Pepperwood Podcast

Devyn Friedfel, Pepperwood’s Fire and Stewardship Manager and a California-certified Burn Boss, returns to the podcast to share the story of a 70-acre broadcast burn he coordinated in October 2025. In this episode, you'll learn about the various community partnerships that supported this project, the diverse research collaborations that studied the effects of the burn, and the initial impacts of t...

Since 2007, Pepperwood has actively engaged dedicated volunteers in monitoring the behavior of local bird populations. Science volunteer Sean Jeane shares his valuable experience of gathering critical data through careful listening, highlighting the skills he's honed along the way. Additionally, Ecology Research Manager Michelle Halbur provides insights into the significant findings we've uncovere...

Seven past participants of TeenNat, Pepperwood’s summer science institute for high school students, join us to share their experiences and encourage others to apply. For current information about the program and how to apply, visit the TeenNat page , and email us at teennat@pepperwoodpreserve.org for more details and bilingual support. We kindly ask you to consider supporting the TeenNat program b...

Sentinel Site Manager Ryan Ferrell joins us for a conservation conversation (say that three times fast!) about the practice of hunting, its management for ecological sustainability, and its relationship to conservation. As a lifelong hunter and professional field scientist, Ryan’s understanding of the hunting community and the dynamics of local ecosystems provides unique insight into this topic. L...

Sentinel Sites for Nature are strategic locations, such as preserves or sanctuaries, where scientists conduct long-term and standardized monitoring of physical and biological conditions, including climate, wildlife, and water. This monitoring helps detect and understand environmental changes, providing crucial early warnings of impacts from climate change, pollution, and habitat loss. The data gat...

To celebrate Pepperwood's 20th anniversary, we are joined by esteemed community members Steve and Linda Barnhart, who share their extensive involvement with Pepperwood over the years. Steve discusses the significance of oak woodlands and his academic research on local oak species, while Linda highlights the history of the Pepperwood Stewards training course, which led to the establishment of the C...

In this episode, we hear the voices of Beatrix, Teagan, and Glenn, high school students who have participated in Pepperwood’s summer science institute and who continue to return to Pepperwood for more science, stewardship, art, and time with fellow nature lovers. Are you a high school student, or do you know a high school student who might want to spend a summer up in the beautiful landscape of Pe...

In this episode, Preserve Manager Michael Gillogly reflects on his three decades at the reserve and gives us an inside look at how cattle grazing can be managed to enhance biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Learn more about and support our grazing partners at Markegard Family Grass-Fed , and become a supporter of our stewardship work at Pepperwood . SPOILER ALERT: the Nature Sound Guess Who Ga...

In this episode we talk to Pepperwood’s Ecology Research Manager Michelle Halbur, who walks us through the world of Californian grasslands and how they are monitored and managed at Pepperwood. To hear more on this subject from Michelle, check out her 2020 webinar: California Grasslands: The Forest Beneath Our Feet . For more about grassland birds like the ones Michelle mentions, check out the eBir...

In this episode we talk to Makayla Freed, Pepperwood’s Research Specialist, about the long-term monitoring plots that she maintains in forest habitats at the reserve. We’ll discuss the relationship between science and stewardship and explore some of the techniques that scientists use to keep track of diverse types of organisms. To learn more about the scientific monitoring that takes place at Pepp...

In this episode, we speak with Devyn Friedfel, Pepperwood’s Fire and Stewardship Manager and a California-certified Burn Boss, about the history of fire in California and the importance of using fire as a key part of land stewardship in this fire-adapted region of Northern California. We will focus on a practice known as "pile burning." This beneficial fire management technique involves burning pi...

In this episode we introduce our host, Environmental Educator Julianne Bradbury, our plans for the podcast, and Steward Gary Morgret, a dedicated volunteer who has contributed his time and talents to the Pepperwood Phenology Project for nearly a decade. Watch Julianne’s 2021 webinar , “ Impacts of Fire on Amphibians and Reptiles ” Gary mentions being inspired by Pepperwood Steward, Wendy Herniman...