Ep. 264 - The Longleaf Alliance Speaks for the Trees

Longleaf pines once covered 90 million acres of southeastern North America. Today, human development has seen that number reduced down to 3 million acres. The decline in this tree has come at great cost to the ecosystems it once comprised. From the longleaf pine itself to one of the most biodiverse understory plant communities on the continent, these habitats are vital to ecosystem health. Luckily, organizations like The Longleaf Alliance are stepping up to return this tree to at least some of its former glory. Join President Carol Denhof and me for a conversation about how The Longleaf Alliance is realizing this goal. This episode was produced in part by Aaron, Sara, Kenned, Vaibhav, Kendall, Christina, Brett, Jocelyn, Kathleen, Ethan, Kaylee, Runaway Goldfish, Ryan, Donica, Chris, Shamora, Alana, Laura, Alice, Sarah, Rachel, Joanna, Griff, Philip, Paul, Matthew, Clark, Bobby, Kate, Steven, Brittney, McMansion Hell, Joey, Catherine, Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Liba, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about The Longleaf Alliance

Get in touch with Carol: carol@longleafalliance.org

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Ep. 207 - Into the Rooting Zone: Why Soil Carbon Matters

Grab your shovels because today we are heading underground to talk about soils. Joining us on this adventure is my friend and labmate Ron Salemme. Ron studies soil carbon cycling in the context of invasive plants and prescribed fire. In doing so, he works at the interface between plants and the soil environment where we are only just beginning to understand some of the most important processes on our planet. From dying microbes to plant exudates, Ron's work is helping us form a more complete picture of the role soil plays in storing carbon. This episode was produced in part by Brandon, Hall, Vegreville Creek and Wetlands Fund, Kevin, Oliver, John, Johansson, Christina, Jared, Hannah, Katy Pye, Brandon, Gwen, Carly, Stephen, Botanical Tours, Moonwort Studios, Lisa, Liba, Lucas, Mohsin Kazmi Takes Pictures, doeg, Clifton, Stephanie, Rachelle, Benjamin, Eli, Rachael, Anthony, Plant By Design, Philip, Brent, Ron, Tim, Homestead Brooklyn, Brodie, Kevin, Sophia, Brian, Mark, Rens, Bendix, Irene, Holly, Caitlin, Manuel, Jennifer, Sara, and Margie.

Learn more about my speaking events at the Southern California Horticulture Society and the Theodore Payne Foundation

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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

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Ep. 87 - Fire in the Forest

I have been thinking about fire a lot these days. In the wake of recent forest fires in the southeast, I wanted to take a closer look at what fires mean for ecosystems other than prairies. To do this, I sat down with my good friend and lab mate, Tyler Refsland, to discuss the implications of fire in forest ecosystems. Tyler's work is based in the oak-hickory forests of southern Illinois and takes a unique perspective that spans many scales, from mycorrhizal fungi, to individual trees, and up to forest composition as a whole. Although this isn't an all encompassing look at the role of fire in ecosystems, it nonetheless offers a lot of food for thought. This episode was produced in part by Mark, Allen, Maz, Beccah, Desiree, Sienna, Laura, Margie, Troy, and Bryan.

You can reach Tyler via email: refslan2@illinois.edu

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