Nature Now

Tired of those pesky weeds?!? Debaran Kelso talks with Sophie DeGroot, Noxious Weed Coordinator for Jefferson County, about the problem of invasive plants and the role of the Noxious Weed Board in our county (part 1 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: July 8, 2026) Learn more: Jefferson County Noxious Weed Control Board Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board Nature Now is created by a dedi...

Are you charmed by the antics of Harbor Seals? Awed by the power of California Sea Lions? Endeared by marine mammals in general? What happens when they are injured, sickened, or endangered by other health conditions? Nan Evans talks with Casey McLean, Executive Director of SR3, the only organization in the Pacific Northwest fully dedicated to the protection of the health and welfare of marine wild...

Imagine life in the very deep sea – eternal darkness, no plant photosynthesis to form the base of the food webs, water temperatures hovering around freezing, pressures 1000 times greater than at the surface. Yet complex and diverse ecosystems exist; weird and sometimes very large creatures float and swim; and around 80% of this world remains unexplored. Join Nan Evans and her guest, oceanographer...

A BioBlitz? What is that? Nan Evans talks with Kelsey Lang, Fort Worden State Park's Interpretive Specialist and Naturalist. Think about the importance of biodiversity in our own local park. And, see how communities and scientists have joined efforts across the world to learn more about ecosystems near and far. The 2026 BioBlitz at Fort Worden State Park is June 6 and 7. Come learn and have fun wi...

Imagine life in the very deep sea – eternal darkness, no plant photosynthesis to form the base of the food webs, water temperatures hovering around freezing, pressures 1000 times greater than at the surface. Yet complex and diverse ecosystems exist; weird and sometimes very large creatures float and swim; and around 80% of this world remains unexplored. Join Nan Evans and her guest, oceanographer...

Jackie Canterbury recently explored honey bees and became familiar with their remarkable social behavior and complex colonies. Today, she turns to Washington's native bees with photographer and bee advocate Kris Ethington. Kris will share insights into the diversity of native bees and the intricate relationships that sustain them. Join us as we explore the fascinating world of Washington's native...

Debaran Kelso continues her field exploration of our local Winona Wetland with wetland biologist Donna Frostholm, learning about digging soil pits and determining soil type, as well as learning about the other key features that define a wetland habitat type (part 2 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: April 29, 2026) Learn more: Quimper Wildlife Corridor What Is A Wetland? Functions and values o...

Imagine life in the very deep sea – eternal darkness, no plant photosynthesis to form the base of the food webs, water temperatures hovering around freezing, pressures 1000 times greater than at the surface. Yet complex and diverse ecosystems exist; weird and sometimes very large creatures float and swim; and around 80% of this world remains unexplored. Join Nan Evans and her guest, oceanographer...

Imagine the deep ocean with Nan Evans and her guest, oceanographer and deep sea ecologist Dr. Christopher Kelley. What is life like in the deep ocean and how do scientists even explore those vast regions? (KPTZ airdate: November 4, 2020) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Kurt Hoelting about his new book, Apprentice to the Wild. Kurt's work asks a timely question: what might the wild still have to teach us? Today we reflect on his life from early encounters with wildness to his embrace of Zen practice. At a moment when many of us feel increasingly disconnected from nature, from country, even from ourselves, wildness is a poignant topic....

Come with Nan Evans and Carolyn Woods, from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, on an audio winter tide pooling trip at NIGHT. In the winter why are the really low tides at night and during the daytime in summer? Why can we see different animals at different tide levels? What might we see during a winter nighttime low tide that we wouldn't see during a summer low tide? Would an ultraviolet or...

Debaran Kelso speaks about the importance of wetlands with wetland biologist Donna Frostholm while they wander through the Winona Wetland just west of Port Townsend on a beautiful Spring afternoon (part 1 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: March 25, 2026) We dedicate this program to our dear friend Dixie Llewellin, a tireless advocate for wetlands, and prairies, and all things of beauty.  She ...

Nan Evans talks with Emily Buckner from the Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group about research goals, collaboration, and challenges involved in studying Dungeness crab populations in the Salish Sea. (KPTZ airdate: March 18, 2026) Learn more: Pacific Northwest Crab Research Group Dungeness Crab 101 Puget Sound Restoration Fund Music by Rick Bauer Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volun...

