The Wandering Naturalist

Dr. Dan Peach, “Dan the Mosquito Man”, joins us to talk about his research on mosquitos, and what he calls the secret life of mosquitos. He shares the benefits that mosquitos bring to an ecosystem and why we should think twice before trying to squash one. 

In recognition of “International Artist Day” Angela and Brandon talk with artist Michelle Davis about her artistic process and how nature inspires the wonderful illustrations she creates for the podcast.

Wander with us as we explore next and exciting tools being used by scientists in the field of conservation! Wendy Caldwell from Monarch Joint Venture joins us to discuss how drones and remote sensing are becoming an important tool for monarch conservation. 

Breanne Black from Working Dogs for Conservation joins us to talk about conservation's best friend, dogs! Working Dogs for Conservation rescues dogs from shelters and trains them to perform conservation work. Whether it is searching for bumblebee nests, keeping habitats safe from invasive species,  protecting rare animals from poachers, or other jobs, dogs have unique traits that help them accomplish these goals. 

Chris Smith joins us to talk about an app he helped to create, HerpMapper. Designed to document reptiles and amphibians around the world, Chris explains the features that make it safe for the animals being documented and how the app helps conservation.  

Jeff Bahls from the National Wood Duck Society joins us to explore the fascinating world of Wood Ducks. How far of a fall can a baby Wood Duck survive? Where do they go in the winter? Why are we talking about Wood Ducks in December? Listen to find out! 

Greg Hoch, author of the book  With Wings Extended: A Leap into a Wood Duck's World. Joins us to talk about the history of Wood Duck conservation, how people can help Wood Ducks even if they don't live by water, and how Wood Ducks were an inspiration  for aircraft carriers in World War 1.

Greg Hoch, author of the book  With Wings Extended: A Leap into a Wood Duck's World. Joins us to talk about the history of Wood Duck conservation, how people can help Wood Ducks even if they don't live by water, and how Wood Ducks were an inspiration  for aircraft carriers in World War 1.

Steven Hogg, Wildlife Supervisor for Three Rivers, talks about the Wood Duck program's history in our parks, what has made it successful, and where you can find these ducks in our parks.

We thought winter was safe! We were wrong… Brandon and Angela dive into the world of snow bugs, uh, we mean arthropods, to discover how they can survive and thrive on the snow. Dr. Brent Sinclair, a professor in the Biology Department at Western University in Canada shares his research on how insects, spiders, and more can live and move over the snow. 

Dr. Rebecca Swenson and Dr. Corrie Nyquist join us from the University of Minnesota to talk about Minnesota's Bugs Below Zero project. We discuss some Minnesota specific winter active insects, why they are important and how you can help the University of Minnesota study them in a Citizen Science Project. 

Dr. Laurie Graham from Queen's University in Ontario Canada has spent 25 years studying antifreeze proteins. She talks about the evolutionary history of anti-freeze proteins, what life is like in a lab, and how you study creatures that are only 1 mm long. 

Andy Tri, MN DNR Bear Project Leader & Forest Wildlife and Populations Research Group, joins us to discuss the biology of Black Bears in Minnesota, how they are researched, and resources to help us be good neighbors to bears. John Moriarty, Senior Wildlife Manager at Three Rivers, talks to us about the Black Bears living at Elm Creek Park Reserve. 

Dr. Diana Doan-Crider, Director of Animo Partnership in Natural Resources, discusses the research she is doing on Black Bears in Mexico. She talks about how she started her project with a traditional western science mindset,  how she started including Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), and the way TEK helped her project succeed.  

Michael Waasegiizhig Price, Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) specialist at the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission in Odanah, Wisconsin, joins us to give his perspective on what Black Bears mean to his Ojibwe Culture and how Ojibwe words and perspectives reframe how the Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission manage wildlife compared to the western philosophy of most state DNR's. 

The relationship each of us creates and builds with wilderness is uniquely our own, but what is wilderness?  Join with Angela and Brandon, featuring special co-host Sara Gaines, as they take on the deeper definition and what it means to our guest, Ebba Safverblad-Nelson who is currently living in Sweden.  A worldly perspective around outdoor recreation.   

Engaging with the outdoors can take many forms, from hiking to skiing to kayaking, but barriers can create hesitation or doubt of your own abilities.  Learn from guest, Allie Dart, Recreation Program Specialist at Three Rivers, on local opportunities for fem friendly programs, what makes them supportive, and why they are important.   

