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The easiest way to see wildlife in the California desert is also one of the saddest.
Dog-and-Pony Show: How a Congressman Expects to Solve Bark-Beetle Infestations
by Char Miller
May 16, 2012 2:48 PM
Rep. Rob Bishop thinks clearcutting forests will solve devastating bark-beetle infestations. It's not that simple.
The photographic evidence of Fukushima is so painful it's hard to forget.
Oil for Trees: Does the Land and Water Conservation Fund Offer a Devil's Bargain?
by Char Miller
May 2, 2012 2:42 PM
Talk about a Devil's Bargain: Federal money for preserving open space comes from energy production fees.
An Intro to Mockingbirds: The Noisiest, Most Aggressive Small Bird You'll Ever Meet
by Chris Clarke
May 1, 2012 11:37 AM
It's that time of year again in the desert when throughout the urban desert, mockingbirds start to defend their nests again, harassing just about every living thing that comes near.
It's a sign of the L.A. River's health that we are arguing over what it means.
Desert Nurses: How Seedlings Survive Harsh Conditions to Become Full-Fledged Plants
by Chris Clarke
April 24, 2012 2:30 PM
You see it everywhere in the desert: mature shrubs with little plants of other species in their shade.
Will Trees Save Us From Climate Change? A Doubtful Tale
by Char Miller
April 18, 2012 2:30 PM
Trees are miraculous but they will not solve the riddles of climate change.
Mojave Mirage; What You See -- Or Remember -- Is Not Always What You Get
by Char Miller
April 11, 2012 4:45 PM
Will the Mojave Desert, which is growing exponentially, have enough water to survive?
Rattlesnakes are timid, generally gentle animals. Given any choice at all, they will always do what they can to avoid biting you.
Sea Change: What Happened When the Pacific Ocean Went Global
by Char Miller
April 4, 2012 2:35 PM
Resource exploitation and environmental injustice have been central to the 450-year long globalization of the Pacific.
Study Hall: Governor Brown Wants to Get Schooled on Fracking
by Char Miller
March 28, 2012 2:15 PM
Governor Brown is only now getting interested in fracking -- why the delay?
White Pelicans: California's Charismatic Megafauna in the Sky
by Chris Clarke
March 27, 2012 12:25 PM
White pelicans are common this time of year along the California coast and in the estuary of the Colorado River, but in a few weeks, they will pick up and head for other parts of the country.
March 21 is World Forestry Day, a time to recall how essential trees are to planetary health.
Hiking in San Dimas Canyon offers a penetrating look into L.A. County's complicated fire history.
Black Hills a Blank Spot on Map of Imperial County
by Chris Clarke
March 13, 2012 12:21 PM
We know so little about the Black Hills in Imperial County. This piece may well be the only published description of the range's flora and fauna, sketchy as it is.
Fee Simple: Why We Should Pay to Hike, Boat, Fish, Camp and Just Plain Visit Our National Forests
by Char Miller
March 7, 2012 2:12 PM
In eliminating user fees on our public lands, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals damaged the national forests.
When I first started falling in love with the deserts, I rushed past places like this to get to the interesting stuff, but it took me a while to realize just what I was speeding past.
Rock of Ages: Michael Heizer's 'Levitated Mass' Isn't Uplifting
by Char Miller
February 15, 2012 2:23 PM
Michael Heizer's LACMA installation called "Levitated Mass" is a troubling reminder of the environmental damage that Earth Art can produce.
Will 2012's Desert Spring be the Wildflower Bloom That Wasn't?
by Chris Clarke
February 14, 2012 10:22 AM
Unless these storms bring Southern California some much-needed rain this week, most of the California desert isn't going to have a stunning spring wildflower display this year.
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