Ep. 67 - For the Love of Moss

July 31, 2016

For Dr. Lily Lewis, a love for mosses came early. This passion for bryophytes has taken her far up into Alaska and all the way down into Subarctic Chile. She has made some incredible discoveries along the way. From the feces of mammals to the feathers of birds, Dr. Lewis and her collaborators have uncovered some incredible aspects of moss ecology no one knew existed. Join us for a fascinating discussion about these underrated plants and learn how moss conservation may have serious consequences for ecosystem health. This episode was produced in part my Mark and Gregory.

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Ep. 58 - Saving the Rainforest

May 29, 2016

"Save the rainforest." It is probably the most pervasive meme in environmentalism. It means a lot of different things to many different people, but what does it mean in practice? How do we save the rainforest? This week's guest is working on exactly that. Dr. Corine Vriesendorp is the director of the Andes-Amazon Project for The Field Museum. Their multifaceted approach is highlighting the need to conserve these biologically diverse areas while at the same time, empowering and engaging local communities and governments by helping preserve their quality of life. In total they have managed to protect over 9 million acres of pristine rainforest in countries like Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. This is one episode you do not want to miss!

Click here to learn more about Dr. Vriesendorp

Click here to learn more about the Andes-Amazon Project

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Ep. 51 - Cemetery Prairies

April 10, 2016

Because they were never plowed under, pioneer cemeteries have functioned as an important refugia for prairie remnants. These small patches of habitat allow us to look back at what much of the midwest once looked like. They also harbor some of the rarest prairie plants that simply cannot survive in more disturbed habitats. As a tribute to these small nature preserves, Strange Bird blogger Sara Johnson and I set out on a mini tour of three cemetery prairie preserves here in central Illinois.

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT A PHOTO GALLERY OF THE TOUR

Learn more about the Prospect Cemetery Prairie

Learn more about the Loda Cemetery Prairie

Learn more about the Pellsville Cemetery Prairie

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Ep. 43 - Orchid Conservation

February 14, 2016

Many people are surprised to learn that North America is home to over 200 species of orchid. What's more, an embarrassing amount of North America's orchids are threatened with extinction. The plight of this intriguing plant family is an indication of how we are doing as a species. Orchids act as the proverbial canary in a coal mine. That is why Dr. Dennis Whigham, senior botanist for the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, created the North America Orchid Conservation Center. Join me for a discussion with Dr. Whigham in which we cover everything from the mutualisms that orchids need to survive to what it is going to take to ensure their survival on this continent.

Click here to learn more about the NAOCC

Click here to visit their Go Orchids website

Click here to learn more about Dr. Whigham

Music by Moneycat