Learn about the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources program called Becoming an Outdoors Woman from its coordinator, Linda Bylander.  Whether you're trying an activity for the first time, or you consider yourself an expert, you can gain new skills and improve techniques in a relaxed, fun, and supportive atmosphere.     

Join as aspiring winter backpacker and thru-hiker, Emily Ford, shares on the remarkable journey of being the first woman to thru-hike Wisconsin's 1,200-mile Ice Age National Scenic Hiking Trail in winter.  Hear how Emily continues to seek adventure and represent the underrepresented in outdoor spaces.  

Brandon and Angela share some of the myths from their childhood they believed for years, then get into the meat of persistent nature myths. What's the truth about Daddy Long Legs' venom? How did Walt Disney create a brand new nature myth? Is your dog really colorblind? Wander with us as we discover the truth and look into where these myths came from. 

Allie Gams Beeson and Brett Sieberer join us to discuss some of the common myths they hear at the nature centers they work at. From insects predicting the weather to baby birds, wander with us to find the truth. 

Our favorite historian is back to discuss the myths of the past! Why are beds really shorter in the 1800's? Were our parks untouched wilderness? Is Minnesota really a Scandinavian state? Find out! 

Brandon and Angela feel the need… the need for green, so they jump on the highway to the nature zone and explore what you can see as you drive to a Three Rivers park. From the large birds on light posts, to how bridges are making some birds' wings shorter, and more, learn about the nature outside your car window. Just don't buzz to close to any cell towers. After all Ghost Rider, the pattern is full. 

Ben Goldfarb, Environmental Journalist and author of such books as award winning, "Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter" is about to release a new book, "Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet" in 2023. He wanders with us to discuss the impacts roads have on humans and wildlife, new habitats created by roads, and direct impacts to Minneapolis and St. Paul from highway construction. 

Ken Graeve, Erosion & Stormwater Management Unit Supervisor, and Chris Smith, Wildlife Ecologist, with the Minnesota Department of Transportation join us to discuss how the Minnesota DOT is working to make highways and other roads safer for animals, a better habitat for plants, and safer for the people who drive on them. 

Did you know Disney World doesn't use pesticides? If they don't need them, your garden doesn't either. Hope Flanagan, member of the Seneca Nation of Indians, and Community Outreach and Cultural Teacher for Dream of Wild Health joins us to discuss how they farm without pesticides. She provides a Native perspective on our relationship with insects and provides some strategies we can use in our gardens. 

Jared Dyer, an entomology educator at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County New York wanders with us to discuss what Integrated Pest Management is, how parasitoid wasps help control unwanted species, and his research on one of those parasitoid wasps, the Samurai Wasp. 

Sarah Fultz, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist with Xerces Society, talks with us about the insects that help maintain a healthy garden, how you can encourage them to live in your garden, and techniques for going pesticide free. 

Wander with us as we burrow into the world of a creature that can run so fast it can't see where it is going, Tiger Beetles! Alex Harman, PhD student at Oklahoma State University joins us to discuss the unique strategies it has as both a larva and adult to catch prey and how you can help researchers study tiger beetles.  

David Pearson, Research Professor in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University, joins us to talk about how tiger beetle species were named, why birds were integral to his interest in tiger beetles, and how to get involved in researching them. 

Barry Knisley, Professor Emeritus of Randolph-Macon College & Rodger Gwiazdowski, Adjunct Professor, Department of Environmental Conservation, University of Massachusetts, Amherst discuss what goes into protecting tiger beetles, why it is hard to put insects on the endangered species list, and Angela has some plans for the prairie.

Dr. Andrew Rypel, Professor at the University of California Davis and the Peter B. Moyle and California Trout Endowed Chair explores the underwater world of Minnesota and explains what a rough fish is. We push our knowledge upstream as we explore the history of these fish, why they are important to our lakes and rivers, and what we can do to help these native fish. 

Tyler Winter, River Ecologist and Director of Native Fish for Tomorrow, joins us as we explore Minnesota's native fish. What are some things that make them special? Can you eat them? If, like Brandon you feel a little guilty fishing can you enjoy them in a non-extractive way? Wander with us as we find out the answers.

Did Brandon meet his match on puns? Find out as Dr. Solomon David, an aquatic biologist, assistant professor of biological sciences at Nicholls State University in Louisiana, one of the leading experts on gar, and punster extraordinaire joins us to discuss one of Minnesota's strangest fish, gar. From their strange shape, to studying their scales for use as body armor, to the behind the scenes of crafting a legislative bill to protect an animal, this pun filled episode is one you don't want to miss. 

