Ep. 108 - Being a Botanist in Laos

Our guest today is Bryony Smart who is a botanist at the Pha Tad Ke Botanical Garden in Laos. This is the first botanical garden in the country and because of that, Bryony and her colleagues are working diligently on categorizing and preserving the flora of this amazing country. Their work extends far beyond botany as well. Pha Tad Key Botanical Garden exists as a conduit between the local communities and the myriad plant species they rely on for survival. Join us for a fascinating discussion of what it's like to be a botanist in this position. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane.  

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Ep. 107 - Chestnut Blight: Causes and Solutions

This week we take a deep dive into the world of chestnut blight. This fungal pathogen was introduced to North America in the early 1900's and has all but eliminated one of the dominant tree species of eastern US forests. Our guest today is Kristin Wickert, a PhD student at West Virginia University specializing in plant fungal pathogens. Join us as we discuss the in's and out's of this conservation issue. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane.

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Ep. 106 - Are Vines Parasites?

Vines are iconic the world around. Some are maligned whereas others are celebrated. Regardless of these viewpoints, their ecological importance cannot be understated. Joining us today to talk about the relationships between vines and trees is Tara Stewart, a PhD student at the University of Illinois. Tara and her colleague have taken a step back to ask some bigger theoretical questions about the relationships that vines have with trees. Join us for a fascinating discussion about this botanical lifestyle. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane.

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Ep. 104 - Rock gardens, alpines, and aquatics, oh my!

I don't think I have to say that my favorite people are plant people. Joining us today is Tom Freeth, the man in charge of the rock, alpine, and aquatic gardens at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. Tom has devoted his life to growing and understanding plants and has had an amazing journey to get to where he is at today. He passion and interests come through in every word. It was a real pleasure talking with Tom and I know you are going to enjoy this conversation. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane.

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Ep. 103 - The Trout Lily Project

Calling all citizen scientists! The Trout Lilt Project needs your help! Joining us today is Dr. Emily Austen, a post doc at the University of Ottawa. You may remember Dr. Austen from episode 52 where we discussed her work on the evolution of flowering plants. Shes back today to give us updates on the results of 2016's citizen science reporting as well as to call for more citizen scientists to help with the project. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane.

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Ep. 102 - Building a Flora of Syria

Did you know that there are many regions around the world that incomplete floras? Syria is one such place and my guest today is working very hard on adding to our understanding of this biodiverse region. With her focus on geophytes, Angham Daiyoub is scouring the mountainous regions of western Syria to characterize the seasonal plant diversity. There are many challenges associated with this task so join us for a fascinating discussion of what its like to be a botanist in Syria. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane.

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Ep. 101 - Life at an Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center

Today we get a sneak peak of what its like to work at a germplasm lab. Joining us is Andy Schenkel, a research assistant at The Ohio State University Ornamental Plant Germplasm Center. From collecting and storing seeds to conservation of unique cultivars, Andy has his colleagues have their work cut out for them. Join us for an interesting conversation about life in a germplasm lab. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, and Mary Jane.

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Ep. 100 - A Tour of My Plant Collection

Wow, 100 episodes! I can't thank you enough. Your support over the last few years really means the world to me. In celebration of this milestone I thought we would do something a little different. Today we are taking a tour of my plant collection. I love being surrounding by interesting plant species. As such, I have compiled quite a living collection of interesting species. Since enjoying plants is best done visually, I teamed up with filmmaker/producer Grant Czadzeck (www.grantczadzeck.com) to bring you a video accompaniment for this episode. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, and Mary Jane.

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Ep. 99 - Living Collections: Exploring Ex Situ Conservation at Kew Gardens

This week we are joined by Kew Horticulturist Andrew Luke for a conversation about the importance of living plant collections. Ex situ conservation is part of what is required for successful plant conservation. This is especially true in today's fragmented landscapes. Join us for a fascinating discussion revolving around plant propagation efforts. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, and Mary Jane.

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Ep. 98 - Our Changing Planet, a Paleobotanical Perspective

I have always loved fossils, which is why I am so excited about my guest this week. Joining us from the University of Washington is Dr. Caroline Strömberg. Dr. Strömberg's research involves using the fossilized remains of plants to understand how flowering plants have evolved since the Cretaceous and how changes in climate influence changes in environments. One of the best ways to try to understand the future is to examine evidence from the past. Join us for a fascinating dive into the world of a paleobotanist. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, and Mary Jane. 

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Ep. 97 - Bulbs, Bulbs, Bulbs!

On this episode we are taking a dive into the world of bulbs. In order to find out more about the various plants that fall under this category, I reached out to Kit Strange from the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. Kit specializes in growing bulbs and alpine plants and her knowledge on the subject is vast. This is a fascinating discussion about a group of plants that many probably take for granted. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, and Manuel.

