Host Chris Clarke takes listeners along on a recent journey to El Paso for the Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta. The trip was made possible by supporters who contributed to the Chihuahuan Desert Travel Fund. Clarke shares insights and experiences from traveling over 1600 miles across the deserts of the Southwest. This episode provides a heartfelt thank you to supporters and explores the challenges facing desert conservation. As Clarke reflects on the journey, he explores common ecological threats facing desert regions, ranging from industrial development to climate change and invasive species. The episode features stories and experiences gathered from Tucson to El Paso, highlighting the bond people form with these arid landscapes and the innovative ways communities are working to protect them. Clarke concludes by discussing the potential for a cross-desert conservation movement, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and communication.

Key Takeaways:

• The Chihuahuan Desert Fiesta provided a platform for connecting with desert conservationists and highlighted the biodiversity and challenges unique to desert ecosystems.
• The trip was a success thanks to generous donations, enabling Clarke to engage with local communities and build relationships that transcend geographic boundaries.
• Ecological threats, such as invasive species and climate change, affect all desert regions, necessitating collaborative conservation efforts.
• Personal connections and face-to-face interactions can be pivotal in galvanizing support and fostering shared passion for desert protection.
• The idea of a continent-wide desert conservation movement underscores the need for innovative communication channels between diverse communities.

Notable Quotes:

1. "The ecosystems are fragile in the sense that they are slow to heal from disturbance. They can take centuries to recover."
2. "There is a diverse group of people working on protecting the deserts... that care about the desert and want to protect it."
3. "I think the thing that I was most impressed by from mile one of this trip is the degree of passion that these places raise in their defenders."
4. "It would be great for people in Las Vegas to be familiar with what people in El Paso are facing and vice versa." 

Resources:

90 Miles from Needles https://90milesfromneedles.com

The Mojave Project: https://mojaveproject.org/

Adriana Bachmann - https://www.instagram.com/myclimateclarity

 Eli Heller - https://www.instagram.com/desertnaturalist

 Henry Brean at AZ Daily Star: https://tucson.com/users/profile/henry%20brean/