Asha Shoffner, founder of FIWYGIN (Fusion) Outdoors and BIPOC Outdoors Twin Cities joins us to discuss the importance of having groups people can identify with to get them outside. She talks about why she created two different groups in the Twin Cities and how they meet the needs of two different groups of people. 

Birdability was created to help everybody bird. Virginia Rose, founder, and Michael Hurben, Birdability's local representative join us to discuss what Birdability is, why it is important to people with disabilities, and how Birdability provides resources for people with disabilities to bird. 

David Woods, Conservation Program Director for Urban Roots, joins us to discuss how Urban Roots in St. Paul works to encourage youth to enter careers in the outdoor field. Often Urban roots is the student's first job and Urban Roots teaches them the basics of having a job. A progressive employment model encourages the students to grow as their duties and responsibilities increase as the student's work capacity increases. Learn how this organization is helping increase diversity in the outdoor field. 

The nights are getting longer, the aeolians of the wind creepier…What was that? Join Angela and Brandon for a night time excursion as they explore the sounds you can hear, and not hear, at night. 

Kyle Johnson, Minnesota Biological Survey entomologist, wanders with us to discuss how moths in Minnesota are surveyed. How many moths are in Minnesota, Kyle is trying to find out. Are there new to science species in Minnesota. You Betcha! Can you help moths in your backyard? Tune in to hear Kyle's advice. 

Nighttime can bring a lot of fears of the unknown, what we can't see but can hear.  Our imagination gets the best of us...but there is likely a reasonable explanation behind the various noises. One often overlooked nocturnal species is the Flying Squirrel. Michael Joyce, Wildlife Ecologist with Natural Resources Research Institute joins the podcast to put the spotlight on this nighttime creature.  

How is climate change affecting you? Brandon and Angela share stories of how the warmer winters are impacting their lives. Dr. Luigi Romolo, Minnesota State Climatologist, joins us to give specifics on how Minnesota's climate is changing, and some things you can do to help stop climate change. 

As our climate changes, the ways we manage parks have to change as well. Dr. Heidi Roop, Director of the University of Minnesota's Climate Adaptation Partnership and Joshua Booker, Zone Biologist for the US Fish and Wildlife Service join us to talk about the research they are doing to develop a climate change adaptation framework for National Wildlife Refuges in the Midwest.   

Leslee Gutiérrez Carrillo is a local climate activist who joins us to share her personal story about why and how she has worked to combat climate change in Minnesota and how she deals with the stress and anxiety caused by climate change. 

Dr. Deondre Smiles, member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and Assistant Professor at the University Of Victoria, Canada and his graduate student Aidan Gowland wander with us as we learn what Traditional Ecological Knowledge is, Western history with removing or co-opting the knowledge, and how Indigenous People are reclaiming it. We discuss why this knowledge is important and how parks are working with Native Nations to manage land using it. 

Rebecca Crooks-Stratton, Secretary/Treasurer of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and leader of the Understand Native Minnesota campaign joins us to discuss why the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community is working with Minnesota teachers to improve education in K-12 schools about Native history. 

White Earth Band of Chippewa member and Fond du Lac fire program manager Damon Panek as well as Rachel Olesiak, Research Plot Coordinator for the U of M Cloquet Forestry Center join us to talk about how the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Cloquet Science Center partnered to bring back cultural fire for the first time in 100 years. The Cloquet Science Center stopped Ojibwe from practicing their fire management 100 years ago to preserve the forest. Rather than preserving the forest, the lack of fire drastically changed it. Learn how this partnership uses TEK and Western Science to restore the Red Pine forests to what they used to be. 

It is BYOB! Big Year of Bugs. The coordinator for the year, Bailey Kaul, joins us to discuss why Three Rivers is celebrating bugs for a year, the diversity of bugs, what bugs are, and why they are important.    

Dr. Robin Thomson the curator for the University of Minnesota Insect Collection joins us to talk about what running a bug library is like. With insect collections from the late 1800's to today, the Insect Collection provides an invaluable resource for studying bugs. From unidentified specimens, to figuring out how to organize a collection like this, a lot goes into running it.   

Dr. Holly Menninger executive director of the Bell Museum wanders with us to discuss her research on the bugs found in your homes! Why are they there? What are they? Should you be worries? Learn all about the amazing variety of insects that share your home. 