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Ep. 94 - Winter Botanizing

This week we head out into the prairie to do some winter botanizing. We meet a handful of cool plants along the way. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, and Manuel. 

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Ep. 93 - Botanizing Ichetucknee Springs

This week we are doing something a little different. We're trading in our hiking boots for a kayak and a paddle. We're going for a paddle on the Ichetucknee River. The crystal clear water was chock full of botanical treasures of all kinds. We were joined by aquatic botanist Dr. Colette Jacono and botanist Dr. Mark Whitten among others. This was a fun trip and I learned a lot. We were in a large group so I apologize in advance for the background noise. This episode was produced by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, and Christopher.

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Ep. 92 - The Flora of Middle-Earth

This week's interview is one of the most unique that I have had to date. Joining us this week is Dr. Walter Judd, distinguished professor, emeritus from the University of Florida. Dr. Judd specialized in plant systematics, specifically the taxonomy of members of Ericaceae and Melastomataceae. More recently, however, Dr. Judd has been working on the Flora of Middle Earth. Join us for a fascinating discussion about botany, biodiversity, and the importance of imagination in appreciating the natural world. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna, Laura, Margie, Troy, Bryan, Sara, Jennifer, and Christopher.

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Ep. 91 - Botanizing a Long Leaf Pine Savanna

This week we take an enlightening hike through a long leaf pine savanna. Our guide is botanist extraordinaire, Dr. Mark Whitten of the Florida Museum of Natural History. I learned a lot on this hike through one of North America's most biodiverse habitat types. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna, Laura, Margie, Troy, and Bryan.

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Ep. 88 - Plant Diversity and Systematics

Lately I have been thinking a lot about plant diversity. Sure, the early days of plant exploration are long behind us, however, there are still plenty of botanical mysteries yet to be discovered. This goes so much deeper than simple fame and glory too. How can we protect species that we don't even know exist? That is where people like Dr. John Clark come in. Dr. Clark has made a career out of discovering and describing plant species new to science. As you will here, this doesn't always mean finding small plants tucked away in the hard to reach corners of the world. Even large and dominant trees have avoided our attention. Join us for an inspiring conversation about plant systematics. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna, Laura, Margie, Troy, and Bryan.

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Ep. 86 - Plant Propagation at Kew

Personally, I think plant propagation is one of the most important skills anyone can have. That is why I was so excited to talk with my guest this week. Rebecca Hilgenhof is a Botanical Horticulturist at the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew. She has the charmed position of propagation a bewildering variety of plants both for conservation and education. This is a fascinating discussion that I know you are going to enjoy. This episode was produced in part by  Gregory, Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna, Laura, Margie, Troy, and Bryan.

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Ep. 83 - The Sedge-isode

Sedges. This wonderfully diverse group of grass-like plants can be quite intimidating to those who are new to the world of plant identification. Sedges are to botanists as shore birds are to birders. Because of this, sedges are often glazed over as yet another gramminoid for amateurs and ecologists alike. This is not a good thing as sedges are incredibly important components of healthy ecosystems around the globe. In fact, many sedge species are the backbone of some very sensitive habitats. Join me for a discussion with botanist Paul Marcum who has a special affinity for this family of plants. Hopefully by the end of this conversation we will have inspired you to take a closer look at the sedges in your neighborhood. This episode was produced in part by Gregory, Mark, Allen, Bryan, Desiree, Troy, Margie, and Laura.

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Ep. 79 - A Lifetime With Orchids

Today we are joined by Tom Mirenda. Tom has the unique position of Orchid Collections Specialist for the Smithsonian Institute. At somewhere around 8,000 plants, this is no small task. He has spent his life loving and caring for orchids and when he is not doing that, he is busy lecturing and writing about them. This is a wonderful case in which a passionate hobby has turned into an illustrious career centered around these incredible organisms. This episode was produced in part by Gregory, Mark, Bryan, Laura, Margie, and Allan.

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Ep. 77 - Native Plants and the Human Environment - A Landscape Architect's Perspective

Landscape architects have a unique position. They get to decide the way in which we utilize different plant species in the human environment. The push for using native plants has never been greater and rightly so. Native plants are the cornerstone of a healthy ecosystem. That is where people like Bridgette Moen come in. Bridgette is a landscape architect who has realized the importance of creating more sustainable landscapes that rely on native plants to tie everything together. In a sea of concrete, such landscapes are often the only viable habitat around. Join us for a fascinating dive into the world of a landscape architect who is pushing for more native plants. This episode was produced in part by Gregory, Mark, Bryan, Margie, and Laura. 

If you would like to contact Bridgette, send her an email: bmoen2@gmail.com

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