Everyday Environment Podcast

This week we're joined by our marketing and communications manager Emily Steele! We chat with Emily about how our words matter when we talk about invasive species and how we can encourage people to manage invasive species through value-based communication and engagement approaches. We also hear from Phil Anderson, a biology professor at University of Illinois, who shares his experience using cospl...

The Everyday Environment team is back for a new season this spring to discuss Invasive species. Get a preview of what is in store as well as a primer on Invasive Species from everyone's favorite Extension person: Chris Evans. Invasives Species 101 starts at 20:30 Original Episode from the archives: Invasive Alert: Spotted Lanternfly Share your own Everyday Observation Was there something about thi...

In this episode of the Everyday Environment Podcast , hosts Amy Lefringhouse and Karla Griesbaum talk with Allen Lawrance, Curator of Entomology at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, to discuss the power of community science and how volunteers contribute valuable data to wildlife monitoring programs across Illinois. Allen highlights initiatives like the Illinois Butterfly Monitoring Network, the I...

If you learn to listen for wildlife, you’ll start finding it everywhere. Learning a bird’s song or an insect’s call means you can sense them even when they are out of sight or pick out their call from a chaotic audio background that the brain normally filters out. There are side benefits too; sometimes an animal’s call is the only way to identify it, and it’s often the easiest way to share nature...

Beneath Illinois’ soil lives a little-known but ecologically important animal — the plains pocket gopher . In this episode, hosts Amy Lefringhouse and Darci Webber talk with Nathan Alexander , postdoctoral researcher at the Illinois Natural History Survey, about what makes this gopher unique to Illinois. Nathan shares how this “angry potato” of the prairie shapes soil health, how agriculture has i...

The Mexican long-nosed armadillo ( Dasypus mexicanus ) has become a recent addition to the local fauna of Illinois as a response to habitat alteration and climate change. With these new species and many others comes new diseases and exposure of pathogens. Join Southern Illinois University associate professor Agustin Jimenez as he discusses zoonotic diseases and how the movement of Illinois wildlif...

The Urban Coyote Research Project is an ongoing 25-year project studying coyotes in the Chicagoland area. Join Chris Anchor, wildlife biologist for the Forest Preserves of Cook County , as he discusses his 40-year career in wildlife management and the insights we’ve gained from this long-term research project.   Learn more about Urban Wildlife:  Research at the Forest Preserves of Cook County The...

Fish hatcheries are an important tool for the heritage and recreation of Illinois wildlife. Join Kayleigh Smith, Outreach specialist for the IDNR Jake Wolf Memorial Fish Hatchery as she discusses the work at the fish hatchery and how it support conservation of Illinois wildlife. Share your own Everyday Observation Was there something about this topic we didn’t cover? See something cool in nature?...

Find out the difference between bison and buffalo...Amy and Darci talk with Dr. Elizabeth Bach from The Nature Conservancy about prairie restoration at Nachusa Grasslands. From reintroducing bison to boosting biodiversity, the conversation explores how science, history, and community come together to restore Illinois’ tallgrass prairie. Resources to learn more Nachusa Grasslands Research by moonli...

Hosts Amy Lefringhouse and Darci Webber chat with Sydney Oliveira from the University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic about what to do if you find injured wildlife, how to prevent common injuries, and the vital role rehabilitation and education play in conservation. Resources to learn more University of Illinois Wildlife Medical Clinic Illinois Extension Wildlife National Wildlife Rehabilitato...

There are nearly 4 million miles of roadway in the U.S., allowing people to access almost anywhere, at any time, which has its benefits for people but also numerous ecological drawbacks. Learn from Kevin Rohling how roads alter the ecology of an area and affect our wildlife. Check out the Everyday Environment Blog for more information and a reference to the studies Kevin discusses in the podcast....

In this amazing episode, conservation biologist Dr. Mark Davis joins hosts Amy and Karla to explain environmental DNA (eDNA)—genetic material shed by organisms into their surroundings. This tool allows researchers to detect species in water, soil, and air without disturbing them. A fascinating look at how invisible clues in nature help protect biodiversity. Highlights: - Rediscovering the endanger...

