Mitchell Caverns in San Bernardino County, California
An improbable set of attractive limestone caverns forms the centerpiece of Providence Mountains State Recreation Area, in the heart of the Mojave Desert.#caves #deserts #section-Atlas
Mitchell Caverns
Women Gather Yucca Plants Desert Southwest Landscape USA
#Arid, #Deserts, #Dry, #Indigenous, #Landscape, #Native, #YuccaPlants
Vintage ◦ Classic ◦ Historical | Art ◦ Design ◦ Inspiration | Restored ◦ Enhanced ◦ Remixed
Prints, T-Shirts, Stickers, & More by @rocketshipretro via RedBubble → https://bigplanetprints.com/go/l6u7bU
Say goodbye to clean air and blue skies
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/27/epa-trump-email-fossil-fuel-exemptions
Dakar Rally (Deserts 
)
The Dakar Rally or simply "The Dakar", formerly known as the Paris–Dakar Rally, is an annual rally raid organised by the Amaury Sport Organisation. The rally is an off-road endurance event. The terrain that the competitors traverse is much tougher than that used in conventional rallying, and the vehicles used are typically true off-...
The Tabernas Desert Badlands today. Stunning scenery and nice 18C temps for hiking. I love it here!
Evolution of deserts (Deserts )
A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the land surface of the Earth is arid or semi-arid. This includes much of the polar regions, where little precipitatio...
For the enduring love of America’s natural treasures
Bryce Canyon National Park, UtahThe recent broad dismissals of National Park Service rangers and U.S. Forest Service rangers has caused all of us who hold America’s natural treasures near and dear to their heart to fiercely object to these misguided actions by the Executive branch. What is so dumbfounding is the apparent lack of understanding and appreciation of these gems.
Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico“How in the world can certain people not understand or appreciate the stunning beauty and wonder of America’s natural treasures?”
It’s this lack of appreciation that makes this author wonder if an early introduction to our national parks and forests while kids are in elementary and secondary school should become a standard practice. In the past, this may have been a difficult proposition for some since the geographical distribution of national park sites tended to be weighted heavily in the Western United States. Thankfully, groups such as the scouts have helped introduce young people to our diverse ecosystems across much of the country.
Zion NP, UtahCapital Reef NP, UtahMore recently, additional national park sites (lakeshores, seashores, historical parks, trails, battlefields, recreation areas, preserves, monuments, and parks themselves) have been designated in the eastern half of the nation. Believe me, it’s not just the “national parks” specifically that are beautiful. Anyone who has visited Antietam, Saratoga, or Chickamauga will attest to the surprising beauty of those solemn battle settings. The same can be said of Sleeping Bear Dunes, Cape Hatteras, or Apostle Islands shorelines.
White Sands NP, New MexicoGrand Canyon NP, ArizonaGuadalupe Mountains NP, TexasJoshua Tree NP, CaliforniaGreat Sand Dunes NP, ColoradoRocky Mountain NP, ColoradoA similar idea would be to require each and every member of Congress (the United States Senate and the House of Representatives) to visit at least one national park system site or national forest every year they are in office. Such a policy could be established under their internal rules and would help better acquaint members with the importance and stunning aura of these varied natural features. Then, instead of excessive overseas junkets and lobbyist paid retreats, an annual trip to our nation’s treasures would help open their eyes to the majestic landscapes and vistas that might be lost forever, if not cared for properly.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, MichiganThere are many national forests and grasslands across the nation that could be easily visited by school groups and elected officials. While some of these features may not be as physically dramatic as the parks themselves, they remain excellent tools for educating and endearing our citizenry of the importance of our nation’s natural treasures. And there are certainly many locations within our national forest system that could qualify for national park status, as well.
Sandia Mountains in Cibola National Forest, New MexicoA truly special feature within some of our national forests are wilderness areas that have been left pristine and largely untouched over time. With so few places across the Lower 48 states remaining undisturbed, unfenced, or undeveloped, these wilderness areas (brainchild of the great Aldo Leopold 100 years ago) are the last remaining vestiges of the original American landscape. An endearing landscape that was once home to our many indigenous peoples and which first greeted intrepid explorers, trappers, pioneers, and settlers.
