Golden State Naturalist

Sea Level Rise and the California Coast: Imagining a Better Future with Rosanna Xia Oct 30, 2024

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 a free copy of Rosanna’s book, California Against the Sea, when you add the code GOLDEN to the “How did you find us” section.

⁠Grist’s climate fiction reading list⁠.

Learn more about the Embarcadero from this ⁠Exploratorium walking tour⁠.

Read more about ⁠Seattle’s living seawall⁠.

Support Golden State Naturalist on⁠ ⁠Patreon⁠⁠ and get perks starting at $4/month.

Follow me on⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠⁠.

My website is⁠ ⁠goldenstatenaturalist.com⁠⁠.

Get podcast ⁠Merch⁠.

The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found⁠ ⁠here⁠⁠.Photo Credit ⁠Nikoloz Gachechiladze⁠

BONUS: Leave the Leaves with David Mizejewski Oct 17, 2024

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 embracing the natural habitat building opportunities all around us.

Learn more about leaving the leaves.

Support Golden State Naturalist on ⁠Patreon⁠ and get perks starting at $4/month.

Follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠.

My website is ⁠goldenstatenaturalist.com⁠.

Golden State Naturalist Merch

Tule Elk with Orlando Rocha and Tom Batter Oct 10, 2024

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 story and the story of California.

Historic range of California elk subspecies

Current (2017) range of California elk subspecies

Thank you so much to Steve Shepard of The Natural Curiosity Project podcast for sharing the elk bugle audio.

Tule Elk photo by Katie Booth / National Park Service

Support Golden State Naturalist on ⁠Patreon⁠ and get perks starting at $4/month.

Follow me on ⁠Instagram⁠.

My website is ⁠goldenstatenaturalist.com⁠.

Merch

Listen next: ⁠Central Valley Water and Wetlands with Ellen Wehr⁠

[Greatest Hits] Central Valley Water and Wetlands with Ellen Wehr Oct 03, 2024

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, the wetlands that remain, and what we can do to both protect and coexist with the many species that still call the Central Valley home today.

Links:

Fossils!

NatGeo on Estuaries

NOAA Life in an Estuary

Native Tules

Nisenan Tribe

Sinking Central Valley

Wetlands of California's Central Valley (cool interactive map)

You can find me on Instagram and Tiktok @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

MERCH

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find it and the Creative Commons License here.

Wildlife Crossings with Ben Goldfarb Sep 12, 2024

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’s safer and more connected for humans and wildlife alike.

Make sure to check out Ben’s book, Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping the Future of Our Planet, available just about everywhere books are sold.

If you’d like to buy Crossings from The Bookery in Placerville, you can reach out to Heather and Darin via DM on Instagram @bookeryplacerville or give them a call at (530) 626-6454. If you’re quick, you may even get a signed copy! They also carry Ben’s first book, Eager: The Surprising, Secret Life of Beavers and Why they Matter.

Helpful Links:

Ben’s Website

California Crossings Map by the Wildlands Network

Report roadkill hotspots with CROS (California Roadkill Observation System)

Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month.

Follow me on Instagram.

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com.

Bird song recordings are from Xeno-Canto. The western bluebird recording, XC237281, is by Denise Wright, and the Creative Commons license can be found here. The wrentit recording, XC408459, is by Frank Lambert, and the Creative Commons license can be found here.

by John Carrel License.

The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here.

Top 10 California Native Species: BONUS Episode with Griff Griffith and Michael Hawk Sep 09, 2024

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 episode.

Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month.

Follow me on Instagram.

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com.

The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here.

Coastal Wetlands with Empress Holliday Aug 29, 2024

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) ⁠

⁠Endangered River⁠

⁠San Diego Coastkeeper⁠

You can find me on Instagram ⁠@goldenstatenaturalist⁠

My website is ⁠goldenstatenaturalist.com⁠

Support GSN on ⁠Patreon⁠ (and be first to know about Cafe Ohlone tickets!)

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes and can be found ⁠here⁠.

California Snakes with Michael Starkey Jun 11, 2024

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 animals makes our lives better every single day.

Links:

Save the Snakes

Medicines derived from snake venom

GSN website

Get the GSN newsletter

Join the Patreon community

See GSN videos on Instagram

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can see the Creative Commons license here.

Tide Pools with Michelle Kunst Mar 01, 2024

How do sea stars move around? Why am I jealous of giant green anemones? When's the best time to go tide pooling? Why is life so hard in the in the place where the ocean meets the land? How have so many creatures adapted to thrive in this strange place where two worlds meet?

Join me and Michelle Kunst as we explore the intertidal zone on the Northern California coast and discuss the incredible diversity of life that can be found there.

Links:

Trinidad Coastal Land Trust

Seaweed with Allison Poklemba

Orange Cup Coral

California Deep-Sea Corals

Southern California Tide Pools

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

Follow me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and TikTok

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes and can be found here.

TEK (Traditional Ecological Knowledge / Indigenous Ecological Knowledge) with Frank Lake Feb 15, 2024

Indigenous people have lived in the place now known as California since time immemorial and are still here today.

In this episode, join me and Frank Lake as we discuss mutualistic relationships between Indigenous Californians and the land, traditional burning, oak orchards, the powerful ways Indigenous and Western knowledges can come together, common misconceptions about pre-colonial California, reciprocity, and how we can move from a mental model of scarcity to cultivating a shared abundance that leaves no one behind.

Links:

Frank Lake

California Indian History Curriculum

Sue-Meg State Park

Slavery in California

Lightning safety tips

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

Support GSN on Patreon

Follow me on Instagram

Native Bees with Krystle Hickman Feb 02, 2024

Have you ever noticed a bee that looked a little…different? Maybe it was a bit fuzzier than a typical honey bee, or maybe it was obsidian black, bright orange, startlingly large, or as tiny as a gnat. Chances are, if you’ve seen a bee meeting any of these descriptions, you observed one of Earth’s 20,000 species of native bees (with around 1,600 of those species living in California).

