Nature’s healing paths: A conversation with Travis Puglisi
Not all who wander are lost. In our third blog post honoring Mental Health Awareness Month, we speak with Travis Puglisi, owner and operator of Wandering Mojave Hiking Services. A resident of the desert for over 20 years and longtime supporter of the Mojave Desert Land Trust, Travis is also a strong advocate for mental health awareness. We talked about the positive effects of hiking, mental health, and the challenges of desert life.
Interview: Social worker Melissa Grisi on cultivating a relationship with nature
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, we spoke with high desert therapist Melissa Grisi. A licensed social worker for twenty years, Melissa integrates a range of psychotherapeutic methods into practice, including connecting with nature. Melissa talked about the importance of getting outdoors and cultivating a relationship with nature for one’s mental health.
Overcoming barriers to nature
Connecting to the outdoors can have a profoundly positive, lifelong effect on wellbeing, individually and communally. One way MDLT fosters this dynamic is through educational events. MDLT continually conducts field trips, hikes, and lectures for K-12 students of the Morongo Basin to forge a deeper connection between people and place. From a Star Party in Mojave Trails National Monument, to a walk through our Mojave Desert Discovery Garden, to an exploratory birdwatching hike through Big Morongo Canyon Preserve, 2023 has been a year of outdoor educational firsts for many area students.
Anatomy of a superbloom
A superbloom is loosely defined as a rare occurrence in which an abundance of desert wildflowers blossom at the same time. They rely on many unpredictable factors in order to come alive, a wet winter being just one contributor to this incredible botanical event. Learn what sets the stage for superblooms and how to witness this phenomenon responsibly.
Observing life at one of the Mojave Desert’s vital springs
At first glance, this natural spring might seem like nothing but rocks and bushes but once you are out among the never-ending brown, you start to notice what’s in the blur. Against the browns, colors stand out. The green of the creosote pops, the yellow flowers of the brittlebush are much brighter, the vibrant pink of the sandmat stretches out across the sand.
Got Milkweed?
Monarch caterpillars must feed on milkweed in order to develop into adult butterflies, and the plants impart natural toxins that protect both caterpillar and butterfly from predators. Read on for an intimate look at a fascinating native plant.
Fire damage at a Mojave oasis
In March 2022, the Heritage Fire breached Palisades Ranch, burning 34 acres of this special wildlife haven. At least 300 mature trees burned in the fire and 10% of the riparian habitat was affected. In recent decades, the former agricultural fields at the property had become overgrown with invasive species including perennial pepperweed, which seriously impacted the native plant population and helped fuel the fire’s spread.