Nerdy About Nature

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Podchat 20 | The Wonderful World of Bees with Emilie Usher Oct 03, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever stopped for a moment to think about where all our food comes from, and how it came to be? Well, if you know anything about ecology and life on this planet, you’d know that a vast majority of all that food either directly or indirectly comes from the work of pollinators. Without them, there would be no fruit, no squash or pumpkins, no berries and jam, no cattle or turkey feed so no meat…they literally are the reason we’re able to eat so much of this deliciousness. So today I’m sitting down with Emilie Usher, an urban bee-keeper and flower fanatic to chat all about our most beloved pollinators, bees. We tend to immediately think of honey bees here, but it turns out our native wild bees all around North America play massive roles not only in the health of our agriculture industries, but the functional ecology of the lands we all live amongst, and are incredibly important to biodiversity and our future on this planet.

So why are bees so important? Do they like certain flowers more than others? How long do they live? Do they all live in hives? Do they all sting? Whats going on with those flashy green bees I see from time to time? Let’s dive into this tiny, fascinating world with Emily here and learn all about these awesome little critters.

Learn more about Alveole

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from ⁠Patreon⁠ supporters, and in this episode Emilie opted to support The Xerces Society!

Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you. If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by joining the ⁠Patreon⁠ family for 1$ a month or more!

Wanna ask a question? Want community? Wanna engage? Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy!

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com⁠

Learn more about this episodes sponsor, ⁠Hoka & their Anacapa 2's

Thought Snack | Changing Fire Regimes of North America Aug 25, 2023

Show notes

Fire is such a hot topic these days - pun intended! Yet we used to have a lot more fire across the landscape than we do today…so whats going on?
Fires are a naturally occurring part of a forest ecosystem, and are generally classified as either low-intensity burns (LIBs) or high-intensity burns (HIBs), both of which have different causes and impacts based on different forest types and factors.
Since colonization of North America by western societies, a combination of fire suppression and large scale land alteration through logging has left our forests in a highly vulnerable state all across the continent that makes them more susceptible to large-scale HIBs, which has big picture issues relative to both volume and frequency.
Speaking to volume, its estimated that roughly 85% of native forests here in North America has been lost, logged or modified to the equivalent of a HIB, which is an insanely large number, and much of this has been done in a manner that reduces the ecological function of these forests and actually contributes to large scale HIB’s that we see more and more often each summer.
In the last 400 years of western colonization roughly 85% of native forests have been lost to the equivalent of being burnt to the ground in a HIB (in some places 4x over), which historically only ever happened in much smaller scale fires every 1000 - 2000 years if at all, yet we’re calling this all natural and sustainable…sounds more like the apocalypse to me 😬
So instead of trying to replicate these HIBs in our clearcut logging practices, we need to allow our forest ecosystems to mature in a healthier manner over a longer period of time, and we need to spend a lot of energy properly thinning and restoring the ecological function of the billions of hectares we’ve mismanaged thus far. Through prescribed burns and by replicating LIBs we can not only create a more humble, sustainable industry and jobs, but we can improve the ecological health and functions of the lands we live amongst for a better future in this uncertain era of climate change.

Wanna ask a question? Want community? Wanna engage? Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy!

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Thought Snacks | Getting a PHEV Car in the era of Climate Change Aug 21, 2023

Show notes

After a serious of events that left me in need of a new car and long, arduous process of deliberation, I ended up getting a used PHEV, and decided to talk about my thought process here. Instead of going over the details, features, performance of the Rav4 Prime I ended up getting, I wanted to address the larger, more ethical issues associated with getting a car that still uses fossil fuels as gas, in addition to lithium in a battery, in this world we live in plagued by climate change driven impacts like extreme wildfire and drought.

I start by breaking down the choice between a car & public transportation in todays world, the differences between gas and electric cars ethically, affordability of the change, and the cultural shift of having to think of things differently in order to support technology that aims to create a better future. Lot's to cover here, so buckle up, and let's go for a ride!

Wanna ask a question? Want community? Wanna engage? Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy!