Join me and National Geographic Explorer, TEDx speaker, and community scientist Krystle Hickman as we head outside to find native bees and discuss the widely varied social lives of bees, bee architecture, whether or not honeybees are an invasive species, buzz pollination, where to find native bees near you, the potential of native bees in agriculture, and the importance of these beings not just to humans, but to entire ecosystems.

Follow Krystle @beesip on Instagram

Krystle's website

Native Bees of the Western United States (cards)

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

Find me on Instagram @goldenstatenaturalist

⁠Article⁠ on honey bee pollination outcomes compared with native bees.

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and the Creative Commons license can be found here.

Mythologizing Place with Obi Kaufmann Jan 18, 2024

Author, artist, poet, and eco-philosopher Obi Kaufmann doesn't want to craft a better argument.

He wants to tell a better story.

But what does that kind of story look like? How do we begin to convey the incredible complexity of a place like California? How do we avoid unproductive divisiveness, embrace a better worldview, and move forward together in healing the land?

Join me and Obi in a field of wildflowers on Mt. Diablo as we discuss humanity’s relationship with the earth, Mt. Diablo daisies, ways in which meaning is co-constructed, biodiversity, what a myth really is, very quiet lions, how we relate to place, and how telling a better story about this land we love, this place now known as California, might just help humans come together to care for it.

Links:

Obi's website

The California Field Atlas

See Obi speak

Heyday Membership (add the word GOLDEN to the "How did you find us" section to receive a free bandana designed by Obi!)

My website

Follow me on Instagram and Tiktok @goldenstatenaturalist

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes. The Creative Commons license can be found here.

7 Ways to Connect with Nature this Year (2024 REPLAY) Jan 09, 2024

Happy New Year! 🎉

This episode has a great story, so I added a new intro to tell you about it.

Here are the links mentioned in the new intro!

7 Ways to Connect with Nature zine by Kate Rutter

Find Kate on Instagram @katerutter.

Patreon. This is a great way to support your local indie podcaster.

Find me on Instagram @goldenstatenaturalist.

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com.

Mistletoe with Joshua Der Dec 21, 2023

Have you ever wondered why we bring a toxic, parasitic plant indoors during the holidays...and then kiss under it? Or what ecological role this plant plays?

Come with me and Dr. Joshua Der as we discuss the ecological importance of mistletoe, its evolution, the vast array of wildlife it supports, and of course, the ancient folklore that led to all those stolen smooches.

Helpful Links:

Dr. Der's Publications

Mistletoe Folklore

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

Support GSN on Patreon.

Find me on Instagram and TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

Living in Place: Reflections on Being a Naturalist with Justin Garwood Dec 14, 2023

When was the last time you felt truly connected with a place? Was it somewhere rugged and wild, or was it on a leaf-strewn suburban block? What did you notice? What questions popped up in your mind? What gave you that sense of connection?

In this episode, join me and Justin Garwood in a Northern California temperate rainforest as we discuss how each of us can connect more deeply with the natural world, glaciers in California, an abundance of tadpoles, when to go off trail (and when not to), and what it means to be a naturalist no matter where you may find yourself.

Links:

Bird species name changes

The ten essentials

Grizzly Glacier

The Klamath Mountains: A Natural History

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

Support the show on Patreon 🙌🏻

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and TikTok

GSN Holiday Gift Guide

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes and can be found here.

The Klamath Mountains with Michael Kauffmann Nov 30, 2023

The Klamath Mountains, straddling the California-Oregon border, are a hotspot for biodiversity. But what drives the species richness of the region?

Come with me and Michael Kauffmann to a moss-covered edge of the Klamath mountains as we discuss ancient rocks, carnivorous plants, temperate rainforests, why people are a vital part of the story of place, and why the Klamath Mountains are bursting with a truly stunning array of beings and relationships.

You can find Backcountry Press @backcountrypress on Instagram.

Serpentine Soils and Plant Adaptations

Geologists Protest Bill to Remove State Rock

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can find me on Instagram and TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

You can support GSN on Patreon for just $4/month. Check it out at www.patreon.com/michellefullner.

Seaweed with Allison Poklemba Nov 16, 2023

Is seaweed a plant? Is it ok to eat straight out of the ocean? What kinds of creatures rely on seaweed? How does kelp fight climate change? Join me and Allison Poklemba on the Humboldt coast as we descend into the intertidal zone to taste seaweed fresh from the ocean and discuss all of the questions above and more. Helpful Links: Allison's Seaweed Resources Backcountry Press Instagram: @backcountrypress Dandelion Herbal Center IG: @dandelionherbalcenter Beach wheelchairs California Marine Protected Areas Anticancer Effects of Seaweed-Derived Bioactive Compounds Understanding Blue Carbon My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com Support GSN on Patreon! I'm @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and Tiktok. The song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find the creative commons license here.

California Condors with Tiana Williams-Claussen Nov 02, 2023

At the height of the last ice age, California condors could be found all across North America, and since time immemorial, these birds have held special cultural and spiritual significance for a number of Indigenous groups.

But by the late 1980's, the last wild condor had been captured and brought into a captive breeding program. They were extinct in the wild.

So what happened to these enormous scavengers to diminish their range so dramatically? How much progress has been made by the captive breeding programs? How is their cultural significance being honored today?

Join me and Tiana Williams-Claussen, Director of the Yurok Tribe Wildlife Department, as we discuss what makes condors unique, their cultural and spiritual significance to the Yurok People, and the incredible program that's brought the largest flying birds in North America back to their home in the redwoods for the first time in over a century.

