24. Joshua Tree or Asparagus? A Breakdown of the Joshua Tree Conservation Act
Release Date: 09/24/2025
36. College of the Desert: A Class on Desert Birds, Energy Solutions, and Living a Sustainable Life w/ Kurt Leuschner
Planet People Podcast
In this discussion, we interview Kurt Leuschner, a Professor of Natural Resources at the College of the Desert, a public community college serving the diverse Coachella Valley of Riverside County, California. College of the Desert enrolls approximately 12,500 students and is federally recognized as a Hispanic-serving institution, reflecting its commitment to educational accessibility in the region. Through his role at College of the Desert, Professor Leuschner is helping to educate the next generation of environmental stewards while contributing to our understanding of the remarkable...
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35. Desert Tortoise Council: Training the Next Generation of Desert Tortoise Biologists w/ Mary Lane Poe
Planet People Podcast
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34. Art Queen of Joshua Tree: Fighting Fast Fashion & Turning Trash Into Art w/ Shari Elf
Planet People Podcast
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33. Thanksgiving Reflections and Gratitude From the Planet People Team
Planet People Podcast
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32. Land of Flowing Water: Indigenous Knowledge & The Theft of Owens Valley w/ Seth Bizardi Tsosie
Planet People Podcast
Join us as we explore the Eastern Sierra Nevada with Seth Bizardi Tsosie, a Native American monitor from the Lone Pine Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, whose ancestral knowledge reveals the profound relationship between Indigenous peoples and the land of flowing water. Seth shares what it means to grow up with generations of traditional ecological wisdom about this remarkable region, as well as the devastating story of how the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power systematically exploited and diverted the Owens Valley’s lifeblood. As we approach Thanksgiving, this essential conversation challenges...
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Planet People Podcast
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30. Meditation & Bird Walks: San Diego Climate Week Event Recap
Planet People Podcast
This episode takes you behind the scenes of our San Diego Climate Week event, where we combined mindfulness meditation with birdwatching to forge a deeper connection with the natural world and raise awareness about one of climate change’s most vulnerable victims—our birds. Hosts Natalie and Coral share why they chose to lead a meditative bird walk during Climate Week, highlighting the critical relationship between climate change and declining bird populations. As habitats shift, migration patterns are disrupted, and food sources vanish, birds are serving as early warning indicators of our...
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Planet People Podcast
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Planet People Podcast
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27. Ravenous Ravens: Time To Talk Trash At The Living Desert Zoo w/ Katie Shaw
Planet People Podcast
Join us as we sit down with Katie Shaw, a social scientist with The Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert, to explore the fascinating intersection of human behavior and wildlife conservation. Kate shares insights into their innovative “Time to Talk Trash” conservation program, which targets the root cause of rising raven populations that threaten endangered desert tortoises. This eye-opening conversation reveals how changing human behavior around waste management can have profound impacts on desert ecosystems, demonstrating that sometimes the most effective wildlife conservation happens by...
info_outlineIn this important episode, hosts Coral and Natalie discuss the history of Joshua tree conservation in Southern California and examine the groundbreaking Joshua Tree Conservation Act. They explore what it takes to protect these iconic desert trees under their own dedicated legislation, analyzing the current threats Joshua trees face from rapid solar development and the escalating impacts of climate change. This comprehensive conversation covers the legislative journey, conservation challenges, and the critical importance of specialized protection for one of the Mojave Desert’s most beloved and vulnerable species.
RAY OF HOPE:
In a time when Joshua trees face unprecedented threats from development and climate change, the Joshua Tree Conservation Act stands as a powerful ray of hope, demonstrating that targeted legislation can provide specialized protection for vulnerable species. This dedicated act recognizes Joshua trees as unique and irreplaceable elements of Southern California’s desert heritage, creating a framework for their long-term survival despite mounting environmental pressures.
The Joshua Tree Conservation Act represents hope because it shows us a pathway forward: species-specific conservation legislation that addresses real threats, communities and lawmakers working together to protect iconic landscapes, and proactive measures that will safeguard these ancient desert sentinels for generations to come.
ANXIETY TO ACTION:
In an era of rapid desert development and climate uncertainty, the Joshua Tree Conservation Act reminds us that we have the power to be part of the solution, one protected tree and preserved habitat at a time. The iconic act is one of its kind, providing one single species with strong protections, paving the way for future species to be protected in their own right.
- Support the Joshua Tree Conservation Act by contacting your representatives.
- Advocate for responsible solar development that avoids critical Joshua tree habitat.
- Participate in public comment periods for desert development projects.
- Educate others about the unique ecological importance of Joshua trees.
RESOURCES:
- Learn more about the Joshua Tree Conservation here
- Responsible renewable energy development guidelines here
- Climate change impacts on Joshua trees research here
PHOTO CREDITS: