Fire ants! Whether you’ve felt the sting of these cultural icons or not, the drama surrounding them is unsurprisingly unsurprising. Join us as we talk about the story of how fire ants came to be in the American South and how they changed the economic, cultural, and actual landscape.    The Fire Ant Wars: Nature, Science, and Public Policy in Twentieth-Century America - by Joshua Blu Buhs: https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/F/bo3639751.html    Them! Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4URRp39XOo

Join us to learn more about FL scrub-jay surveys through FL Audubon’s Jay Watch and the drama that has unfolded over the past 23 years in attempts to make the FL scrub-jay our state bird! The episode starts slow and cascades into chaos as we discuss the twists and turns of the case for and against the scrub-jay.    Jay Watch: https://fl.audubon.org/get-involved/jay-watch  Jay Watch Training Webinars: https://fl.audubon.org/about-us/florida-scrub-jay-webinars

Join us in talking about one of Florida's most social birds - the Florida Scrub-Jay! We love them and their dependence on fire!   Audubon FL Jays Watch training materials: https://fl.audubon.org/about-us/florida-scrub-jay-webinars  Florida Scrub-Jay: Field Notes on a Vanishing Bird by Mark Jerome Walter: https://upf.com/book.asp?id=9780813066721 In Defense of Plants Oak Episode: https://www.indefenseofplants.com/podcast/2021/4/4/ep-311-how-oaks-get-around

Join us as we walk though a fire prescription and what happens on the ground the day of a prescribed burn!

This season is on fire! We kick off our Fire Season by discussing fire ecology and prescribed (Rx) fire. We'll be back next week to continue the conversation. If you are interested in more in depth conversations about fire, check out the Life with Fire podcast: https://lifewithfirepodcast.com/

We're back with some summer updates! Mostly about Kyle's experience at geology field camp and the wildfires he experienced in New Mexico.    Taos News: https://www.taosnews.com/  Where to see wildfire incidents: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/

In our Season 3: Spring Season™ Finale, we dive into Rachel Carson’s seminal work, Silent Spring! With a tangent on lovebugs (def engineered in a lab by UF), we go through the book chapter by chapter and talk about the backlash to and outcome from the book. We also discuss current problems similar to those presented by Rachel in the 1960s. We are big fans of Rachel Carson, and hope you can learn something from these episodes on her and her work. Kyle is off to field camp, and we will be releasing an episode as soon as we can when he returns!    Timefulness” How Thinking Like a Geologist Can Save the World by Marcia Bjornerud  - https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691181202/timefulness  The Desolate Year (by Monsanto) - https://iseethics.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/monsanto-magazine-1962-the-desolate-yeart.pdf  The Trueax - https://www.woodfloors.org/truax.pdf  Rachel Carson CBS Reports - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nriVjC0H8I  Werewolf Bar Mitzvah - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6V2oCX3Hn4

Join us in the first part of our Season 3: Spring Season™ Finale extravaganza by learning about Rachel Carson! We dive into the life of this inspiring scientist and author, and learn a ton along the way.     "Rachel Carson" by Linda Lear - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27337.Rachel_Carson  Silent Spring - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27333.Silent_Spring  The Sea Around Us - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/542766.The_Sea_Around_Us?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=AnE0dhyNi8&rank=1  Under the Sea Wind - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/70824.Under_the_Sea_Wind?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=HFb3CTCeJC&rank=1  "Help your child to wonder" by Rachel Carson - https://rachelcarsoncouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/whc_rc_sow_web.pdf

Come join us to learn more about community science (also known as citizen science)! We talk about the projects we've been involved in and the benefits and challenges associated with it. Check out some community science projects you can be involved in today:  iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/  Seek: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/seek_app  Rockd: https://rockd.org/  eBird: https://ebird.org/home  National Phenology Network: https://www.usanpn.org/partner/volunteer-scientists  Audubon Christmas Bird County: https://www.audubon.org/conservation/science/christmas-bird-count  Great Backyard Bird Count: https://www.birdcount.org/  Jay Watch: https://fl.audubon.org/get-involved/jay-watch

Our spring season continues with a tale of water mismanagement in Florida, featuring the Ocklawaha River. Join us as we delve into the history of the Ocklawaha River, the drama that has unfolded around it, and the heroes who have advocated for it and continue to fight for it today. After you listen, you can join in the #freetheocklawaha movement by checking out the Free the Ocklawaha Coalition.    Bobcat/Python Article: Bobcats with a taste for python eggs might be the guardians of Florida’s swamp: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/environment/fl-ne-bobcats-python-eggs-nyt-20220328-b3nyfplapfhnhbjzvvmuvduxie-story.html?fbclid=IwAR1Sc8OyEb3nb6daz26dz-UK_VhkoC1hyHJF2ZzSmEE946yz_3e80sMQKNw    Free the Ocklawaha Coalition website: https://www.freetheocklawaha.com/    Activist Toolkit: https://www.freetheocklawaha.com/advocate/