Brandon and Angela explore the spectrum of symbiotes. From mutualistic relationships that are like  you and your friend making each other better, to that one friend that just takes and takes, a.k.a. the parasite, and everything in between wander with us as we figure out the complex relationships that make up the world.

  Dr. Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian, Curator of Mycology at the New York State Museum talks with us about how cultural biases impact how we study things like symbiotes. We discuss how the tools of science help us understand the world until they become dogmatic, and how to avoid those pitfalls in science. 

Can humans and the land be in a mutualistic relationship? Jenna Grey-Eagle and Gabby Menomin from Wakan Tipi Awanyankapi share their thoughts on why we are, how approaching our relationship with the land as a mutualistic relationship benefits both us and the land, and how this view point impacts their work at Wakan Tipi Awayankapi.

Working in any aspect of the outdoors is rewarding to most, fresh air and endless curiosity.  Join Angela, Brandon, and guest co-host Charity, as they talk with returning guest, Judy Voigt-Englund on her career working outdoors as a part of the wildlife team at Three Rivers and then later as an educator at our very own The Lowry Nature Center.     

Connecting everyone with the outdoors and wilderness continues to evolve, those stepping in to continue the legacy of outreach is changing, creating a spark of hope ahead to everyone feeling they belong.  Interpretive naturalist, Katie Frias, shares how this force of change can come from educators to create a bright future of stewardship.   

Teaching and engaging with nature takes many forms, from film, writing, creative art, and much more.  Local writer, organizer, and film producer, Erin Sharkey, joins to discuss the power of nature in unearthing black history and memory, how we are guided by relationship building between people and the land for healing. 

Angela and Brandon go on their own hunt to figure out fact and fiction on the topic of turkeys.  Can turkeys fly? How did they get their name? Did Benjamin Franklin really want them to be the national symbol of the United States? Tune in because the answers are beyond belief! 

Nate Huck, Resident Game Bird Specialist, and Timothy Lyon, Research Scientist and Upland Game Project Leader, both from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wander with us to discuss the history of the introduction of Wild Turkeys in Minnesota, the ecological balance of managing a game bird, and research currently being done. 

Meg Duhr, Three Rivers Invasive Species Supervisor and participant of Becoming an Outdoor Woman or BOW, and her BOW mentor Kathy Von Bank join us to discuss hunting Wild Turkeys, barriers to being able to hunt and how the DNR program BOW helps remove those barriers.   

Dr. Lee Frelich Director of the Center for Forest Ecology at the University of Minnesota wanders with us as we discuss what makes forest soil healthy around the Twin Cities. We discuss the impacts invasive earthworms have had on soil, and how a new species of earthworm, the jumping worm, is expected to impact forests. 

Alex Romano from the Land Stewardship Project joins us to talk about how farmers are leading each other to sustainable practices and healthy soil. How can farmers teach each other sustainable soil practices and does it benefit them? Wander with us to find out. 

Sabrina Celis and Emily Althoff, graduate students at the University of Minnesota and members of Frenatae join us to learn about the bugs that keep soil healthy. From tiny springtails to animals with way too many legs, join us to learn about the different kinds of bugs and what they do in the soil. 

Brandon faces his fears and dives with Angela below the water to explore the plants that call lakes, ponds, and rivers home. Donna Perleberg, Aquatic Plant Ecologist from the Minnesota DNR, talks with us about native plant species. We learn about the different type of plants living in the water, including a predatory plant! 

Justin Valenty from our Water Resources team joins us to dive into how they monitor aquatic plants in the park district and some cool management techniques they are doing. This includes some rare Minnesota plants you can see in Three Rivers' parks!   

Dr. Dan Larkin from the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology at the U of M discusses invasive aquatic species, issues with current control methods, and how we can better work to improve treatment of them while protecting native plants. 

What is a state pollinator coordinator? Rebecca Gutierrez-Moreno, the State Pollinator Coordinator with the Environmental Quality Board, wanders with us to discuss this and explore how pollinators, especially butterflies, are doing in Minnesota.  

Land management or stewardship is a complex task, especially when you are managing nature on an Army Base. Jessup Weichelt, Land Manager at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin joins us to talk about managing habitat for rare and endangered butterflies, and what makes Army Bases so uniquely suited to this. 

John Moriarty, Senior Wildlife Manager at Three Rivers Park District, returns to talk about how you prepare to reintroduced a rare or endangered butterfly. From planting thousands of host plants to working with Federal Agencies, wander with us as we see what goes into restoring what's been lost. 