Links!

Yurok Condor Program (learn, donate, and watch the condor cam!)

Yurok Ancestral Territory

Map of Yurok Lands

My website is: goldenstatenaturalist.com (find show merch and blog there!)

You can find me on Instagram or Tiktok @goldenstatenaturalist

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes and can be found here.

Nocturnal Nature with Charles Hood Oct 19, 2023

Have you ever wondered about things outside your window--the things that go bump in the night? Or, actually, things that flutter, flap, tread softly, swim, or bloom in the night? Because there’s a whole nocturnal world out there that most of us are missing, and it’s actually not as hard or as scary as we might think to go out and see it for ourselves.

In this episode, switch on your headlamp, and come with me and Charles Hood to the Cosumnes River Preserve, where we discuss vampire bats, nocturnal ocean migrations, night-blooming native plants, potoos, moths with 13-inch tongues, and how to venture safely into the night so you can see all of this and more for yourself.

And, if you celebrate, Happy Halloween!

Helpful Links:

Nocturnalia (Charles's new book!)

Cosumnes River Preserve

Sandhill Cranes

California Turkeys

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can find me on Instagram or TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find the Creative Commons License here.

Nature in Your Neighborhood with Marni Fylling Oct 05, 2023

When was the last time you looked closely at the living things right outside your front door? Have you ever gotten lost in a daisy, zoomed in on a burr clover, or watched a ladybug on a rose bush?

Join me and author-illustrator Marni Fylling as we take a walk to explore the nature in her neighborhood. Along the way, learn how you can connect more deeply with the nature where you live and even cultivate more habitat that can welcome a greater diversity and abundance of life in your own yard.

Helpful links:

Marni's Book

Benefits of Urban Trees

California Invasive Plant Council

Calscape.org (Learn which plants are native to your zipcode and their growing conditions)

Bloomcalifornia.org (Find native plant nurseries in your area)

Native Plant Finder (in case you don't live in California!)

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com (Need a cozy sweatshirt?)

Support the show on Patreon (for real it helps so much!)

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and TikTok.

Marni is @marnifylling on Instagram.

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find the Creative Commons license here.

Redwood Trees with Griff Griffith Sep 21, 2023

Coast redwood trees reside in a category all their own. Not only are these the tallest trees in the world, but they grow in unique ecosystems–quiet, foggy places with ferns and redwood sorrel spilling everywhere you look onto the trail.

In these forests, the sound of running water is never far away, and the redwoods themselves are by far the most prominent tree species, the warm hue of their bark dominating the landscape as they tower over the evergreen huckleberries and red-flowering currants below.

In this episode, join me and edutainer and lifelong conservationist Griff Griffith as we discuss marbled murrelets, the overstory and the understory, dinosaurs in the redwoods, stump sprouting, surprising historical champions of the redwoods, the wood wide web, and of course these iconic trees of California themselves.

Links:

Find Griff on Facebook or TikTok @Griffwild, and find his work for Redwoods Rising @RedwoodsRising on the same platforms.

Go for a walk with Griff!

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and TikTok.

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

GSN Merch

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find the link to that song and the creative commons license here.

Art of Nature/Nature of Art with Jane Kim Sep 07, 2023

Have you ever looked at a piece of art that altered your perspective? Or one that challenged your thinking? Or maybe you’ve studied a piece that taught you something new.

How can art impact conservation efforts? How can it help break generational cycles of disconnectedness from the natural world? Why does art matter in a time of rapidly changing climate and habitat loss?

Join me and artist/scientific illustrator Jane Kim in the Ink Dwell Studio as we discuss nature blindness, the importance of place-based art, western monarch butterflies, endangered frogs, the purpose of murals, intergenerational relationships with the earth, and how both viewing and creating art can change the way we look at the world and the kinds of choices we make going forward.

Ink Dwell (You can also find Jane on Instagram @inkdwell)

Why Diverse Teams Are Smarter

Golden State Naturalist (my website)

Podcast Merch

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and TikTok

Podcast art by Danza Davis, @danzadavis on Instagram.

The song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find it here.

Foraging with Mia Andler Jul 12, 2023

Have you ever wondered if the plants growing along your favorite trail or outside your door are edible? Or what kinds of flavors might not be available at the grocery store?

Many of us aren't familiar with the tastes of the places where we live, even though there are wild foods growing all around us. Join me and author, educator, and forager Mia Andler on a walk beside the Truckee River to learn about the wild foods of California and beyond.

Links:

Mia's website

Mia's Books

California's Forgotten Pine Nuts

Pine Needle Tea

Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon!

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and TikTok.

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find the song and creative commons license here.

Urban Ecology with Miguel Ordeñana (Part 2: Bats, Inclusive Urban Nature and Community Science) May 05, 2023

Do bats live close to my house? Why are they important? Do they have rabies? How can people help take care of urban wildlife? How can we involve more people in conservation and community science, particularly people from historically excluded groups? Come with me and Miguel Ordeñana to Griffith Park in Los Angeles, where we discuss all of this and so much more.

Links:

Bat Motherhood

Benefits of Bats

CDC Page on Human Rabies

National Science Foundation STEM Diversity Report

NHMLA's Community Science Projects

LA Times article on lead removal project

Jaguars and Obsession for Men

My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com

Merch

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and TikTok

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find it here.

Urban Ecology with Miguel Ordeñana (Part 1: P-22 Mountain Lion, Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing, and Other Urban Carnivores) Apr 20, 2023

Have you ever wondered what kind of wildlife lives right in the middle of your city? Or why some animals thrive in cities while others don't? And how did a mountain lion end up in Los Angeles, anyway? Join me and Miguel Ordeñana, the scientist who discovered mountain lion P-22 living in Griffith Park in LA as we discuss these questions and so many more.

Links:

Keeping Cats Indoors

Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing

Safety in Mountain Lion Habitat

P-22 sightings during my visit to LA

P-22 Eulogy by Beth Pratt

Friends of Griffith Park

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

Podcast merch!

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram or TikTok

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes.

Growing Native Plants from Seed with Julia Michaels Mar 23, 2023

Have you ever wanted to grow your own native plants? Where can you get California native seeds? Should you sow them directly in the ground or start them in pots? Is there anything you should do to the seeds before planting them? What time of year should they be planted? How should the soil be prepared? What are some common mistakes to avoid? What are some good plants to start with? Is this the end of the lawn as we know it?

Join me and restoration ecologist Dr. Julia Michaels as we explore Hedgerow Farms, which grows native wildflower and grass seed for ecological restoration projects. In the first half of the episode, learn how native seed is produced on a large scale at the farm, and in the second half, find out how you can use native seeds to grow thriving native plants and increase the biodiversity of your own backyard.

Special thanks to Alejandro Garcia, Jeff Quiter, and Manolo Sanchez for taking the time to show me around the farm!

Links:

Hedgerow Farms: So much California native seed!

Bloom California: Find a local native plant nursery.

Calscape: California native plant landscaping tool.

Calflora: Database providing information on California native plants in the wild.

Research on wild seeds becoming domesticated over time.

Lost Beneath Lake Berryessa: More information on the Monticello Dam and the town of Monticello! Also photos by Dorothea Lange.

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can find me on Instagram and TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist.

Patreon support helps a ton! Check out the perks here: www.patreon.com/michellefullner

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find it here.

Amphibians with Gary Bucciarelli Mar 09, 2023

What is an amphibian, anyway? Are they leading double lives? What's the difference between a newt and a salamander? A frog and a toad? What kinds of amphibians live in California? Why are California newts so toxic? How do they always, always find their way home?

Join me and Gary Bucciarelli as we explore a stream in the Santa Monica Mountains, finding plentiful frogs and newts as we discuss the questions above and many more.

Links:

Map of Amphibian Diversity

Arboreal Salamanders

California Herps

Gary's Website

Gary's email address is garyb@ucdavis.edu

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on Instagram and TikTok.

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

Your support on Patreon is so appreciated!

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find the Creative Commons License here.

Central Valley Water and Wetlands with Ellen Wehr Feb 23, 2023

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, the wetlands that remain, and what we can do to both protect and coexist with the many species that still call the Central Valley home today.

Links:

Fossils!

NatGeo on Estuaries

NOAA Life in an Estuary

Native Tules

Nisenan Tribe

Sinking Central Valley

Wetlands of California's Central Valley (cool interactive map)

You can find me on Instagram and Tiktok @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

MERCH

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find it and the Creative Commons License here.

Ecological Restoration with Billy Sale Feb 09, 2023

What's the problem with yellow hills? How do you trick a seed? What are the neighbors angry about? Where do restorationists get all those seeds? What's the difference between ecological restoration and restoration ecology? What does reconciliation have to do with it? How can we keep the world brimming with strange and beautiful creatures?
Join me and Billy Sale, Restoration Project Manager at the California Botanic Garden, as we poke around a native plant nursery and discuss all of these questions and more.

Useful Links:

California Botanic Garden

Society for Ecological Restoration

Sac Valley Restoration Days

Hedgerow Article

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can find me on Instagram and TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

Imbodhi amazingly cozy and cute onesies. Use code GoldenStateNaturalist15 to get $15 off your first order.

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find the song and the Creative Commons License here.

Dark Skies with Kayla Browne and Dan Duriscoe Jan 26, 2023

Most of us live in places where we can only see a few of the brightest stars in the sky at night, but what if that didn't have to be the case? Come with me and guests Kayla Browne and Dan Duriscoe to Death Valley, where we sit under a sky full of stars to discuss light pollution, bats, migrating birds, why dark skies are important, astronomy, places you can go to see a truly dark sky, and what can be done to bring stars back to our cities and our lives.

Links:

Friends of the Inyo

Dan Duriscoe Bio

International Dark-Sky Association

Just. Do yourself a favor and look at this photo of Death Valley at night by Dan Duriscoe.

NPS Light Pollution Map (Look for Dan Duriscoe!)

NPS Page on Where to Stargaze

International Dark Sky Places

Outdoor Lighting Basics

Tucson success story

Los Angeles Sea Turtles

Kratts' Creatures infamous baby sea turtle scene

Saving the Dark Documentary

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

Find me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/michellefullner

I'm on Instagram and TikTok as @goldenstatenaturalist

Imbodhi amazingly cozy and cute onesies. Use code GoldenStateNaturalist15 to get $15 off your first order.

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find the Creative Commons License here.

Growth Mindset with John Muir Laws (BONUS Minisode!) Jan 19, 2023

How useful is IQ? What exactly is a growth mindset, and how is it different from a fixed mindset? What shifts can we make in our thinking that will allow us to learn and grow in new ways? Should you take Swahili lessons? How does all of this apply to being a naturalist and nature journaler?

In this cute tiny bonus episode, come with me and John Muir Laws as we discuss all of this and more.

Links:

John Muir Laws Website

John Muir Laws Books

Neuroplasticity

Carol Dweck's Scientific American Article

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

My Patreon is www.patreon.com/michellefullner

You can find me on Instagram or TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

Imbodhi (actual best and coziest onesies for everything). Use code GoldenStateNaturalist15 to get $15 off your first order.

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and it can be found here.

Nature Journaling with John Muir Laws Jan 12, 2023

Did you know that no pretty pictures or artistic talent are required to create a highly effective nature journal? Rather, as John Muir Laws explains in this episode, nature journaling is about paying attention, presence in the moment, and thinking more effectively about the natural world all around you.

Join Jack and I on a nature journaling adventure beside the San Francisco Bay, and find out what six things should be included in a nature journal, which art supplies to use (not a specific brand!), how to experience more of the beauty and wonder all around you, what love has to do with it, and so much more.

Links:

John Muir Laws Website

Wild Wonder Foundation

Books by John Muir Laws

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on both Instagram and TikTok

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes and can be found here.

Imbodhi sustainable activewear. Code: GoldenStateNaturalist15

7 Ways to Connect with Nature This Year Jan 01, 2023

Happy New Year! Are you hoping to spend more time outdoors this year? This episode is for you! In it, I'm sharing seven of my favorite ways to connect more deeply with the natural world this year and beyond.

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon.

You can find me on Instagram and TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist.

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can see the Creative Commons license here.

California Native Plants with Naomi Fraga Dec 15, 2022

California is home to 6,500 native plant species, including some that are truly iconic, like coast redwoods, giant sequoias, bristlecone pines, and California poppies. If you're like me, you have a lot of questions about this wide variety of plants, like: What is it that makes native plants so important? What's the difference between a native plant and an endemic one? Why are some plants more beneficial for wildlife than others? How many rare plants do we have in California? What's important to know about gardening with natives? How can we each help increase biodiversity in our own neighborhoods and beyond?

In this episode, join me and botanist Naomi Fraga from the California Botanic Garden as we discuss native plants, Global Biodiversity Hotspots, why some parts of the Mojave Desert are so wet, how to survive fieldwork in Death Valley, the swampy past of Los Angeles, and what each of us can do to ensure that the botanical richness of our state continues for generations to come.

Rare plants mentioned by Naomi:

Amargosa Niterwort

Tecopa Bird's-Beak

Aphyllon Validum (rock creek broomrape)

Kelso Creek Monkeyflower

Links:

California Botanic Garden

California Native Plant Society

Calflora

Calscape

CNPS Inventory of Rare Plants

Seven Forms of Rarity

Springs and Seeps (Mojave Wetlands)

Svalbard Global Seed Vault

Native Plant Societies in North America

Home Grown National Park (about) (map)

Los Angeles and Palm Trees

Outdoor Equity Groups

Disparities in Nature Loss and Access to Nature

Biodiversity Hotspots

Kids Outdoors

Support GSN on Patreon!

My Instagram and TikTok are both @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find the Creative Commons License here.

2022 California Naturalist Conference Highlights with José González, Rhiana Jones, Obi Kaufmann, and more! Dec 01, 2022

Do you want to know what some of the most experienced, most insightful naturalists in California have on their minds? You’ve come to the right place! This episode is jammed full of brilliant professors, authors, environmental directors, outdoor equity advocates, and science communicators, and they cover topics from traditional ecological knowledge and storytelling to fire on the landscape to the ethical questions around ecosystem restoration to how healing happens.

Complete List of Guests:

Greg Ira, Director of the UC California Naturalist Program

José González, Keynote Speaker

Rhiana Jones, Keynote Speaker

Obi Kaufmann, Keynote Speaker

Don Hankins, Speaker

Brenda Kyle, Naturalist and lightning-round speaker

Maribel Garcia, Naturalist and Participant

Justan Torres, Naturalist and Participant

Jason Fareira, Naturalist and Participant

Bruce De Terra, Naturalist and Participant

Links:

California Naturalist Conference Website: https://ucanr.edu/sites/2022CalNatCon/

California Naturalist Main Website: https://calnat.ucanr.edu/

Don Hankin's CSU Chico State Page (with listed publications!): https://www.csuchico.edu/geop/department/dhankins.shtml

Information on Milpas

Washoe Tribe Website: https://washoetribe.us/

José González's Website: http://www.josegagonzalez.com/

Obi Kaufmann's Website: https://coyoteandthunder.com/

Place & Purpose Podcast https://www.placeandpurpose.live/

My website: www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

Become a Patron! www.patreon.com/michellefullner

I'm @goldenstatenaturalist on both Instagram and TikTok

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find the Creative Commons license here.

Ice Age California with Sean Campbell Nov 17, 2022

Have you ever wondered what was going on in California, oh, ten or fifty thousand years ago? About, perhaps, the social lives of saber-toothed cats, just how big giant ground sloths actually were, or the difference between a mammoth and a mastodon? Join me and Sean Campbell, Senior Paleontological Preparator at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles, California, as we explore what California and the world were like at the last glacial maximum.

Handy Links:

La Brea Tar Pits: https://tarpits.org/

Island Living Can Shrink Humans: https://www.science.org/content/article/island-living-can-shrink-humans

Saber-toothed animals: https://www.livescience.com/54130-saber-toothed-animals.html

Extremophile Microbes: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070510151916.htm

Diatoms: https://diatoms.org/what-are-diatoms

You can find me on Instagram or Tiktok @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

My Patreon page is www.patreon.com/michellefullner

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and it can be found here.

Monarch Butterflies with Natalie Johnston Nov 03, 2022

What makes butterflies so magical? They are a wonder and a delight, and I’m so excited to be diving into a full episode about what is possibly the most iconic species of butterfly in the world: Monarchs. Have you ever wondered why they’re bright orange, how far they migrate, or why they capture our collective imagination? I have! Come with me to the Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary to find out more about these creatures that are as graceful as they are legendary.

Links:

Monarch Joint Venture

Monarchs and The Day of the Dead

Xerces Society

Western Scrubjays are Capable of Metacognition

Store-Bought Milkweed and Pesticides

Interview with Dr. Richard Stringer

Monarchs on Eucalyptus Trees

Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History

Pacific Grove Monarch Sanctuary

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on both Instagram and TikTok

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can support the show on Patreon here: www.patreon.com/michellefullner

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find the link as well as the Creative Commons license here.

