Nature Now

Nan Evans and Dr. Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens continue to explore the weird world of plankton. Did you know some plankton can make water go bad? Cyanobacteria can produce a wide range of toxins poisoning waters and threatening humans and other animals (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: May 29, 2024) Watch Dr. Stephen Bollens' and Dr. Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens' lecture: The Mysterious World...

Host Debaran Kelso delves into the amazing world of secretive wetland birds with guest Cindy Easterson from the Puget Sound Bird Observatory. She is program manager for the Regional Wetland Secretive Bird Monitoring Project and shares details on this grand new research effort in our region. (Airdate: May 22, 2024) Learn more: Puget Sound Bird Observatory The Wetland Secretive Bird Monitoring proje...

Nan Evans welcomes back Ric Brewer to continue their "snail tales" conversation with a discussion of the native snails and slugs of the Pacific Northwest. Our moist temperate climate is just right for these gastropods (that means "stomach-footed"). And, for a final conversational treat, consider eating snails (i.e., escargots) on your pizza or pasta (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: May 8,...

During a 2-mile walk, host Jackie Canterbury talks with John Goldwood about the history and nature of Teal Lake near Port Ludlow. As a resident of Port Ludlow, John shares his knowledge about the history and complications of living at the interface between timber country and residential development. He engages us about the Teal Lake trail, the trail system in Port Ludlow, the surrounding forest, t...

Join host Debaran Kelso and puma specialist Dr. Mark Elbroch as they continue to explore both mountain lion ecology and how we might learn to share our world with this large successful predator (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: April 24, 2024) Learn more about the Jefferson Land Trust's 2024 Conservation Breakfast . Learn more about Panthera's Olympic Cougar Project . Learn more about the...

Dr. Virginia Armbrust, Director of the University of Washington School of Oceonography, joins host Nan Evans to talk about the weird world of microscopic organisms that populate the world’s oceans, and why we should know about them and even care (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: February 7, 2018) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to...

Dr. Virginia Armbrust, Director of the University of Washington School of Oceonography, joins host Nan Evans to continue the conversation about the weird world of microscopic organisms that populate the world’s oceans, and why we should know about them and even care (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: August 15, 2018) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this...

Ancient bacteria, single cells and long strands of strange little plants, plus minute single-celled animals and weird fantastical animal larvae – these are the members of the Earth's massive and hugely important planktonic ecosystems. Come with Nan Evans as she talks with Dr. Gretchen Rollwagen-Bollens about this strange world and its significance to global ecology and human well being. Consider e...

Curious about the role played by snails in shaping human history? Fashion? Diet? Economics? Class and politics? Or even, what makes snails such a huge, diverse and successful group of creatures? Join Nan Evans as she talks with snail conservationist, farmer, and all-around snail lover, Ric Brewer, to explore these, and other, questions (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: April 3, 2024) Learn...

Host Jackie Canterbury talks with Bev McNeil about the nature of Anderson Lake State Park. The park encompasses 496 acres of land with a diversity of plant communities, wetlands, and forests. The park bears the family name of an earlier owner, Amanda Anderson. The land was purchased in 1947. The park now offers trails that pass along the lake and through grassy marshes, patches of salmonberries an...

Join host Debaran Kelso and puma specialist Dr. Mark Elbroch as they explore both mountain lion ecology and how we might learn to share our world with this large successful predator (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: March 6, 2024) Learn more about the Jefferson Land Trust's 2024 Conservation Breakfast . Learn more about Panthera's Olympic Cougar Project . Learn more about the work of Mark...

Many of us who live near an ocean know in our hearts, bones and minds about the wonders of living near the water. Join Nan Evans as she talks with Paola Espitia of Ola-Pi Creative about marine biology and the science behind these benefits. (Airdate: February 21, 2024) Watch Paola's lecture: Water, Wonder, Wellness: How Living by Water Makes Life Better . Learn more about the Blue Mind effect . Wat...

Host Debaran Kelso dives once again into the fascinating world of humpback whales with Dr. Fred Sharpe. This week we focus on the phenomenon of “bubble ring" formation, and what they might mean as a form of communication (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: February 14, 2024) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the work that g...

Mary Robson and Gary Bullock share experiences while observing nature, basing their thoughts on Rachel Carson's essay A Sense of Wonder. (Airdate: February 7, 2024) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to 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...

Join host Debaran Kelso as we explore the mysteries of the universe with Dr. Fred Sharpe. Fred has been studying humpback whale social behavior for many years, and for the past decade has joined with SETI to think about intelligent life in the cosmos, and how understanding animal behavior in general, and whale vocalizations in particular, might serve as a model to understand messages from extrasol...

Nan Evans talk with local "thalassophile" Nam Siu about his love for the ocean, his work and adventures protecting marine life and ecosystems, and his artistic pursuits. Nam is a wizard of the traditional Japanese art of making fish impressions and at creating beautiful pressings of marine algae. His science inspires his art and, in turn, his art provides meaning for his science. (Airdate: January...

Hosts Debaran Kelso, Nan Evans, and Jackie Canterbury have a good time sharing their favorite recent natural history books. Join the fun and start your 2024 "to read" list. (Airdate: January 3, 2024) Books discussed: An Immense World by Ed Yong The Mind of a Bee by Lars Chittka Passings by Holly Hughes Alfie & Me by Carl Safina Owls of the Eastern Ice by Jonathan Slaght Take Heart by Kathleen Dean...

Jackie Canterbury talks with Dr. Steve Hampton 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. Today the CBC occurs each year from December 14 through January 5 relying on volunteer birders. A...

Thousands of crab pots go untended yearly in the Salish Sea; their release causes crab loss and ship damage. Nan Evans talks with Nathaniel Ashford about the efforts of Port Townsend’s STEM Club (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) to salvage those lost pots using robotics. Olivia Reinhart joins the conversation to share her experience working with the Sea Dragons team (part 2 of a t...

Join host Debaran Kelso as we explore the fascinating world of screech owls! Renowned ecologist Dr. Carl Safina is our guest, speaking about his most recent book Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Humans Believe, which describes his family’s raising of an orphaned Eastern Screech Owl and how this changed their lives. (Airdate: December 13, 2023) Learn more: Alfie and Me: What Owls Know, What Human...

Nan Evans talks with Jim Bodkin about what scientists have learned about sea otter ecology and conservation since otters were nearly forced into extinction by fur hunters – specifically how important sea otters are to healthy, diverse and resilient ocean ecosystems. How do we know if and when the sea otters have been restored to pre-hunting conditions? Is there a relationship between climate chang...

Join Debaran Kelso on a fall mushroom hunt with fellow fungiphiles Maxwell Fisher, Baylin Speidel, and Shawn Gisriel (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: November 22, 2023) Learn more about mushrooms with: All That the Rain Promises and More by David Arora Mushrooms Demystified by David Arora Mushrooms of the Pacific Northwest by Steve Trudell Profiles of Northwest Fungi by Buck McAdoo Fantas...

Nan Evans interviews wildlife biologist Jim Bodkin in a discussion about sea otters (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: May 2016) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to 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!

Nan Evans delves further into the background and lives of sea otters in a discussion with wildlife biologist Jim Bodkin (part 2 of a two-part program). (Airdate: May 2016) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to 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...

Nan Evans talks about sea otters with Jim Bodkin, Scientist Emeritus with the U.S. Geological Survey, in a wide-ranging discussion of the animals off the Washington coast (part 1 of a two-part program). (Airdate: December 2016) Nature Now is created by a dedicated team of volunteers. If you enjoy this episode and want to support the work that goes into making Nature Now, we invite you to go to kpt...