1. News
  2. AZPM News - Local, independent journalism from the NPR 89.1 newsroom
  3. Nature and Environment

Nature and Environment

Stacks of hay bales sit beside an irrigation canal in Imperial Valley on June 20, 2023. Critics have called for reductions to the amount of alfalfa grown with Colorado River water. The particularly thirsty crop is mostly used for cattle feed.

The Buzz: Arizona/Saudi relations go back long before Fondomonte

Aug 30, 2024 We listen to an episode of AZPM's podcast Tapped that traces the link between the two deserts
Controlled burns in Sierra Vista are expected to help reduce this summer's mosquito population by cutting back on unwanted vegetation.

Mosquito-borne illnesses are rising: Here's how to protect yourself

Aug 30, 2024 Mosquitoes kill more people than any other creature in the world. So the key is — try not to get bitten.
A photo of a rare octopus species, nicknamed the Casper octopus, was captured almost three miles below the Ocean's surface in the southeast Pacific Ocean off the coast of Chile.

A newly mapped underwater mountain could be home to 20 new species

Aug 30, 2024 The potentially new species, which have yet to be officially confirmed, include a sea urchin, starfish and a squat lobster.

Breaks in only water pipeline for Grand Canyon prompt shutdown of overnight hotel stays

Aug 28, 2024 Visitors won’t be able to stay overnight in hotels at Grand Canyon National Park after a series of breaks in the only pipeline that serves the popular tourist destination.
Havasu Falls

Havasu Falls closed indefinitely after deadly flash flood

Aug 28, 2024 Havasupai Tribe and emergency teams assessing damage.
LEFT: Date Palms on the campus on the University of Arizona. July 2024. RIGHT: Arizona alfalfa field with flood irrigation on a sunny day.

From date palms to alfalfa: How Arizona became fertile ground for Saudi farms

Aug 28, 2024 What started with a camel handler would grow into a lucrative trade, but eventually ended in exploitation of lax water laws.
The Colorado River in Grand Canyon National Park on Thursday, Aug. 31. 3% of the Colorado River's base flow comes from perennial springs throughout the its watershed.

Man dies on river trip at Grand Canyon; 5th fatality in less than a month

Aug 27, 2024 Authorities say an 80-year-old man has died after falling from a boat on the Colorado River inside Grand Canyon National Park.
Stephanie Daniel, Menlo Park neighborhood resident and community gardener who visits the park daily, Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2024, in Tucson, Ariz.

El Rio Clinic considers parking expansion, Menlo Park residents concerned about community garden

Aug 27, 2024 Menlo Park neighborhood responds to potential changes as El Rio Clinic weighs options for additional employee parking space.
A blue rectangular piece of microplastic sits on the finger of a researcher with the University of Washington-Tacoma environmental science program, after it was found in debris collected from the Thea Foss Waterway, in Tacoma, Wash., on May 19, 2010.

Microplastics are everywhere, but are they harming us?

Aug 22, 2024 A surge in research into plastics in food and water is raising questions about the accumulation of microplastics in the body.
Sunset over the Catalinas.

Is "Monsoon Magic" on the horizon?

Aug 21, 2024 Also on Arizona Spotlight: Reactions to the first load of uranium ore to come from the Pinyon Mine near The Grand Canyon; and "Concussion: The Play", a new Ten-Minute Drama.
Ruins in Hualapai Canyon, Hualapai Indian Reservation, Arizona

Lithium drilling project temporarily blocked on sacred tribal lands in Arizona

Aug 21, 2024 The case is among the latest legal fights to pit Native American tribes and environmentalists against President Joe Biden’s administration.
Arizona Corporation Commission building in downtown Phoenix.

Arizona Corporation Commission urges congress to exempt utilities from EPA hazardous waste costs

Aug 21, 2024 ACC pushes for federal legislation to avoid higher utility rates and cleanup expenses following EPA hazardous substance regulations.
A canal carries water from the Colorado River to tribal land in Arizona.

Hedge fund buys $100 million of land in La Paz County

Aug 20, 2024 Land is in an area that has little regulation on groundwater pumping, and could be sent elsewhere in the state.
ByBlocks, produced by ByFusion from non-recyclable plastic waste.

The Buzz: New ways to recycle plastic in Arizona

Aug 16, 2024 Companies find new ways to help residents give plastic another life.
Horseshoe Bend, five miles downstream from the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, is a popular viewing spot for the Colorado River.

Arizona, Nevada and Mexico will lose same amount of Colorado River water next year as in 2024

Aug 15, 2024 Long-term challenges remain for the 40 million people reliant on the imperiled river.
A monsoon approaches the intersection of Broadway and Treat Ave. in Tucson, Ariz., on Thursday, July 18, 2024.

2024 monsoon bringing much of Southern Arizona out of drought conditions

Aug 15, 2024 The Tucson metro area is about 2 inches above normal rainfall totals.

Selected Archive Filters

Environment,
State & National Parks,
Water,
Weather,
Wildlife
Back to Top
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona