Episodes

Seeds are far more present in our lives than most of us realize. They compose everything from our morning coffee to our favorite chocolates and have helped shape the world as we know it. California native seeds are just as vital, and protecting them is a way of safeguarding our very future. Join me and Cheryl Birker at the California Botanic Garden as we explore the hidden world of seeds. In this episode, we take a deeper look into the difference between spores and seeds, seeds that require fire...

California is home to 15 million acres of a kind of land most people have never heard of. These lands span deserts, grasslands, oak woodlands, and coastal rainforests. They’re free or very inexpensive to visit, and they’re almost never crowded. But what are these mythical wonderlands? These are the largely overlooked lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, or BLM, and you can go and see them. Josh Jackson, author of The Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California’s Public Lands , took me to...

What do California lizards and tiny foxes have in common? Check out this special announcement episode to find out. More soon, friends! Michelle Kayleigh Shawn McCollum

Are you making New Year's resolutions this year? Mine are a little unconventional. Find out what they are and get to know two incredible advocates for public land, Anders Reynolds and Bill Hodge of The Wild Idea Podcast, on this special bonus episode. And of course remember to check out The Wild Idea Podcast as soon as you're done listening here. Happy New Year, friends!

We need every single species of native tree here in California, but our 20+ varieties of native oaks are the most crucial of all. In this episode, join me and my guest, Zarah Wyly, on a walk through a relatively new oak woodland in Folsom dotted with two ancient, magnificent oak trees. Learn the story of how this unusual woodland came to be, find out why oaks are my all-time favorite trees, and explore such questions as: What kinds of life are supported by oak trees? If I plant one, will it wrec...

Can cities be good for wildlife? Or at least not so bad? What changes would we need to make to welcome more life into our cities? How would those changes impact humans? What are other cities already trying? Come with me and Kat Superfisky to the largest city in California, where we discuss all of this and so much more. Helpful Links : Kat’s website Content Creation for Nature Support Golden State Naturalist on ⁠Patreon⁠ and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠ . My website is...

California is one of only 36 Global Biodiversity Hotspots . This means that we have incredible species richness with at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species. But here's the bummer. In order to be considered a Global Biodiversity hotspot, a place must also be threatened . So threatened, in fact, that it must have only 30% or less of its original natural vegetation remaining. Oof. Thankfully, Californians are not sitting idly by waiting for the rest of our biodiversity to disappear . Across ...

Descend with me and LA's first ever urban ecologist into the concrete channel of the Los Angeles River as we discuss novel ecosystems, eminent domain, Greased Lightnin', flood prevention, Ice Cube, soft bottoms, emerald necklaces, and why the LA River is the perfect microcosm of everything LA was, is, and one day could be. Helpful Links : Kat’s website Jason Wise's website Juan Crespi’s journal CalMatters LAPD Helicopters article Grease Filming Locations Support Golden State Naturalist on ⁠Patre...

Chances are, you’ve never seen our state amphibian in the wild. In this episode, find out how the California red-legged frog became so rare while also delving into international border crossings with endangered frog eggs, urban drool, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, things that can fit into a bullfrog’s mouth, and the essential mindset shift that might just change the world. Join me and Brad Hollingsworth from the San Diego Natural History Museum as we discuss all of this and so...

How can listening deepen our relationship with place? What do birds think about highway noise? Is that ice bridge safe to cross at this time of year? How can I learn to listen more closely? Join me and Fil Corbitt as we snowshoe down the Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in search of a handmade desk and a place to listen to flowing water, to birdsong, to each other, and to the ever-changing landscape itself. Links : Fil's podcast is called The Wind . Check out their Coyote episode. "B...

What do cacti and rare pines have in common? What’s a paleoendemic? Do pinecones have teeth? Why do so many different plant species live in Mediterranean climates? Join me and Jon Rebman as we go behind the scenes of the San Diego Natural History Museum, explore the herbarium, and discuss the rarest pine species in North America. Links : San Diego Natural History Museum University of California Museum of Paleontology Cool study about redwood leaves Info about Torrey pines and bark beetles Suppor...

Have you ever wondered what little-known and mysterious beings are living among us, just out of sight? This episode is about one such creature that most Californians have no idea even exists. Join me, Dave Wyatt, and Kristyn Schulte as we discuss clever little foxes, oak mistletoe, the floor is lava, dissolved poop, the smallest mountain range in the world, tasty taxidermy, classroom design, convergent evolution, weasel lemurs, and a whole lot more. Links : The California Ringtail Project Mistle...

Join me and Dr. Alexandra Syphard as we discuss what makes some neighborhoods more fire prone than others, the Santa Ana Winds, defensible space, the massive differences between fires in forested Northern California and shrubby Southern California, the pendulum swing of public opinion, ways that climate change does and doesn’t contribute to wildfires, the WUI, positive uses of abandoned Fry's electronics buildings, waxy leaves, invasive plants, and so much more. This episode is an attempt to add...

Flying over San Diego, you can see them: Fingers of green extending through neighborhoods all across the city. San Diego’s urban canyon’s serve as refuges for people and wildlife alike, but they’re also often isolated islands of habitat. This can keep animals from accessing the resources they need to survive. And human neighbors aren’t always able to access these spaces, either. In this episode, join me and Michelle Thompson as we search for reptiles in one of San Diego’s urban canyons, discuss ...

What do oak trees, goldenrod, willows, and ceanothus all have in common? They all belong to the group of roughly 14% of plants supporting 90% of caterpillar species. In other words, they’re all keystone plants. Join me and Doug Tallamy as we discuss the vital role these plants play in their native ecosystems and how we can bring them home to welcome hundreds of species into our own yards. Helpful Links : Doug’s books Calscape by The California Native Plant Society Keystone Plants in Mediterranea...

What do fake rattlesnakes, California ground squirrels, odd eye bones, bubonic plague, bizarre choices in home decor, and regurgitated mouse bones have to do with burrowing owls? Join me and Phil Unitt as we venture into an urban canyon in San Diego to find out. Helpful links: Phil Unitt’s page Rattlesnake owl noise Urban Burrowing Owls piece by Clinton Abbott Fish and Wildlife page on burrowing owls Secretary Bird video Support Golden State Naturalist on ⁠Patreon⁠ and get perks starting at $4/m...

The sea is rising, and I have a lot of questions. Questions about sand movement, seawalls, nature-based climate solutions, ecosystem engineer plants, sand dunes, climate literature, and how we can harness the power of our collective imaginations to adapt to a changing world together. Join me and environmental reporter Rosanna Xia at Point Dume in Malibu as we discuss my many questions and explore a beach that's been reimagined with the future in mind. Links : ⁠Become a Heyday Member⁠ and receive...

It's fall! And all around the country, tidy piles of raked leaves rest on the corners of lawns, ready to be bagged up and thrown away. But throwing away leaves means throwing away free mulch and fertilizer. It also means throwing away habitat and belching methane into the atmosphere. Join me and National Wildlife Federation naturalist David Mizejewski as we discuss the benefits of leaving the leaves, the harms of removing them, and the kind of abundance we can buoy right outside our doors by emb...

How is the story of tule elk tied to the story of California? What’s the difference between a grazer and a browser? Why do tule elk have such big feet? How much grazing is the right amount of grazing? Why do elk bugles sound like something straight out of a horror movie? Come with me and Orlando Rocha as we strike out in search of tule elk in the Grizzly Island Wildlife Area, and then join me and Tom Batter as we discuss the ecological importance of tule elk along with the ties between their sto...

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 network of wetlands, peat bogs, riparian forests, and shallow lakes? So how did this place that was once so defined by an abundance of water become somewhere marked by water-related controversy? Come along with me and Ellen Wehr as we discuss the history of this remarkable Valley...

Some animals plod across roads without hesitation. Others dart across quickly, while still more freeze at the sight of an oncoming car. A final group avoids roads altogether. Four distinct approaches, yet roads can have devastating impacts on animals regardless of their type of response. Thankfully, wildlife crossings can help. Join me and award-winning author Ben Goldfarb as we explore a fragment of old growth oak woodland, discussing how roads impact the environment and imagining a future that...

What are your top ten favorite California native species? Join me, Griff Griffith, and Michael Hawk as we joyously compile our collective top ten list (a veritable menagerie meets botanical garden) and discuss how we can help each species. Don’t forget to follow Nature’s Archive and Jumpstart Nature wherever you’re listening now. Learn more about the great work Jumpstart Nature is doing on their website . The cover photo is by Charles Hood , who is generously allowing me to use it for this episo...

Are coastal wetlands the same thing as estuaries? What about salt marshes? How can some plants grow in saltwater? Can I use them to salt my french fries? What’s an endangered river? Why do some birds build floating nests? Why should I visit nature that’s close to home? Join me and Empress Holliday as we explore the Tijuana Estuary to admire plants, gush over birds, and discuss everything from blue carbon to baby halibut. Helpful Links: ⁠Divided Together Podcast⁠ ⁠Tijuana Estuary (TRNERR) ⁠ ⁠Enda...

What makes California such a great spot for snake diversity? Where does antivenom come from, and why is it so expensive? Can you really inoculate yourself against snake venom? How did evolving alongside snakes impact who we are as humans today? Join me and Michael Starkey, founder of Save the Snakes, as we get a close look at California snakes and then sit down to discuss bright blue snakes, snakes with legs, snake myths, evolutionary arms races, babysitter snakes, and how this diverse group of ...