

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/05/15

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 borde. From the devastating effects on the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge and Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument to the desecration of a sacred geoglyph, Russ details the harm this unnecessary project would cause.The discussion emphasizes the challenges posed by waived environmental and cultural protection laws. Russ also

en-US

44:00

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

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/05/08

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 Bernard Leibov engage in a dialogue to address critiques and misconceptions, particularly related to an LA Times article that stirred emotions within the Morongo Basin. Their conversation navigates the crucial roles of artists in economic and cultural spheres while emphasizing the need for nuanced understanding among residents and

en-US

30:28

S5E14: River of Cheeseburgers: The Surprising Water...

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast ·

2026/05/01

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 of many thriving cities and fertile fields in the southwestern United States, the Colorado River is now at the heart of a controversial and complex debate over water rights and sustainability in the face of an ongoing drought. But many participants in the debate overlook a surprising product created with the majority of the Colorado

en-US

161 results

Similar Podcasts

The Deep Dive Lab: Unraveling Materials Science

Son Hoang

New Books in Political Science

New Books Network

Station 151

Pale Matter | Realm

Beyond the Divide

Koala Moon

StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson

Neil deGrasse Tyson