Map of national forests and grasslands – Source: en.wikipedia.orgOak Creek Canyon in Coconino National Forest, Arizona“We abuse land because we see it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.”
― Aldo Leopold
The point is…if everyone in this country were to become better acquainted with the national park system and national forest network, hopefully they would better appreciate our nation’s vast and varied natural treasures. Then, maybe just maybe, the chance of broad staff dismissals, reduced funding, and inappropriate land use proposals within or near these gems would become a thing of the past.
Peace!
Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico
Santa Elena Canyon, Big Bend National Park, Texas
Winter is a great season for visiting Big Bend National Park. It borders Mexico for 118 miles along the Rio Grande. A favorite destination is the mouth of Santa Elena Canyon, where the river exits the steep walls of the picturesque canyon.
Up close, the sheer cliff plunges into the river, leaving no room for a riverbank.
Desert exploration (Deserts )
Desert exploration is the deliberate and scientific exploration of deserts, the arid regions of the earth. It is only incidentally concerned with the culture and livelihood of native desert dwellers. People have struggled to live in deserts and the surrounding semi-arid lands for millennia. Nomads have moved their flocks and herds to wherever grazing is available, and o...
Polar desert (Deserts )
Polar deserts are the regions of Earth that fall under an ice cap climate. Despite rainfall totals low enough to normally classify as a desert, polar deserts are distinguished from true deserts by low annual temperatures and evapotranspiration. Most polar deserts are covered in ice sheets, ice fields, or ice caps, and they are also called white deserts. Polar deserts are one of two polar b...
#Calais. Un petit groupe de gens décide de transformer ces #rochers insultants en lieu de #mémoire pour les 89 personnes décédées en 2024 à la #frontière. Cette action veut rendre visibles ceux que la ville cherche à rendre invisibles. Réinvestir ces #déserts de caillasses qui coûtent cher. Détourner, dénoncer, commémorer.
#action #collages #calais #refugees #migrants #border #frontiere #rochers #honte
Interesting interview with Pradip Krishen on what it takes to do #ecologicalrestoration well, especially in challenging ecosystems like #deserts #aridareas and in the Ridge and #aravalliforest of #NewDelhi.
https://scroll.in/article/1077515/pradip-krishen-interview-ecological-restoration-is-more-than-just-planting-trees
#india #trees #treeplanting #conservation #biodiversity
Desert fungi (Deserts )
The desert fungi are a variety of terricolous fungi inhabiting the biological soil crust of arid regions. Those exposed to the sun typically contain melanin and are resistant to high temperatures, dryness and low nutrition. Species that are common elsewhere do not thrive in these conditions. Producing large dark unicellular spores also helps survival. Sexually reproducing ascomycet...
Can #UN summits save the planet. “The world’s nations keep faltering in their efforts to join together to save the planet from several #environmentalcrises. In the past few months #UnitedNations-sponsored negotiations to tackle #climatechange, #plasticpollution, loss of global #species and a growing number of #deserts have either outright failed or come out with limited outcomes that didn’t address the scale of the problems.” | AP https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-climate-biodiversity-plastics-drought-summits-failure-64b40bc06287a92d33bcdbfea4f3bf5f
Drylands now make up 40% of land on Earth, excluding Antarctica, study says https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/09/drylands-now-make-up-40-of-land-on-earth-excluding-antarctica-study-says #Desertification #Climatecrisis #Environment #Deserts #Farming
Drylands now make up 40% of land on Earth, excluding Antarctica, study says https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/09/drylands-now-make-up-40-of-land-on-earth-excluding-antarctica-study-says #Desertification #Climatecrisis #Environment #Deserts #Farming
Budapest-Bamako (Deserts )
The Budapest-Bamako or Great African Run is a charity car race in Europe and Africa, and the largest amateur rally in the world. It is a low-budget version of the Dakar Rally, and goes from Budapest, Hungary to Bamako, Mali through the Sahara. It passes through Hungary, Austria or Slovenia, Italy, France, Spain, Morocco, Mauritania and Mali.