Fire Ecology with Robin Lee Carlson Oct 20, 2022

Hi there! It's season two now! Have you ever wondered what makes a "good fire" different from a "bad fire"? ME TOO. How about these: Which ecosystem needs fire more frequently--oak woodland or chaparral? What happens to animals during and after a wildfire? Are there any plants or animals with truly insane relationships with fire? (I'm going to spoil that one right now. Yes. Yes, there are.)

Join me and biologist, illustrator, and author Robin Lee Carlson as we hike Stebbins Cold Canyon, a UC Natural Reserve that's burned not once but TWICE in the past ten years. Robin spent years observing and documenting this place after both fires, eventually turning her sketches and observations into a beautiful book called The Cold Canyon Fire Journals. Listen to find out about fire-following beetles, foaming newts, the tragic lives of wood rats, flowers that ONLY bloom after fires, and so much more, including how Robin's whole perspective on fire changed after witnessing the abundance of life that follows the inferno.

Links:

Robin's Website: https://robinleecarlson.com/

Cold Canyon (Go for a hike! Just look out for poison oak!): https://naturalreserves.ucdavis.edu/stebbins-cold-canyon

UC Natural Reserve System: https://ucnrs.org/

NPR Article on Tribes’ fire knowledge in California: https://www.npr.org/2020/08/24/899422710/to-manage-wildfire-california-looks-to-what-tribes-have-known-all-along

Info on Fire Ecology from the National Parks Service: https://www.nps.gov/articles/learning-about-fire-ecology-basics.htm

Whispering Bells (fire-following flowers) from CalScape: https://calscape.org/Emmenanthe-penduliflora-()

UCANR Blog on Buckeyes: https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=13272

NatGeo article on fire-chasing beetles: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/fire-chasing-beetles-sense-infrared-radiation-from-fires-hundreds-of-kilometres-away

Nature Conservancy Fire Training Program (Trex): https://www.conservationgateway.org/CONSERVATIONPRACTICES/FIRELANDSCAPES/HABITATPROTECTIONANDRESTORATION/TRAINING/TRAININGEXCHANGES/Pages/fire-training-exchanges.aspx

CalFire page on defensible space: https://www.fire.ca.gov/programs/communications/defensible-space-prc-4291/

CalFire Guide to Prescribed Fire: https://www.fire.ca.gov/media/2qlel0gn/cal-fire-prescribed-fire-guidebook.pdf

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on both Instagram and Tiktok. You can find Robin @anthropocenesketchbook on Instagram.

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find it and the Creative Commons license here: http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626

Mid-Break Updates AND Conversation with Michael Hawk on Nature's Archive Sep 13, 2022

If you've been wondering what I've been up to or when I'll be back, this episode has your answers!

PLUS, just as a bonus because I love you, here's an intro to an amazing podcaster named Michael Hawk, who is the creator of both Nature's Archive podcast and a new nonprofit called Jumpstart Nature. In the episode, we discuss both of our podcasting journeys so far (with me at 10 episodes at the time of recording, and Michael a little past 50!), where we'd like to go next, and some behind-the-scenes info on what making a podcast is like.

Enjoy, and don't forget to check out Nature's Archive!

As always, some links!

Nature's Archive website: https://podcast.naturesarchive.com/blog/

Jumpstart Nature website: https://jumpstartnature.com/

My website: www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can find me on Instagram or TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find the link to the song and Creative Commons license here.

Beavers (Drought and Wildfire Superheroes!) with Emily Fairfax Aug 04, 2022

Scale a beaver dam with me and Dr. Emily Fairfax, beaver researcher, ecohydrologist, assistant professor at CSU Channel Islands, and science communicator extraordinaire who has been featured on NPR's Science Friday and All Things Considered. In this episode, you'll hear us discuss ecosystem engineers, what beavers eat, the best time of year to look for beaver dams, the North American Fur Trade, how beavers can permanently change landscapes, rodents of unusual size, what it means to be a keystone species, dam building, the fish that live in beaver ponds, what beavers do with those flat tails, natural infinity pools, the difference between a dam and a lodge, and why beavers are drought and wildfire superheroes.

Here are some helpful resources:

Emily's amazing stop-motion video on beavers and wildfire

Bay Nature article on human-beaver interactions in California

USDA Factsheet on invasive nutria

WorldAtlas on how beavers build dams

Leave it to Beaver

Emily's talk for California Naturalist's CONES speaker series

You can find me on Instagram or TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

You can support me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/michellefullner

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find it and the Creative Commons license here.

Conglomerate Mesa (Joshua Trees! Desert Ecosystems! Gold Mining!) with Wendy Schneider Jul 21, 2022

When I first heard about Conglomerate Mesa, located on BLM land right outside of Death Valley, I had no idea how much ground a single episode could cover. This one's got everything, including what makes a place a desert, a little bit of geology, Joshua trees, the General Mining Act of 1872, juniper pinyon ecosystems, the rain shadow effect, a very lovable, fuzzy-tailed rodent, a daisy that is only found on about one square mile of the entire planet, soil that is alive, the historic and contemporary importance of this mesa to Native people, and the fight to keep a Canadian gold mining company from quite literally digging the whole place up and spraying cyanide all over it.

Some useful links:

Friends of the Inyo

Center for Biological Diversity on Conglomerate Mesa

Cyanide Use in Gold Mining

National Geographic on Deserts

1961 UC Berkeley Video on Native People Processing Pine Nuts

What is the Great Basin?

Smithsonian Article on Joshua Trees

Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands

"Big Four" American Deserts

Conglomerate (Rock)

Sierra Club on Conglomerate Mesa

Inyo Rock Daisy LA Times Article

You can find me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/michellefullner

Follow me on Instagram or TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes and can be found here.

