Dark sky data revealed for Mojave Trails National Monument
In February 2021, MDLT’s Dark Night Sky Measurement Project finished a six-month long survey of night sky quality in Mojave Trails National Monument. Women In Science Discovering Our Mojave (WISDOM) interns were able to contribute vital scientific research in the monument.
Get weeding! Help manage invasive plants in the Mojave
While seeing splashes of bright green amidst our sandy washes might seem like a sight for sore eyes, not all of the greenery is beneficial. Some of these are invasive species that if left unchecked, can run rampant over the landscape, harming ecosystems and the animals who rely on native flora for food. When gardening in your little slice of desert paradise, you’ll want to pull the invasive weeds as soon as you notice them to help the native plants to thrive. How will you know the difference? Read on!
The ultimate desert reading list
Inspired to learn more about the California desert or Indigenous history and culture? We’ve compiled some of the favorite desert reads of Columba Quintero, of the Native American Land Conservancy, Brendan Cummings, of the Center for Biological Diversity, Ken Layne, of the Desert Oracle, and Geary Hund, of the Mojave Desert Land Trust.
Women look to the dark skies for data
Have you ever looked up at the night sky and marveled at its vastness? The stars are becoming harder and harder to see in populated areas, which is why MDLT’s WISDOM interns are monitoring the night sky quality in the western portion of Mojave Trails National Monument.
What is desert stewardship?
The California desert environment is “extremely fragile, easily scarred, and slowly healed.” This apt description, from the 1976 designation of the California Desert Conservation Area, drives home the need for specialized stewardship of this beautiful landscape. This photo essay by Land Steward Stream Tuss explains what she does while out on MDLT lands, from checking for traces of tortoise activity to installing vital signage.
Why we’re tracking beetles in the Mojave Desert
The Women in Science Discovering Our Mojave internship program has provided new insights into the movement of bighorn sheep in the Mojave Desert, with game cameras collecting data and images of the elusive species. In addition to tracking data on the comings-and-going of those lovable caprines, we’re also doing data collection on a slightly less cuddly species that are shaking things up in Afton Canyon.
Chia: A plant of power
In this edition of the Dorothy Ramon Learning Center August 2020 newsletter, reprinted in full with permission, we explore paanihac (Serrano), pasal (Cahuilla), pashal (Luiseño), ‘ilépesh (Barbareño Chumash), nulh’amulh (Kumeyaay), or chia, as this sage plant (Salvia columbariae) is known in a few local Southern California languages. Chia’s tiny seeds offer an important Native American traditional energy food.