Nature's Archive

Let’s dive into the enchanting world of hidden wonders that come to life after dark! Our guests today are Charles Hood and José Martínez-Fonseca, authors of the new book “ Nocturnalia: Nighttime Life of the Western USA " from Heyday Books . Charles is an author, poet, birder, and world traveler, and as you’ll hear, an exceptional naturalist, too. Jose has a PhD in Bat Ecology, and as a result...

Weather is like your mood, and climate is like your personality. Those are the words of today’s guest, Dr. Marshall Shepherd ( Twitter ,  Facebook and Instagram ). Despite the clear differences between these two concepts, there are many topics of confusion that persist. For example, is El Nino, which we discussed a few weeks ago on this podcast, a climate condition or a weather condition? And how...

There are living trees in the United States that are approaching 5000 years old - and I’m not talking about trees that clone (I’m looking at you, aspen). Imagine if those trees could talk! Well, in a way, they can! That’s where dendrochronologists like Dr. Grant Harley come in. And it turns out that the science of dendrochronology is so much more far reaching than I ever imagined. Dr. Harley tells...

As you all know, I find wildfire to be fascinating. It’s complex, simultaneously necessary and at times devastating, and wildly misunderstood. And the landscape of fire is rapidly changing - literally and figuratively. So, I hope to continue to bring a variety of voices and perspectives on wildfire - including today. Have you ever wondered what it is like to be on the fire lines with a wildfire cr...

Dr. Emma Greig is a behavioral ecologist who has been leading Project FeederWatch , a multi-decade community science effort led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Birds Canada. Today's discussion could be broadly characterized as "how to take care of the birds that visit your yard" - and you might be surprised at some of the recommendations. Our discussion begins in Australia, wh...

Have you heard of El Niño? Some people call it the single biggest influence on winter weather in North America. But what is it, and how does it work? And we're in an El Niño event this year, and it's going to affect our weather (and ecology!) There is always much confusion about El Niño, what it is, why it occurs, and how it might alter our weather in the coming seasons. Today's epi...

Subscribe to the Jumpstart Nature Podcast! I started Nature’s Archive podcast in an effort to understand the stories of people making a difference for the environment. I needed to be inspired, wanted to learn how they did it, and share that inspiration and knowledge with anyone willing to listen. While we haven’t strayed too far from those initial aspirations, I do have many more topic-centric epi...

Subscribe to the Jumpstart Nature Podcast! Ever wondered how scientists unravel the ecological mysteries of bygone eras, long before systematic record-keeping? Believe it or not, one part of the answer is in pirate journals. And no, I'm not joking. Today, I have the privilege of hosting Dr. Loren McClenachan , an Associate Professor of Environmental Studies and History, and a Canada Research...

Subscribe to the Jumpstart Nature Podcast! It's hard to imagine a time without roads that connect us, facilitate commerce, allow us to reach hospital schools, family, and friends. And in plain sight, they grow in width, link density and traffic volume slowly and continually. Amidst to the sprawling network that shapes our lives. There's a realm often overlooked, but equally profound. A d...

Subscribe to the Jumpstart Nature Podcast! Griff Griffith is former host of Animal Planet’s Wild Jobs, current spokesperson for Redwoods Rising, and he’s a volunteer for Jumpstart Nature . Griff has dedicated his career to honing his expertise in effectively communicating and motivating people to care about the environment. From the youth he led in the California Conservation Corps, to people he e...

Today we hear from Dorian Anderson, who you might recognize from episode #1 of Nature’s Archive. Dorian has been a prominent figure in the birding world since 2014, when he bicycled nearly 18000 miles across the USA in what is known as a Big Year - an attempt to see as many bird species as possible. Dorian loves a challenge, so his Big Year was much more than just trying to find lots of birds. His...

Have you heard about the Anthropocene? Well, we're living in it right now, but that's not necessarily a good thing. Joining us is paleoethnobotanist, Dr. Anya Gruber, whose expertise uniquely positions her to guide us through the human relationship with the environment. We begin by learning about Dr. Gruber's world, where she skillfully utilizes plant remains to reconstruct the envi...

