Nature is the Solution

In this final episode of the season, we speak with Senator Bill Frist, Global Board Chair, and Catherine Machalaba, TNC’s first planetary health scientist, to explore how environmental change is becoming a defining public health challenge—and how nature can help protect people. We then travel to Lynn, Massachusetts, to see how the environment is affecting community health. Together, the episode co...

This episode explores natural climate solutions—the powerful, often overlooked ways nature can help address climate change. From forests to farms to coastal ecosystems, we share how working with nature creates real climate impact on the ground. Hear from a landowner, a forester and science leaders as we connect local action to a bigger picture of climate solutions hiding in plain sight. Host: Laur...

Meeting our climate goals means building more renewable energy. But expanding that capacity requires land and careful navigation of competing needs across energy, housing, conservation and communities. With so much of our landscape already supporting critically important forests, farms and wildlife habitat—and many communities already doing their share—figuring out where everything fits becomes a...

Take a deep look at Native-led land conservation and the connections between Indigenous communities and their homelands. Host Karen Lombard visits with partners from Native Land Conservancy and members of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe to learn how they honor, protect and restore the landscapes of Cape Cod and the life that depends on it.  Host: Karen Lombard, Director of Restoration and Stewardship...

This episode explores why connected Appalachian ecosystems are essential for wildlife, people and climate resilience. TNC joins partners from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and local Berkshire Wildlife Linkage community partners along the Interstate I‑90 corridor. Together, they examine how this major roadway intersects a 2,000‑mile biodiversity corridor and discuss designing infra...

In this episode, the series shifts from ocean to rivers and lands as we explore the science and stories behind freshwater restoration and ecological connectivity. Host Marea Gabriel is joined by Alison Bowden and Herring Commission and Assawompset Pond community member Tom Barron for a boat ride in the Taunton Watershed of southeastern Massachusetts. Together, they reflect on the relationship betw...

As rising seas and stronger storms threaten homes and infrastructure, some coastal residents are wrestling with a fundamental question: when is it time to move away from flood-prone homes? We examine what it means to relocate thoughtfully—ensuring safety, preserving community ties, and planning for a sustainable future. By shifting with the coastline rather than resisting the changes, relocation i...

What does a truly resilient shoreline look like? In this episode, we travel to Collins Cove in Salem, Massachusetts, where a living shoreline is helping the community adapt to rising sea levels and more powerful storms. By using natural materials and ecological design, they constructed marsh habitat to support wildlife while creating a more inviting and accessible space for local residents. We exp...

Oyster reefs in the Northeast are like the coral reefs of the tropics—natural powerhouses that clean the water, shelter marine life and buffer our shorelines from storms. Yet most of these reefs have all but disappeared. This episode follows an inventive partnership between oyster farmers and conservationists with a shared goal of bringing oysters back. Through the intertwined worlds of oyster ree...

Episodes launch January 20, 2026! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices