Episodes

How do sea stars move around? Why am I jealous of giant green anemones? When's the best time to go tide pooling? Why is life so hard in the in the place where the ocean meets the land? How have …

Indigenous people have lived in the place now known as California since time immemorial and are still here today. In this episode, join me and Frank Lake as we discuss mutualistic relationships between Indigenous Californians...

Photo Credit: Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times Have you ever noticed a bee that looked a little…different? Maybe it was a bit fuzzier than a typical honey bee, or maybe it was obsidian black, bright orange, startlingly …

Author, artist, poet, and eco-philosopher Obi Kaufmann doesn't want to craft a better argument. He wants to tell a better story. But what does that kind of story look like? How do we begin to convey the incredible complexity ...

Happy New Year! 🎉 This episode has a great story, so I added a new intro to tell you about it. Here are the links mentioned in the new intro! 7 Ways to Connect with Nature zine by Kate Rutter …

Have you ever wondered why we bring a toxic, parasitic plant indoors during the holidays...and then kiss under it? Or what ecological role this plant plays? Come with me and Dr. Joshua Der as we discuss the ecological importa...

When was the last time you felt truly connected with a place? Was it somewhere rugged and wild, or was it on a leaf-strewn suburban block? What did you notice? What questions popped up in your mind? What gave you …

The Klamath Mountains, straddling the California-Oregon border, are a hotspot for biodiversity. But what drives the species richness of the region? Come with me and Michael Kauffmann to a moss-covered edge of the Klamath moun...

When was the last time you had nori? Have you ever stopped to look at a tangle of seaweed that washed up on the beach? Is seaweed ok to eat straight out of the ocean? What kinds of creatures rely …

At the height of the last ice age, California condors could be found all across North America, and since time immemorial, these birds have held special cultural and spiritual significance for a number of Indigenous groups. Bu...

Have you ever wondered about things outside your window--the things that go bump in the night? Or, actually, things that flutter, flap, tread softly, swim, or bloom in the night? Because there’s a whole nocturnal world out th...

When was the last time you looked closely at the living things right outside your front door? Have you ever gotten lost in a daisy, zoomed in on a burr clover, or watched a ladybug on a rose bush? Join …

Coast redwood trees reside in a category all their own. Not only are these the tallest trees in the world, but they grow in unique ecosystems–quiet, foggy places with ferns and redwood sorrel spilling everywhere you look onto...

Have you ever looked at a piece of art that altered your perspective? Or one that challenged your thinking? Or maybe you’ve studied a piece that taught you something new. How can art impact conservation efforts? How can it he...

Have you ever wondered if the plants growing along your favorite trail or outside your door are edible? Or what kinds of flavors might not be available at the grocery store? Many of us aren't familiar with the tastes of …

Do bats live close to my house? Why are they important? Do they have rabies? How can people help take care of urban wildlife? How can we involve more people in conservation and community science, particularly people from hist...

Have you ever wondered what kinds of wildlife live right in the middle of your city? Or why some animals thrive in cities while others don't? And how did a mountain lion end up in Los Angeles, anyway? Join me …

Have you ever wanted to grow your own native plants? Where can you get California native seeds? Should you sow them directly in the ground or start them in pots? Is there anything you should do to the seeds before …

What is an amphibian, anyway? Are they leading double lives? What's the difference between a newt and a salamander? A frog and a toad? What kinds of amphibians live in California? Why are California newts so toxic? How do the...

Did you know that California's Central Valley once contained a vast inland sea and was home to camels, 400 lb. saber-toothed salmon, and tiny four-tusked mastodons? Or that, just a couple of hundred years ago, it was a netwo...

What's the problem with yellow hills? How do you trick a seed? What are the neighbors angry about? Where do restorationists get all those seeds? What's the difference between ecological restoration and restoration ecology? Wh...

Most of us live in places where we can only see a few of the brightest stars in the sky at night, but what if that didn't have to be the case? Come with me and guests Kayla Browne and …

How useful is IQ? What exactly is a growth mindset, and how is it different from a fixed mindset? What shifts can we make in our thinking that will allow us to learn and grow in new ways? Should you …

Jack finishes up his journal page on the mineral flat at Bedwell Bayfront Park. Did you know that no pretty pictures or artistic talent are required to create a highly effective nature journal? Rather, as John Muir Laws expla...