Hop along with us as Marissa Schuh a University of Minnesota Extension Educator joins us to explore the common grasshoppers in the Twin Cities area, and what makes them special.  

Dr. Hojun Song, from Texas A&M University's Department of Entomology discusses his research on how grasshopper songs have evolved. From cricket calls that evolved before ears to grasshoppers evolving ears to help them swarm, wander with us as we study the hopping orchestra. 

A swarm of wings that darkened the sky. Millions of bodies on railroad tracks that kept the trains from moving. Crops, clothes, and anything else organic eating. The Minnesota Grasshopper Plagues of the 1870's devastated the immigrants and settlers in the area. Zack Mohlis from Three Rivers' History Team joins us to discuss the Grasshopper Plagues.   

Dr. Doug Tallamy, famous author, professor, and more wanders with us to discuss the one plant that can have the biggest impact in your yard, oaks. We discuss why oaks are such a powerful plant for biodiversity and turning your yard into a refuge for wildlife.   

Dan Comerford, Forestry Supervisor at Three Rivers Park District, walks us through how oak trees are managed in Three Rivers' parks. From dealing with oak diseases to determining where they are planted, learn what goes into caring for the oaks you can walk by in our parks. 

We are joined by Missy Anderson, Propagation Specialist at Three Rivers Park District to talk about how they grow acorns into mighty oak sapling that are planted around the park district. What makes a good acorn? Do mast years have an effect? How do you grow thousands of oaks a year? Wander with us to find out. 

It's spooky season and Melissa Boman with the MN DNR joins us to talk about the creature of the night, bats! From what bats live in Minnesota, to how they survive winters, and the adaptations that should make you say "cool" instead of "eww" we soar through the night listening for bats. 

Dr. Christine Salomon from the University of Minnesota joins us to discuss her research on controlling white-nose syndrome. Come spelunking with us as we learn what it is, why it is so dangerous, and possible hope for the future. 

The Northern Long-eared Bat is a Federally Endangered Species. Jill Utrup from USFWS manages the recovery team for the Northern Long-eared Bat. She talks with us about what it takes for a species to be federally listed, how that changes its protections, and the work done to help the species recover. 

Veterans and active-duty military members can struggle with trauma from their service. Former military chaplain Brandon Harding joins us to discuss what inspired him to start using nature as part of the retreats he led to help veterans and active military members cope with that trauma.   

We are back to finish our conversation with Brandon Harding as he talks about the successes, he saw in using nature to cope with trauma. Find out why shared suffering played an important role, and why Brandon prefers the term Combat Stress Injury to PTSD. 

Joining us from 23rd Veteran is the Executive Director Mike Waldron and the Program Manager Matt Rosky. They share with us how their personal experiences have shaped 23rd Veteran, how the 14 week program works, and why nature helps veterans living with trauma live happier, healthier lives. 

Daniel and Amanda Crawford share their personal story of how the trauma from Daniel's service in the Marine Corp impacted their family, and how 23rd Veteran helped him in living a happier, healthier life. Daniel shares the struggles he went through and what his path to his current life took. Amanda shares what she learned as she supported Daniel through his journey.   

Wander with us as we head into the treetops and explore the unique world of tree squirrels! Why are they so good at getting into your bird feeders? Do they really need to keep chewing on things or die? What happens if they fall from a plane? Come with us as we explore the unique adaptations all squirrels have, and some of the specific skills Minnesota's three tree squirrels have as we answer these questions.   

  Why do squirrels do so well in our cities and suburbs? Doctorate student Charlotte Devitz from the University of Minnesota joins us to talk about her research trying to answer this question. From chipmunks realizing her live traps are nice safe shelters to finding squirrels taking food from one house's trash and caching it in another house's mailbox, Charlotte shares her stories of researching squirrels in the Twin Cities and some of the reasons why they do well in cities.  

Kao Thao, Outreach Naturalist from Fort Snelling State, wanders with us to discuss the history of squirrel hunting in Hmong Culture and why this makes squirrel hunting just as important as deer hunting for them. He shares how squirrel hunting gets the entire family outside, challenges to hunting and some possible answers from technology, and what he hopes for the future. We even get some squirrel cooking tips! 

As season six comes to a close we look back at a summer highlight of the Big Year of Bugs.  Join Angela at Eastman Nature Center's Dragonfly Festival as she talks to Ron Lawrenz, founding and current board member of the Minnesota Dragonfly Society, in front of a live audience. Why do Plain's Emeralds live near Eastman? What is the cultural significance of dragonflies? Wander with us to find out! 

