Rediscovering the night sky after the pandemic
Nature is one thing that never ceases to amaze me. Prior to the onset of the pandemic, I often camped. So, after a year of staring at my computer screen and not being able to see more than a handful of stars each night, venturing into the vast natural beauty that is Mojave Trails National Monument and gazing up at the ink black skies and the awe-inspiring beauty of the Milky Way on our field excursions, I couldn’t help but feel the way so many of us do.… incredibly lucky and also very, very small.
Deep in the Mojave, researching the night sky
Research by WISDOM interns help us understand the quality and the importance of the Mojave Desert’s dark night skies. Last fall a cohort of three college women began monitoring the night sky quality in the western portion of Mojave Trails National Monument. Their research will help the Bureau of Land Management in its effort to work toward International Dark Sky support for the National Monument.
After the summer rains, new growth
Monsoonal rains across the Mojave Desert this summer have led to the germination of summer annuals like chinchweed and fringed amaranth in some parts of the desert. Learn how to identify native and non-native seedlings popping up in the high desert this summer.
Ay te Voy: Navigating a career in conservation
Corina Godoy felt she had a calling to work in conservation. Along the way, she didn’t see many people who looked like her. Undeterred and embracing her passion, she forged ahead, knowing that she would have to clear her own path.
Latino Conservation Week: Essential reading list
Latino Conservation Week celebrates the connections of the Latino community and their passion for the outdoors. Compiled by MDLT staff and our partners in conservation from our desert communities, we hope this reading list inspires you to learn more about the world around us from our community of Latino voices.
The women mapping the Mojave’s dark night skies
WISDOM interns discovered the darkest spot in the western portion of Mojave Trails National Monument. A new group is continuing that quest for the entire monument.
Juneteenth reading list
Juneteenth commemorates the day the last enslaved people were emancipated in the United States in 1865. These nonfiction books by black authors continue to shape our culture, contribute to conservation awareness, celebrate exploration, and acknowledge the ongoing work towards equality still necessary over 150 years later.