Dave takes us on an aural field trip to one of his favorite places, Mono Lake in Eastern California, near Yosemite National Park. The saline lake is home to a fascinating ecosystem based on brine shrimp and alkali flies.
It's also a significant rookery for Califonia gulls who fly from the coast over the Sierra Crest to raise their young.
Dave talks to two representatives from the Mono Lake Committee based in Lee Vining. Lead Naturalist Guide Nora Livingston discusses the weird and wonderful natural history of the lake, including its famous Tufa towers -- chemical rock structures that look like fairy castles looming over the alkali waters.
Then Geoffrey McQuilkin, Executive Director for MLC, shares insights into the historic and ongoing environmental battles to save the lake from water diversions by the city of Los Angeles to encroaching development.
