Nature Now

Nurse logs, a common site in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, blur the distinction between life and death as they support not only the next generation of trees, but also a host of other plant and animal species. Learn more about nurse logs and what the Jefferson Land Trust is doing to give a hand to these incredibly significant ecological systems. Nan Evans talks to Carrie Clendaniel, Preserv...

The stunning mountains of Western Washington draw many people who dream of reaching their summits. The views from these peaks can be breathtaking, but climbing them comes with significant challenges. Few know this better than Dave Rugh, who has spent decades climbing mountains. Join Jackie Canterbury as she talks with Dave about his experiences climbing in Washington State. (KPTZ airdate: December...

Debaran Kelso takes a deep dive into the world of whale sound with humpback whale expert Dr. Fred Sharpe, whose recent research has focused on aerial whale signals - the "blows", "wheezes", and "thrums" of everyday life. (KPTZ airdate: November 12, 2025) Learn more: Happywhale Mystery sound recording: Fred Sharpe Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you e...

It's getting cold and rainy outside. We've gotten out our winter clothes and rain boots, checked that our home's furnace is working well, stocked up on comfort foods, and perhaps, planned a winter vacation to a warmer and sunnier place. As the seasons change, some birds migrate to warmer places. But, how do the birds that stay the winter survive? Listen as Nan Evans talks with Christie Lassen of W...

What was that "pffit, pffit" sound? That small, triangular fin? A dolphin? But it doesn’t want to play in our boat's bow wake. Ah, it is a Harbor Porpoise, the smallest cetacean found in the Salish Sea. What do we know about them? Not very much it seems. Scientists are just learning more through direct, non-invasive observations of individuals. Join Nan Evans as she talks with Dr. Cindy Elliser of...

Nature Now explores the world of science books for kids! Debaran Kelso speaks with celebrated author Melissa Stewart about her book From Bam! to Burp! A Carbon Atom's Never-Ending Journey Through Space and Time and YOU. (KPTZ airdate: October 1, 2025) Learn more: Melissa Stewart From BAM! to BURP! A Carbon Atom's Never-Ending Journey through Space and Time and YOU Nature Now is created by a dedica...

We are all familiar with bees. Did you know that honey bee colonies are highly organized, complex, with a rigid caste system, and whose individuals depend on their societal organization to survive? Join Jackie Canterbury as she talks with Colleen Ebken, a beekeeper on Marrowstone Island (WA), about her bee colonies and the wonderful world of bees in general (part 1 of a two-part program). (KPTZ ai...

Nan Evans talks with Port Townsend mushroom enthusiasts, Helen Kolff and Jessica Latourelle. They explore attitudes, myths, truths, and edibility of mushrooms. Did you know what we see are only the fruiting bodies of extensive mycelial networks? Or, that they are not plants and they perform critical ecosystem functions. And, why are some people fascinated with fungi? (KPTZ airdate: September 17, 2...

Nan Evans talks with Lynda Mapes, longtime environmental reporter for The Seattle Times, about how culture, economics, and science have fundamentally changed how we use timber resources and perceive our relationship with forests. Much of the conversation is driven by Mapes’ most recent book, The Trees are Speaking: Dispaches from the Salmon Forest (part 2 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: Sep...

Nan Evans talks with Lynda Mapes, longtime environmental reporter for The Seattle Times, about how culture, economics, and science have fundamentally changed how we use timber resources and perceive our relationship with forests. Much of the conversation is driven by Mapes’ most recent book, The Trees are Speaking: Dispaches from the Salmon Forest (part 1 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: Sep...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Karin Ertl about the Salish Sea Guillemot Network and the Pigeon Guillemots that uniquely nest beneath the Hood Canal bridge. Pigeon Guillemot surveys began in 2004 on Whidbey Island, WA. As of 2024, surveys are taking place in 8 different regions with about 250 volunteers. (KPTZ airdate: August 13, 2025) Learn more: Salish Sea Guillemot Network Pigeon Guillemot Survey...

Debaran Kelso and field recorder Meg Amos continue the conversation with owl expert Jamie Acker in his backyard wildlife sanctuary, about his work studying owls near his home on Bainbridge Island, WA, for the past 25 years (part 2 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: August 6, 2025) Bird sound recording courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is c...

