#215 | Life Overlooked: Protecting California’s Mojave Desert with Natalie Cibel & Coral Carson

In this inbetweenersode, Brooke sits down with Natalie Cibel and Coral Carson from Planet People Podcast to explore the Mojave Desert—part of California's overlooked "desert heart". Discover the surprising Raven-Tortoise-Human conflict threatening desert wildlife, the complex relationship between renewable energy development and habitat conservation, and innovative solutions like laser technology and captive breeding programs saving desert tortoises. Learn about pressing challenges including off-roading impacts, solar farm expansion, and illegal poaching, plus inspiring conservation wins like the Chuckwalla National Monument, Western Joshua Tree Conservation Act, and the "Kill Your Lawn" rewilding movement. This episode reveals why the Mojave Desert is a critical conservation hotspot and how small actions—like closing dumpster lids—create cascading positive effects for desert ecosystems.

TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Introduction and Special Episode Announcement01:03 Meet the Hosts: Natalie and Coral04:11 Exploring the Mojave Desert06:02 Desert Biodiversity and Conservation09:05 Challenges Facing the Mojave Desert11:37 Raven and Desert Tortoise Conflict14:29 Human Impact and Conservation Efforts21:06 Renewable Energy and Land Use26:24 Balancing Renewable Energy and Recreation28:01 Off-Roading and Its Impact on the Mojave31:21 Kill Your Lawn Movement34:30 Conservation Success Stories38:19 The Joshua Tree Conservation Act41:43 Final Thoughts and Call to Action

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