We're taking a fascinating dive into the tiny yet complex worlds of bees and birds. On the surface, these creatures couldn't be more different — one flits through the air with delicate wings, the other buzzes industriously from flower to flower. But when it comes to brains and behavior, both are masters of their environments in surprising ways. Jackie Canterbury and beekeeper Colleen Ebken uncover...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Paul Koberstein, award-winning environmental journalist and the co-author of the book "Canopy of Titans: The Life and Times of the Great North American Temperate Rainforest", to weave together the relationship between salmon and our coastal temperate rainforest. The Pacific Northwest was built on the relationship between salmon and forests. The big takeaway: salmon don...

Debaran Kelso speaks with Washington Butterfly Association members Regina Johnson and Dan Dunphy about our native butterflies (part 1 of a two-part program). (KPTZ airdate: February 11, 2026) Learn more: Washington Butterfly Association Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest by Robert Michael Pyle and Caitlin C. LaBar Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Washington by Caitlin C. LaBar Mystery sound re...

The bluffs of Fort Worden loom over any walks along North Beach. Lift your eyes away from the sea and up to the bluffs or across the waters. The geological stories of our area are laid out in front of you and on the horizon. Can you read or imagine those stories of deep past times and more recent glacial periods? Join Nan Evans as she talks with Tim Lawson, Port Townsend geologist, to explore clue...

Nan Evans talks with Steve Grace, a local author and marine science educator, about a "Lost Wilderness" he found on the Quimper Peninsula and efforts to protect this treasure. (KPTZ airdate: February 27, 2019) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a...

Nan Evans talks with local naturalist Steve Grace about recent efforts to protect a very special old forest on the Quimper Peninsula. (KPTZ airdate: November 27, 2019) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and can support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kptz.org/donate to make a contribution. Thank you for your support!

How can we act locally to protect special forest habitats while providing for sustainable forest harvests and supporting our local communities and economies? A tough prospect. Nan Evans explores specific efforts here in Jefferson County, WA, to do just this. Guests are County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour, and Malloree Weinheimer, owner of Chickadee Forestry. (KPTZ airdate: January 28, 2026) Learn...

This week we review the remarkable life of pioneer/explorer James Swan, who lived and worked and recorded extensively in our area from 1859 to 1900. Debaran Kelso speaks with James Swan scholar Steve Ricketts at Swan's burial site in the Laurel Grove Cemetery in Port Townsend, WA (KPTZ airdate: January 21, 2026) Learn more: Winter Brothers: A Season at the Edge of America by Ivan Doig Swan, James...

The hosts of Nature Now - Jackie Canterbury, Nan Evans, and Debaran Kelso - start the year by sharing their favorite books about natural history. The conversation roams from bees to wolves, research to poetry, and beautiful photographs to whimsical illustrations. Laugh with them, listen to the awe and amazement they share, and find a new favorite book to read. Happy New Year, listeners! (KPTZ aird...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Dr. Steve Hampton with the Rainshadow Bird Alliance, formerly Admiralty Audubon, about the oldest citizen science program of its kind, the Audubon Christmas Bird Count or CBC. The CBC began on Christmas Day 1900 as a way to count birds rather than shoot them as people began to become visibly concerned about declining bird populations. This year is the 126th year of the...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Paul Koberstein, an award-winning environmental journalist and the co-author of the book "Canopy of Titans: The Life and Times of the Great North American Temperate Rainforest". Paul has explored many environmental issues through his career as a writer. Join us as we talk with Paul about the global importance of our own temperate rainforest ecosystem in the Pacific Nor...

Debaran Kelso speaks with wolf biologist Jim Holyan. The adventures and heart-breaks of wolf reintroductions in Idaho are the subject of his recent book "I was a Middle-Aged Wolfman: Chasing Wolves in Idaho's Backcountry". (KPTZ airdate: December 10, 2025) Learn more: I was a Middle-Aged Wolfman: Chasing Wolves in Idaho's Backcountry by Jim Holyan Sound recordings: BBC Nature Sound Effects Library...