Debaran Kelso and field recorder Meg Amos meet with guest Jamie Acker in his own backyard wildlife sanctuary, to speak about his work studying owls near his home on Bainbridge Island, WA, for the past 25 years (part 1 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: July 16, 2025) Bird sound recording: Bob McGuire, ML187078 , courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library Nature Now is created by...

Marine mammals, especially the cetaceans, are a popular focus for wildlife viewing throughout the world. So, which species live here in the Salish Sea, and how are they doing? Jackie Canterbury speaks with wildlife biologist Dave Rugh. Local cetaceans include harbor porpoises, Dall's porpoises, Pacific white-sided dolphins, minke whales, gray whales, humpbacks, and killer whales. Other local marin...

Debaran Kelso speaks with founder Linda Landkammer and naturalist Dr. Fred Sharpe out in the garden, celebrating the lovely Kul Kah Han Native Plant Garden in Chimacum, WA, on a gorgeous summer afternoon! (KPTZ airdate: June 11, 2025) Learn more: Kul Kah Han Native Plant Garden Bird sound recording courtesy of Cornell Lab of Ornithology | Macaulay Library Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is created...

Nan Evans talks with Thor Hanson, biologist and author, to explore the wonders of biodiversity. Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth from genes and species to ecosystems. Biodiversity encompasses the interactions between all living things, animals (including humans), plants, fungi, microorganisms and the environments they inhabit and communities they create. Biodiversity has been attribute...

Nan Evans talks with Port Townsend photographer Kerry Tremain about the beauty of his bird photography and the emotional connections we all have to birds once we open ourselves to honor that we humans co-evolved with birds. (KPTZ airdate: May 7, 2025) Learn more: Kerry Tremain Photography Kerry Tremain's newsletter Wild Things Bird sound recording: Jay McGowan, ML66621141 , courtesy of Cornell Lab...

Debaran Kelso welcomes back guest Peter Harrison, this time joined by his wife Shirley Metz. Peter is a world-renowned seabird expert, artist, and conservationist, and Shirley is an avid adventurer and conservationist in her own right. This show highlights their remarkable joint conservation efforts (part 2 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: April 23, 2025) Learn more: The Mouse-Free Marion Pr...

Whales of Alaska have been studied by NOAA scientists for many years. For a third of a century, Dave Rugh flew in small aircraft, stood on sea cliffs, rode various ships, and spent a lot of time on sea ice documenting the abundance of whales around Alaska. This included the enigmatic bowhead whale, belugas (which are white whales) in Cook Inlet near Anchorage, and gray whales which migrate from th...

Nan Evans and Christie Lassen are at it again in part two of "Birds and Their Feathers" as they explore such topics as: What is the impact of diet on feathers? How do feathers keep birds warm? And cool? How do feathers help birds fly? (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: April 9, 2025) Learn more: Wild Birds Unlimited in Gardiner, WA Feathers: The Evolution of a Natural Miracle by Thor Hanson...

Please join host Debaran Kelso as we welcome our special guest Peter Harrison. Peter is a world-renowned seabird expert, artist, and conservationist, and this week we will be speaking about writing and illustrating his beautiful new book Seabirds: The New Identification Guide. We end with exploring the world of the albatrosses, in anticipation of his upcoming public lecture sponsored by the Port T...

Envision a bird – any bird. What do you first notice? The feathers, of course. But, what do you really know about those beautiful and amazingly variable structures? Join Nan Evans and Christie Lassen to explore feather forms and structures, colors and patterns, and the incredible usefulness and functions of feathers (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: March 19, 2025) Learn more: Wild Birds U...

Hosts Jackie Canterbury, Nan Evans, and Debaran Kelso get together to share their best reads and top "wish list" books to read in the coming year. As naturalists, the choices include some great natural history picks. But their eclectic tastes range across poetry, philosophy, history, personal reflections of authors, and art. Tune in to hear their conversation and to share in the fun they all had d...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Brittaney Drake about science visualization which is 'art in service of science' and how bird illustration is used to teach art and nature in her democratic classroom. Brittaney uses a variety of bird illustration tools including black ink, gouache watercolor, colored pencil, and digital illustration to teach bird illustration (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate:...

Are we diminishing our lives of the senses? Nan Evans talks with special guest Richard Louv, author of many books examining the crucial connections between the natural world and human physical, mental, social and even cultural health. Richard Louv first developed the concept of a nature-deficit disorder in his 2005 book, Last Child in the Woods. You will be inspired to get yourself and those you l...