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Podchat 19 | The Mental Health Benefits of Restorative Gardening with Jordan Mara Aug 14, 2023

Show notes

You may have heard that being amongst a forest can help calm your nervous system, but did you know that getting your hands dirty can help clear your mind too?

This week, I sat down with self-made gardening entrepreneurial creator Jordan Mara to chat all about the mental health benefits and aspects of gardening, and what he aims to do through his project Mind & Soil. Come join us in his glorious backyard garden as it pops off in peak summer to learn all about mental health connections to the outdoors, attention restoration theory, creating play in your work, the joy of experimentation, how to make the best of your backyard, and growing your own garden whenever you may reside!

Mind & Soil: Website | YouTube | Instagram

Study from the Royal Horticulture Society

Attention Restoration Theory

National Geographic take on Attention Restoration Theory

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Jordan opted to support Food Banks Canada!

Learn more about their work

Wanna ask a question? Want community? Wanna engage? Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy!

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Learn more about this episodes sponsor, Hoka & their Anacapa 2's

Thought Snacks | Why don't we protect endangered ecosystems like we do species? Jul 30, 2023

Show notes

Extinction is a common threat to thousands of species these days as a result of human development, logging, pollution, habitat loss and fragmentation, and the plethora of impacts relative to anthropogenic climate change. In all these cases, the two biggest contributing factors to a species going extinct is habitat loss and limited genetic variation in the population - but what if we applied that same logic to ecosystems? Just some deep thoughts on the hypocrisy of trying to ‘protect’ certain species while simultaneously simplifying and destroying the complexity of the ecosystems they rely on to survive at a time when they may never develop to be the same ever again. Let's not let these forests go the way of the dodo and instead let's work to find solutions to keep these ecosystems intact to help mitigate the impacts of climate change, stabilize our soils, protect us from wildfires, host all of this amazing biodiversity and continue being the backbone of the culture we live in for generations to come. Like this vid? Support Nerdy About Nature on Patreon to make more engaging videos like this possible! || SUPPORT THESE VIDEO PODCASTS ||

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Podchats 18 | Grassland Ecosystems & Oak Meadows of Cascadia with Nancy Shackelford Jul 23, 2023

Show notes

Grasslands are incredibly biodiverse and carbon rich ecosystems that perform numerous ecological functions, yet many of them across Turtle Island have all declined for various reasons, whether that be decades of development, fire suppression, removal of grazing animals, introduction of invasive species and lack of Indigenous stewardship or a combination of them all. Here in coastal Cascadia, our native Oak Meadow Grasslands play an important role within many First Nations cultures and are the most biodiverse ecosystem we have. Sadly, they’re also the most threatened, down to less that 5% of their native range in BC alone.

I sat down with Nancy Shackelford, assistant professor at Uvic & director of the Restoration of Natural Systems Program, to chat all about what makes these wonderful ecosystems so unique, what threatens them, and what we can do to ensure their health for a better tomorrow.

Restoration Futures Lab

Grasslands Conservation Council of BC

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Nancy decided to support Stewards Of Sc’ianew!

Learn more about their work here: https://stewardsofscianew.com/

Wanna ask a question? Want community? Wanna engage? Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy!

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Learn more about this episodes sponsor, Hoka & their new Anacapa 2

Thought Snacks | Fire Mitigation Loopholes use to continue Logging Oldgrowth Forest Jul 16, 2023

Show notes

I'm going to start releasing some of my slightly longer video here in a new series I'm tentatively calling 'Thought Snacks', because that's what they are...not quite a full meal, but just enough to get those wheels turning and reflecting about the world we live in.

