I am back in Illinois and I met up with my good friend Steve (co-host of The Field Guides Podcast) to wax poetic about summer botanizing. Steve has spent most of his summer exploring Illinois while I have been busying myself in the southern Appalachian Mountains. We bring a lot of interesting species to the table in this episode, each with its own memorable experience. This episode was produced in part by Allan, Amy, Caitlin, Rosanna, Daniel, Mary Jane, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, Christopher, Sienna and Garth, Margie, Laura, and Mark.
Ep. 115 - On Old Growth Forests and Disturbance
Today we are talking about one of my favorite subjects - old growth forests. Joining us is Dr. Beverly Collins, an associate professor at Western Carolina University. Her work looks at the dynamics of old growth forests, especially as it relates to disturbances. She is especially curious about the role disturbance plays in the survival of understory herbs. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Desiree, Sienna & Garth, Laura, Margie, Troy, Sara, Jennifer, Christopher, Manuel, Daniel, John, Rosanna, Mary Jane, Amy, and Caitlin.
Click here to learn more about Dr. Collins' work
Ep. 63 - In Search of an Appalachian Bog
Bogs are not a common occurrence in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. That's why when we heard rumors of a re spruce bog not far from where we are staying we had to check it out. Join my friends and I on a journey to find this bog. Along the way we met many different species of plants, fungi, and birds. What better way to spend the holiday weekend than geeking out in the woods with friends?
Ep. 62 - In Search of the Mountain Camellia (Stewartia ovata)
Up until a little over a week ago I had no idea mountain camellia existed. Belonging to the same family of plants that give us tea, Stewartia ovata is something you have to see to believe. Had I not been briefed in advance, I probably would have thought I had stumbled into some sort of escaped garden cultivar. What follows is my first encounter with this lovely native tree. A group of us were guided by Stewartia expert, Jack Johnston on a fun adventure to see them in bloom. We were not disappointed.