Giant Sequoias (World's Largest Trees!) with Wendy Harrison Jul 07, 2022

Have you ever looked up at something much larger than yourself and felt teeny tiny, but in a good way? That's the feeling I get when I walk among giant sequoias. It is pure wonderment. Join me as I learn more about this spectacular species from Wendy Harrison, who spent 30 years as an interpreter at Calaveras Big Trees State Park and now leads the park's California Naturalist program. In our conversation, we discuss the ancient origins of these trees, what kinds of plants and animals live around them and depend on them, something called “sequoia blood,” how they spread their seeds, what’s going on waaaaay up high in their branches, their relationship with fire, the heartbreaking story of the mother of the forest, and where they can be found today so you can go experience them for yourself.

Here are some relevant links from the episode:

National Parks Service--"Giant Sequoias and Fire"

Save the Redwoods--"Giant Sequoia and Fire"

Seed Viability

Calaveras Big Trees State Park Website

Canopy Soils

UCANR Page on Giant Sequoia Mycorrhiza

Mother of the Forest Wikipedia page with photos

You can find me on Instagram or Tiktok @goldenstatenaturalist.

You can find me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/michellefullner

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes and can be found here.

Entomology (Bugs!) with Ralph Washington Jr. Jun 23, 2022

If you're here and you're like "ehhhhh, maybe I'll skip this one," don't! It's seriously so good even if bugs aren't usually your thing. Ralph Washington Jr. is not only a bug genius with a Master's in Entomology from UC Davis and more accolades than you can shake a stick at, but he's also insightful, passionate, and easy to listen to. You'll learn so much from him and may even walk away with new perspective on more than insects.

What do we talk about in the episode? Here's an incomplete list: cultivating curiosity, an insect that can see above and below the surface of the water at the same time, the limitations of the scientific method, a fire-detecting California native beetle, how racial justice and insects are related, mosquitoes' role in ecosystems, the very unfair bad wrap urban insects get, bug myths, a very self-compassionate approach to overcoming a fear of insects, how to help native bees, and how caring about things that are so very different us helps cultivate empathy.

Here are some links mentioned in the episode:

Smithsonian Video on Arthropods

History of Oak Park

"Climate Justice Can't Happen without Racial Justice" TED Talk

California Pitcher Plant (looks like a cobra!)

Ground Sloths

My Instagram is @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can support me on Patreon and get lots of extras at www.patreon.com/michellefullner

The theme song is called "I dunno" by grapes, and you can find the song and Creative Commons license here.

Coyotes with Sara Tabatabai Jun 09, 2022

Have you ever been out hiking and heard an eerie chorus of barks, yips, and howls somewhere off in the distance? Or seen some scat that looked more like a bunch of smooshed up seeds and fur? You might have had a near brush with a coyote (or several!).

In this episode, I interview Sara Tabatabai from Effie Yeaw Nature Center, located right on the American River in Carmichael, California. Sara shows me around the nature preserve and helps me answer so many coyote questions, including these: How similar are they to wolves? Is one going to eat me? How can I tell if coyotes are living in an area where I’m hiking? Do they subsist on seed bits and hairballs? Did I see one downtown last week? What’s a coyote’s love life like? Can I have one as a pet? What is all this about coyotes and badgers being friends? How can you tell a coyote’s tracks from a dog’s?

Here are some links/resources:

Effie Yeaw Nature Center

Coyote Yipps website

Coyotes as Neighbors Video

Smithsonian Article on Dog Domestication

Cats and Birds

Wolf-Dog-Coyote Hybrids

Coyote/Badger Relationship

My Patreon is www.patreon.com/michellefullner

You can find me on Instagram or TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and you can find it as well as the Creative Commons license here.

Guerrilla (Not Gorilla) Conservation with Shalaco from SFinBloom May 26, 2022

Have you ever wanted to do something for the environment but gotten discouraged because the problems just seem too big and insurmountable? This happens to me ALL. THE. TIME. Shalaco from SF in Bloom, though? Undaunted. When he and his partner, Phoenix, realized that pollinators were struggling and how much native plants could help, he got himself a bee suit, a parmesan cheese shaker, and some native wildflower seeds and hit the streets of San Francisco on his one-wheel, spreading future blooms wherever he zoomed.

Join Shalaco and me as we discuss the impact this kind of direct action has had, how the message has spread around the globe, and what you can do to join in the fun.

Here are some links/sources mentioned in the episode:

SF in Bloom's website (you can also follow them on TikTok or Instagram @sfinbloom)

Larner Seeds

Tuscon Rainwater Harvesting

Native, Invasive, and Other Plant-Related Definitions

A couple of GREAT social media accounts mentioned in this episode include: @blackforager on Instagram/@alexisnikole on TikTok, @sacramentofoodforest on both Instagram and TikTok, and @crime_pays_but_botany_doesnt on Instagram/ @crimepaysbutbotanydoesnt on TikTok. Check them out!

You can find me @goldenstatenaturalist on both Instagram and TikTok

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

You can find me on Patreon at www.patreon.com/michellefullner

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. The song and Creative Commons license can be found here.

The Sutter Buttes (World's Smallest Mountain Range!) with Steve Roddy May 12, 2022

Did you know that Northern California is home to the smallest mountain range in the world? It lies smack in the middle of the Sacramento Valley, and it is a hotbed for unexpected creatures and unexpected stories alike. Join me with California Naturalist, Sutter Buttes guide, and educator Steve Roddy, as we explore the heart of the Buttes and discuss what makes the place so special.

How were the Buttes formed? What kinds of plants and animals live there? What was the significance of this place to California Native People? Who lives in the Buttes? Can I visit them? If it's a mountain range on land in the middle of a valley, why is it sometimes called the inland island?