When it comes to impacts of climate change, wildfire is one of the hottest topics there is days - pun intended! A majority of our forests across Turtle Island have become prone to very violent, catastrophic fires, whether as a result of fire suppression that has allowed stands to become thick and overgrown, or excessive commercial logging that has replaced stand diversity with an even-aged secondgrowth forest.
As a means of addressing these issues, forest thinning has become popular, where trees are felled to increase spacing so that fire, when it does occur, doesn’t have the fuel connectivity to spread and escalate.
In many commercial thinning operations, companies are granted access to previously off-limits oldgrowth forests in order to thin them for ‘fire-proofing’, which in theory would consist of removing the smaller, immature trees to create the necessary spacing and reduce fuel load while leaving the older, more mature and naturally fire resistant trees that would have existed on those landscapes prior to colonization…but unfortunately that’s not often what happens.
This is expensive, skilled work and those little trees fetch very little market value, so instead this thinning is often done by ‘high grading’ these forests, which is a term that means they only take the biggest, most monetarily valuable old growth trees, and instead leave the smaller trees spaced out. This unfortunately does very little to increase the fire resilience and overall ecological function of these ecosystems, meaning that it’s no effective thinning for fire management.
Commercial operations hopping through loopholes and taking advantage of the situation by using either thinning or salvage as a justification to continue logging old growth forest for their own monetary gain, and doing so in a way that actually jeopardizes the health of these lands and our collective future amongst them is just unethical, irresponsible, and shouldn’t be allowed. We need proper thinning efforts done to restore the health, vitality and resilience of these ecosystems first and foremost to create a better, safer future for our communities.

Podchat 17 | Decarbonizing the grid & getting away from fossil fuels with Stephen Thomas Jun 03, 2023

Show notes

One of the biggest hurdles we face today is reducing our dependence on fossil fuels for energy, which are rampant in just about everything we do and consume on a daily basis. Fortunately, it is possible and we have a roadmap for doing just that, which is the subject of today’s episode where we talk about decarbonizing the energy grid - that’s taking all of our electricity we’re currently using and finding ways to get the same amount from clean, renewable sources instead of from fossil fuels. What does that involve, what does it look like, and how do we get there as a society?

In this episode I sit down with Stephen Thomas, who is the Clean Energy Manager at the David Suzuki Foundation, to break it all down in terms of what it’s going to take for a country like Canada, which currently has plans to fully decarbonize the grid by the year 2035, to actually meet those goals.

While we’re talking specifically about Canada in most of these examples here, many of these topics, methods, hurdles and solutions are very much applicable to communities and nations all over the world, especially those here on Turtle Island like the United States as we share lots of similarities in land use, long distances between cities across the continent, and how to ethically manage this change across existing nations in a decolonial way.

Lots to cover in this one from the types of energy we need to be focusing on, to the benefits of this energy, how much cheaper and more reliable it would be, to market opportunities and incentive programs in place to help support everyone throughout this transition so that no one gets left behind.

Petition for Clean Energy in Canada

David Suzuki Foundation - Clean Energy

Shifting Power, Zero-Emissions Electricity Across Canada by 2035, DSF, 2022

Decarbonizing Electricity, and Decolonizing Power, DSF & Neegan-Burnside, 2022

Keeping the Lights On, DSF & Das-Martiskainan, 2022

Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Stephen decided to send his donation to Mi’kmaw Grassroots Grandmothers!

Learn more and support them at https://stopaltongas.wordpress.com/donate/

Got Questions? Want Stickers? Want community? Wanna engage? Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy!

You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Podchat 16 | The Impact of Open Net Fish Farms & Aquaculture on Wild Salmon with Dr. Kilian Stehfest May 04, 2023

Show notes

A few months ago in the news, you may have heard or seen articles about open net fish farms being removed from BC waters, and thought, “Wow! That’s great!”...and then not done or heard much since then. As you may or may not be aware, fish farms are one of the biggest threats to our at risk and endangered populations of wild Pacific Salmon that travel all over the ocean from down south in Oregon up through BC and into Alaska, and the fight to get these farms fully removed from BC waters is still ongoing, despite what you may have heard (or not heard) in the news.

I sat down with Kilian Stehfast who is a marine conservation specialist at David Suzuki Foundation to chat all about these fish farms, their history, how they came to be, the threats they pose to wild salmon and why that matters, and what the future of aquaculture looks like here in BC. It’s a great episode and you’re gonna learn a lot not only about this industry, but what you can do to get involved to help ensure the survival of those awesome anadromous fish that tie us and these ecosystems we all reside in together.

David Suzuki Foundation - Fish Farms

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