I’ve been really lucky to have some amazing guests on Nature’s Archive. Guests who open my eyes, and hopefully yours as well, to new ways of seeing nature. Today’s guest opens our eyes to agricultural practices that work in harmony with our ecosystems. Why is this important? Well, by some estimates, as much as 44% of the land in the United States is used for some form of agriculture. And the princ...

Have you ever been surprised to discover that something you thought you knew, like a milkweed or a bumblebee, actually encompasses a vast array of distinct species? Well, today we're diving into a world that's equally diverse and captivating: viruses. They may not be as readily observable as plants and animals, but they're an essential part of our natural world. Joining us today is...

Wetlands are phenomenally important to biodiversity, water quality, and flood control. Yet they are often overlooked and dismissed. Today's guest is Tom Biebighauser. Tom is perhaps the most enthusiastic wetland advocate that you’ll ever encounter. He’s been restoring and designing wetlands since 1979, and is widely regarded as one of the worlds experts in these endeavors. Today Tom sets the...

Today's episode is a crossover episode from the Talaterra feed. Talaterra is a podcast for and about environmental educators, and host Tania Marien recently interviewed me about my tech background and how I've transitioned to form Jumpstart Nature. Jumpstart Nature is forming its first board of directors, just launched It's All Connected , our bi-weekly newsletter, and now has 10+ v...

Have you ever wondered how bird banding works? How the birds are captured, safely handled, and released? And why is it done at all? Thanks to Dr. Katie LaBarbera, Science Director for the Land Bird Program at the San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory (SFBBO), we have you covered. Banding is specifically the scientific technique used to study bird behavior, migration, and populations. By safely captur...

If you're a long-time listener, you're already familiar with the remarkable world of galls and the “Gall Week” community science events that have taken place in the past. But today, we're taking a fresh look at galls with a specific focus on the importance of spring galls, which our guest Adam Kranz of gallformers.org , describes as the most scientifically interesting galls! OK, for...

Today we dive into the captivating world of Sandhill and Whooping Cranes with wildlife biologist Bethany Ostrom from the Crane Trust . These majestic birds have a rich history, with fossil records showing them to be some of the oldest modern birds. Today, they continue to amaze us by congregating in massive numbers along their ancient migration route through Nebraska. In this episode, Bethany help...

Today’s guest is Krystle Hickman. Krystle is a TEDx speaker , artist, photographer, and community scientist. However, it is her passion for native bees that has led her to appear on Nature’s Archive today. Krystle has combined her tenacity and photographic talent to make a number of discoveries about native bees. She’s determined to raise awareness about the decline of native bees and their habita...

Are you ready to uncover the mysterious world of bats? Join us on an exciting journey as we explore the secrets of these enigmatic creatures with renowned wildlife ecologist and bat expert, Dr. Dave Johnston . Hailing all the way from Costa Rica, Dr. Johnston will guide us through the incredible diversity of bats, from tiny dragonfly-sized species to those with wingspans as large as eagles.  But t...

Snorkeling can be a life changing endeavor for those who take it up. A new world of aquatic life is revealed before your eyes - sometimes colorful, sometimes cryptic, and always changing. I’ll forgive you if you are thinking about ocean snorkeling, because as you’ll hear today, there’s magic waiting just beneath the surface of your nearby freshwater streams and rivers. Keith is a freshwater underw...

Are you ready for an in-depth look at the challenges and solutions of wildlife connectivity? The Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative, or Y2Y, is working on a grand scale to connect and protect habitats from Yellowstone to the Yukon, for the benefit of both people and nature. Today, we're joined by Kelly Zenkewich, Senior Communications and Digital Engagement Manager at Y2Y. We delve...

If you're listening to this, chances are that you have seen a snowflake, or perhaps a few billion covering the streets or ski slopes. Maybe you’ve even caught one on your tongue. But despite being such a common part of nature, until recently, snowflake formation largely remained a mystery. Today, I’m thrilled to be joined by Dr. Kenneth Libbrecht, a renowned expert in the field of snowflake p...

Today’s episode is a special one. A few weeks ago I had the wonderful opportunity to fill in on the Strange By Nature podcast , and I’m cross-posting that episode here. Nature is amazing, and often a bit strange. And Strange By Nature presents curated stories of the weird and unbelievable side of nature. Kirk, Rachel, and Victoria, the hosts of Strange By Nature, are a ton of fun, and it shows in...