Join Quail Forever biologist Brodie Eddington as he shares his expertise and experience with quail and the restoration of their habitat. Quail are culturally significant to Illinois , and their conservation is important for the preservation of this heritage and our Illinois ecosystems. Learn about the status of bobwhite quail populations, the culture around this species, and what Illinois organiza...

In this episode of the Everyday Environment Podcast , hosts Amy Lefringhouse and Karla Griesbaum dive into outdoor recreation trends and their connection to conservation. Curt Sinclair from Illinois 4-H discusses how outdoor activities such as hunting and fishing contribute to conservation funding through license fees and federal programs. The conversation highlights the importance of accessible o...

Animal Encounters are everywhere, but what do I do if encounter one? What should I expect to see at this moment? Join Joy O’Keefe, Extension Wildlife Specialist as she answers your burning questions about the wildlife we see everyday.  Check out the Illinois Extension Wildlife Website to learn more about these encounters. Questions? We'd love to hear from you! Abigail Garofalo aeg9@illinois.edu ,...

Join Everyday Environment for Season 3 as we explore a brand new aspect of the natural world with new hosts and new guests! Join Amy and Abigail as they welcome new hosts, Karla and Darci , and give you a preview of what to expect for the Wildlife season of Everyday Environment.  From the episode:  Darci's Global Academy Article Questions? We'd love to hear from you! Abigail Garofalo aeg9@illinois...

This week we chat with Peggy Anesi, Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Educator for Illinois Extension in northern Illinois. Peggy brings a wealth of experience in environmental education and shares her experiences working to engage different audiences all about water. From Watershed Stewards to a Paddle and Learn program to youth educational offerings, Peggy discusses the importance of en...

In this episode of Everyday Environment , hosts Amy and Abigail explore the puzzle of water pricing with guest Margaret Schneemann, Water Resource Economics Specialist with Illinois Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. From aging infrastructure and economic planning to affordability and policy decisions, Margaret helps piece together the many factors that influence what we pay for water. Tune...

While the City of Chicago and many of its surrounding communities have access to water from Lake Michigan, the rest of Northeast Illinois relies primarily on groundwater aquifers for all its drinking water.  These groundwater aquifers provide a wide range of opportunities for drinking water…as well as a variety of challenges.  Tune in as we talk to Scott Kuykendall , McHenry County Water Resource...

This week we chat with Kara Salazar from Purdue Extension and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant about how communities approach sustainable development around their water resources. Kara discusses the challenges of managing stormwater, green infrastructure solutions like bioswales and permeable pavements, how you can become involved in learning more about your community’s water, and how climate change is...

The history books often referred to the reversal of the Chicago River as an engineering marvel, but how did they do it? Why did they do it? and Why is it important to learn about it? Join Phil Nicodemus from Urban Rivers as he discusses the history of the Chicago River and the historical and current work done on the Chicago River to support humans and biodiversity. To read about it, check out the...

Join the Everyday Environment team as we chat with Layne Knoche, Stormwater Outreach Associate, to explore the importance of rain gardens and how they help manage stormwater, support biodiversity, and improve water quality. We chat about some good design tips and ideas, the basic make-up of a rain garden and spend some extra time really diving into our obsession with native plants.  Resources ment...

Everybody has a part to play in protecting the valuable resource that is water. So what is the part of farmers? As producers of our food, fiber, and fuel, farmers are essential to our economy, our plates, and our way of life. Learn from Rachel Curry about the options farmers have to protect water quality and the challenges they face in doing so. Check out the blog post on this topic for more infor...

From the Mississippi River to Lake Michigan, Illinois’ waters are incredible environmental and economic resources, supporting a diversity of plants and animals, providing drinking water for millions of people, and allowing for transportation and recreation. However, aquatic invasive species can threaten these resources. These organisms cause harm to native species and collectively costing humans m...

In this episode, we talk with Eliana Brown, Water Quality and Stormwater Specialist with University of Illinois Extension.  Eliana explains how we can do simple things that improve lakes and rivers and why it's important to do so. This podcast complements Extension's Stormwater@Home video series. With Eliana, we define stormwater, explore the challenges and solutions of stormwater management, and...