Hello friends!

Transcript of this episode is at 90milesfromneedles.com

In this Season Zero short episode, Chris and Alicia discuss the commonly shared urban legend that Joshua trees are not really trees. This is a topic that has gotten on Chris's nerves before. Spoiler: They're trees.

Chris cites a biologist on Twitter with a handy definition of tree. Here's the guy. Thanks, Tom.

With regard to whether the trees are one or two species, or members of what family? Here's something Chris wrote a while back. Since then, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has decided to treat the trees as belonging to two species: Yucca brevifolia for the western trees (closest to LA) and Yucca jaegeriana for the eastern trees (closest to Las Vegas.)

Finally, the teaser reference to "touching Joshua trees" is inspired by a different bit of folklore spread on social media that touching Joshua trees is both illegal and harmful to the tree. To which we would reply that if you can't touch a tree without harming it or breaking the law, you need to rethink the way you are living your life. The trees do have weaker branches than hardwoods and such, though, so lay off with the climbing and hammock-hanging.

Thanks for listening! We're really looking forward to our formal launch in January.


Support our show!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/patreon

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello friends!

Transcript of this episode is at 90milesfromneedles.com

In this Season Zero short episode, Chris and Alicia discuss the commonly shared urban legend that Joshua trees are not really trees. This is a topic that has gotten on Chris's nerves before. Spoiler: They're trees.

Chris cites a biologist on Twitter with a handy definition of tree. Here's the guy. Thanks, Tom.

With regard to whether the trees are one or two species, or members of what family? Here's something Chris wrote a while back. Since then, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has decided to treat the trees as belonging to two species: Yucca brevifolia for the western trees (closest to LA) and Yucca jaegeriana for the eastern trees (closest to Las Vegas.)

Finally, the teaser reference to "touching Joshua trees" is inspired by a different bit of folklore spread on social media that touching Joshua trees is both illegal and harmful to the tree. To which we would reply that if you can't touch a tree without harming it or breaking the law, you need to rethink the way you are living your life. The trees do have weaker branches than hardwoods and such, though, so lay off with the climbing and hammock-hanging.

Thanks for listening! We're really looking forward to our formal launch in January.
<a href="https://90milesfromneedles.com/patreon" rel="payment">Support our show!: https://90milesfromneedles.com/patreon</a>See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

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.

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.

Vital info on protecting our irrepaceable deserts

90 Miles from Needles: the Desert Protection Podcast

Join host Chris Clarke and 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.

Join host Chris Clarke and 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.

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