Wander with us as our audience asks questions and Angela and Ron answer them. What is one of Ron's most memorable dragonfly experiences? Can we see all of the colors on a dragonfly? Can you make dragonfly habitat at home?  

Start season 7 off with a bang! Literally, as Angela and Brandon explore how all of a woodpeckers adaptations are connected, allowing them to bang their head 12,000 times a day. Wander with us as we explore why they do that and how they survive.

Dr. Jorge Tomasevic, Research Coordinator at Austral University of Chile, joins us to talk about the research he did in Seattle on whether Pileated Woodpeckers can survive in the suburbs or not. He was shocked at how much they thrived. Join us to find out why they can thrive near us and hear stories of Cooper's Hawks, garbage trucks, and other obstacles to his research.

Red-headed Woodpeckers are a strikingly beautiful and increasingly rare woodpecker. Join us as Dr. Elena West from the University of Minnesota discusses her research on how to improve habitat to help their populations. From studying fledglings in the nest to determining what kind of trees need to be present around nesting trees, she is providing a roadmap to restoring these woodpeckers.

What exactly is a muskrat and why has such a small creature been connected to international trade, World War 2, and the survival of wetlands? Join Brandon and Angela as they follow ripples in history and water and find their source- muskrats. 

Dr. Adam A. Ahlers from Kansas State University wanders with us as we discuss his research in Minnesota on muskrats. Through relocation studies, preferred diet studies, and other research he has been working to determine how invasive hybrid cattail and muskrats impact each other. 

Our Wildlife Supervisor Steven Hogg joins us to discuss his love for muskrats, their impacts on wetlands, and the balance Three Rivers has to find for managing an animal that is key to wetland health and also has a knack for impacting humans.   

Starting in forestry and branching into education to engage women specifically with woodland management, Angie Gupta, a Forestry Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota, shares her personal and professional journey.  From various learning styles to the importance of family and connection to community there are many ways to make everyone feel welcomed in the outdoors.  Ending this interview with space to address eco-anxiety and taking a deep breath.      

Talk story and authentic representation with guest Mary Montes to explore the importance of hands on experience within environmental stewardship.  Starting with a Marine Science degree out of Hawaii to joining Conservation Corps in Minnesota, learn how relationships to land can differ.  An important reminder that everyone is connected through story as people but also to the land and wilderness.   

Get a taste for hands on experience with land management from prescribed fire and bison introductions with Molly Tranel from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.  Women stepping into leadership roles has been a welcomed observed change over time and provides a necessary spark for confidence building.  Brining awareness early to career opportunities is key for ensuring the future stewards of tomorrow.   

We are joined by Dr. Charlotte Roy from The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to discuss their research to determine if Minnesota birds and mammals are exposed to neonicotinoids. From monitoring simulated seed spills, to driving by farms to look for seed spills, and doing lab work with chickens to see how much neonicotinoids needs to be consumed to be toxic, Dr. Roy's research has answered many questions about wildlife and neonics in Minnesota and she has worked with seed distributors and farmers to make changes based on her findings.  

How is a pesticide that targets insects harming backyard birds? Hardy Kern, Director of Government Relations, Pesticides and Birds Campaign at American Bird Conservancy, joins us to talk about the link that has been established between neonicotinoids and a decline in backyard birds across the country. He also gives us some tips on what we can do to avoid neonicotinoids to help the birds.  

One of thing neonicotinoids are good at is traveling from where they are applied, to new areas by water. This is because it is designed to dissolve in water so seeds can suck it up. The unintended consequence is that it is effectively perpetually in rivers, streams, and other water bodies. Dr. Bill Arnold from the University of Minnesota about how and why he researches neonicotinoid presence in fresh water. 

Listen as Brandon and Angela start local with guest Dr. Tricia Markle from the MN Zoo to explore turtle species of the north, research, and conservation efforts we can all take towards healthy turtle populations such as road crossings.   

How do baby turtles manage to wander from their nest to a lake or pond? If turtles are male or female is decided by temperature how will climate change impact them? Do turtle hatchlings coordinate their calendars to leave the nest? Learn all of this and more as Dr. Steve Freedberg, Professor of Biology at St. Olaf College discusses his research on turtles.  

Starting their research right here at Three Rivers, Dr. Jeanine Refsnider, shares the journey of being curious about Minnesota's State Threatened, Blanding's turtle, led to having her own lab at University of Toledo.  Jeanine shares past and current studies exploring turtle adaptions.