Links:

Mosses and Lichens

Bay Nature on Acorn Woodpeckers

Middle Mountain Interpretive Hikes

LA Times on Feral Pigs

Maidu History

Ringtail Infrared Video

FInd me on Instagram @goldenstatenaturalist

TikTok @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

My Patreon is www.patreon.com/michellefullner

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find the song and Creative Commons License here.

Oak Trees with Zarah Wyly Apr 28, 2022

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 wreck my house? What do you have to do to acorns to make them edible? Why does it look like some oak trees are growing apples? How do oaks spread such heavy seeds? What kinds of variety is there among different oak species? What does any of this have to do with the Declaration of Independence? Ok, get ready for a lot of links. Here you goooooo! The Declaration of Independence and the Hand of Time The Nature of Oaks, by Douglas Tallamy National Resources Conservation Service Resource on Grazing Secrets of the Oak Woodlands, by Kate Marianchild Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall Kimmerer City Nature Challenge Sacramento Tree Foundation Calscape (to help with planting natives!) Daniel Airola's research on bird diversity in urban forests The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and it can be found here. Follow me on Instagram @goldenstatenaturalist My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com You can find me on Patreon here. Thanks for listening!

Vernal Pools (Ephemeral Wetlands) with David Rosen Apr 14, 2022

Did you ever catch tadpoles in a pond when you were a kid? Or watch insects glide just under the surface of a creek? Recording this episode brought me back to the magic of those childhood moments, AND I got sooo many vernal pool questions answered.

Here are a few of them: What is a vernal pool, and how is it different from other bodies of water? What kinds of creatures live in and around vernal pools? What the heck is a flower phase? When's the best time of year to see vernal pools? Where can these pools be found (both inside and outside of California)? What is that squiggly thing in the water? What do flatworms have to do with Pink Floyd, and how are solitary bees like hobbits?

Here are a few resources I mention in the episode:

Sacramento Splash Website

San Diego Vernal Pools

Sea Turtle Sex Determination

Two Ways to Purify Water

Follow me on Instagram @goldenstatenaturalist.

Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon here.

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find that as well as the creative commons license here.

Salmon with Jason Fareira (Part 2 of 2) Mar 31, 2022

Why are salmon important enough to merit two whole episodes? What are they up to when they're out in the ocean? What exactly is a keystone species? Should we bring grizzly bears back to California? What is a hatchery, and why are they so controversial? What does the gold rush have to do with salmon, and why does it still matter almost 200 years later?

Join me and Jason Fareira for the second part of our outing along the American River as we discuss all of these questions and more. Let Jason draw you in and share his expertise in the same way he draws a crowd everywhere he goes when he's out at the river! You're going to love this one.

Here are some related links mentioned in the episode:

KQED: Time to Bring the Grizzly Bear Back to California

How Wolves Change Rivers

Britannica: Trophic Cascade

Native Fish Society--Science Page

National Geographic: Keystone Species

You can find me on Patreon here.

You can hear updates on the podcast, see my outdoor adventures, and add your questions for future interviews by following me on Instagram @goldenstatenaturalist

My website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find it and the creative commons license here.

Salmon with Jason Fareira (Part 1 of 2) Mar 17, 2022

Ok, what's the deal with salmon? Why are they so vital to almost all of the organisms that live near their nesting grounds? What is a hatchery? Why are dams so controversial? What kinds of conditions do salmon need to thrive? How do these fish find their way back to the very rivers where they first hatched?

In this episode, I take a walk with naturalist and Fish and Wildlife employee Jason Fareira along the American River near the Nimbus Hatchery in Folsom, California. Jason introduces me to the basics of salmon reproduction, shows me how to look for signs of salmon nests (known as redds), points out the varied and beautiful birds along the river, and so much more.

The next episode will contain the full interview with Jason, and it's SO GOOD. Stay tuned for that in two weeks!

In the meantime, explore these links to learn more about salmon and their importance in riparian (river adjacent) ecosystems as well as other mentions from the episode:

You can find me on Patreon here.

You can hear updates on the podcast and see my outdoor adventures by following me on Instagram @goldenstatenaturalist

The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes. You can find the song and the creative commons license here.

California Geology with Nate Manley Mar 03, 2022

Ever wondered how California was formed? Or why there's a mountain range on each side of the state with a big, flat valley in the middle? Or what makes the San Andreas fault so unique and so infamous? This episode will answer all of those questions and SO MANY MORE. Join Nate and I on a hike around Folsom Lake, where we checked out some very odd granodiorite and discussed everything from plate tectonics to earthquakes to the best places to see great geology all across the state.

This page from the National Park Service does an amazing job explaining transform plate boundaries and adding a lot of great visuals to what Nate and I discussed. Check it out! https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/plate-tectonics-transform-plate-boundaries.htm#:~:text=The%20San%20Andreas%20Fault%20and,Pacific%20and%20North%20American%20plates.

The theme song is a shortened version of the song "i dunno" by grapes. Here's the link to the song and creative commons license: http://ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626.

You can find me on Patreon here:

patreon.com/michellefullner

Episode 0 Feb 04, 2022

Golden State Naturalist is a different kind of nature podcast.

It's one that invites you out onto the landscape for a closer look, that engages your senses, and that helps you connect more deeply with the land.

It's a podcast that challenges you to reconsider the relationship between humans and this planet we call home.

Tune in every other week to learn about geology, California native plants, beavers, giant sequoias, insects, nature journaling, urban ecology, oak trees, and so much more.

Special thanks to all of the guests whose voices are featured in this preview. Here are their names in order of appearance:

Emily Fairfax

Mia Andler

David Rosen

Miguel Ordenaña

Robin Lee Carlson

Naomi Fraga

Ralph Washington Jr.

John Muir Laws