Northwest Nature Matters

On this special episode of NWNM, Monty speaks with the podcast's editor, Kyle Miller, and his project partner, Kara Foran, about their upcoming documentary, Follow the Beaten Path. This is the second part of a three part series about non-motorized trails.

Finishing up the two part series The Way of the Beaver, Monty sits down with Jason Wilcox and Jason Gritzner to talk about the impact beavers have on watersheds and their long-term resiliency in the face of climate change.  

This week on the Northwest Nature Matters podcast, Monty sits down with Lori Hennings, a Senior Natural Resource Scientist   for Portland Metro. They discuss the complex nature of wildlife disturbance caused by non-motorized trail usage, and the ways professionals are working to minimize the impacts of outdoor recreation.

This week, Monty speaks with Vanessa Petro about her innovative methods surrounding beaver research.

On another installment of the Losing a Legacy series, Monty speaks with retired Forest Wildlife Biologist Mark Henjum as they reflect on his decades-long career and lasting impact on Oregon conservation.

ODFW Wildlife Habitat Biologist Jamie Bowles and Monty discuss the developing research on montane foxes throughout the west.

Finishing up a two part series on wildlife migration, Monty speaks with Tim Greseth, Executive Director at Oregon Wildlife Foundation, and Suzanne Linford, founder of Protect Animal Migration. Listen as the three discuss the value in building dynamic partnerships to make effective, long-lasting change.

In the first episode of a two-part series, Monty speaks with Sara Gregory, Lori Turner, and Cidney Bowman, experts working to improve habitat connectivity throughout Oregon and make the roads safer for wildlife and motorists alike.

Wrapping up the Losing A Legacy series, Monty speaks with Mary Rowland about her experience working on various projects throughout the west, and being an early pioneer as a woman in a field largely dominated by men.  

On this installment of NWNM's Losing a Legacy series, Monty speaks with Carl Scheeler, a Tribal Wildlife Biologist for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. Carl shares his experience working with the tribes for over 33 years, how much there is to learn from Indigenous land management practices, and the joys of personally knowing the communities that his work will impact for...

This week, we wrap up the conversation with Mark Penninger in the final installment of this special two part episode. Finishing up the recap of his impressive career, Mark speaks on the accomplishments he is most proud of, and the importance of mentorships for biologists of all skill levels.

This week, Monty speaks with Mark Penninger, a retired Wildlife Biologist from the US Fish and Wildlife Service out of La Grande, Oregon. In the first installment of this two part episode, Mark speaks on the origins of his interest in wildlife biology, his childhood spent outdoors in North Carolina, and some of the innovation he was part of during his years in the field.  

We're kicking off the first episode of our new Losing a Legacy series. Sit down with accomplished Wildlife Biologists at the end of their careers as they reflect on their time in the field. Today, meet John Rohrer, a former District Biologist recently retired from the Methow Valley Ranger District.

Sit down with new hosts Monty Gregg and Sarah Armstrong, as well as previous host John Goodell, as they discuss the future of the podcast and wildlife conservation as a whole.

Northwest Nature Matters podcast is continuing production in 2022 with new topics, ideas, and hosts. Under the direction of Oregon Wildlife Foundation, this series will continue focusing on the individuals in the field, and how non-biologists can better understand the conservation work needed to sustain the natural world. In this episode, meet your new hosts Monty Gregg and Sarah Armstrong, and he...

Dominique Kone joins us to discuss his M.S. research and recent publication last February informing a prospective sea otter reintroduction in Oregon. He addresses habitat suitability in Oregon, population growth scenarios, and more. His research is a key piece of information suggesting that a sea otter reintroduction is feasible in Oregon, but decision-makers needs to carefully evaluate various hu...

Professor and Curator Dr. Madonna Moss is an anthropological archaeologist who studies the long term history of Native Americans and First Nations of the Northwest Coast of North America, with a special focus on Tlingit and Haida and their ancestors. Join us for a fascinating discussion about how zooarcheology can help defend indigenous cultural practices in the modern world. Dr. Moss's book North...

In this episode three leaders from Oregon coast tribes provide heartfelt reflections, as they frame the loss of sea otters and the vision of its return with the history of their own people's struggles, and how sea otters represent their own interconnectedness to the natural world. Don Ivy Chief of the Coquille Indian tribe; Robert Kentta the Siletz Tribal Cultural Resources Director; and Peter Hat...

Dr. Roberta Hall is an anthropologist and Professor Emeritus at Oregon State University. Roberta conducted numerous excavations of shell midden sites on the Oregon coast where she document use of various wildlife including sea otters, and other marine resources by ancient First Peoples. Roberta holds expertise in zoo-archaeology, medical anthropology, skeletal biology and more!   

Marine Biologist and Researcher Dr. Shawn Larson from the Seattle Aquarium discusses sea otters up-close! Shawn explores sea otter diet, physiology, reproduction, and genetics - and how her research informs conservation.  Video of Shawn presenting her genetics research at the 2018 Oregon Sea Otter Status of Knowledge Symposium https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6vaSSrQNvU   photo courtesy Vancouver...

A great conversation with leading sea otter researcher Dr. Tim Tinker. Tim discusses new science and reveals the varied issues effecting sea otter populations across their pacific range  - from Alaska to California - including his perspectives on a possible Oregon reintroduction.  Produced in Partnership with the Elakha Alliance

Tom Calvanese is a rockfish scientist, the Station Manager of the Port Orford Field Station, and a catalyst behind developing action to address kelp declines along Oregon's south coast. Join us for a multi-dimensional conversation about kelp conservation.  Produced in partnership with the Elakha Alliance A great resource from the NOYO Center for Marine Science abut kelp conservation: https://noyoc...

Renowned ecologist Jim Estes shares his story of discovery - from a young graduate student on the Aleutian Islands to scientific breakthroughs revealing the profound ecological effects of a keystone predator Produced in partnership with the Elakha Alliance Jim's memoir: https://www.amazon.com/Serendipity-Ecologists-Understand-Organisms-Environments/dp/0520285034/ref=sr_1_11?dchild=1&qid=1586768471...

Marine biologist Scott Groth is undertaking one of the longest monitoring projects on Oregon's nearshore. While red sea urchin numbers appear normal, purple sea urchin populations have exploded in recent years with alarming impacts to kelp forests.  Produced in partnership with the Elakha Alliance   Articles about Scott's work: https://newportnewstimes.com/article/sea-urchin-population-explodes ht...

A fascinating window into new discoveries in kelp ecology and conservation with Sara Hamilton - a leading researcher studying trends in kelp forests. Sara is a PhD student at Oregon State University. Part one of a series produced in partnership with the Elakha Alliance Links to learn more: A story map compiled by the Samish tribe and others about the importance of kelp and it's loss in that region...