As Nature Revisited approaches its fifth year, we go behind the podcast in this episode to meet its creator - Stefan Van Norden. From his experiences in nature during his formative years, to a rediscovery of nature as intrinsically sacred through the act of gardening, Stefan relates through personal accounts the origins and philosophy of Nature Revisited - The Podcast. Interviewed by friend and actor Jamie Horton, Stefan talks about our responsibility to give back to nature, and how his search to fulfill that duty - first with gardening, then filmmaking - ultimately led to creating Nature Revisited as a diverse community-building platform for those who are passionate about sharing, protecting and giving back to nature, which we are all a part of.
Episode 84: Ron Bowen - Restorationist
Ron Bowen founded Prairie Restorations, Inc in 1977 as one of the first companies in America devoted to designing, restoring, and managing native prairie plant communities. Having expanded to six locations throughout Minnesota, their work now also encompasses restoring wetland, woodland, and shoreline plant communities. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Ron talks about his formative background and influences regarding environmentalism and land ethics, the founding of Prairie Restorations and its mission, as well as fascinating insights into the methods and tools they use to accurately restore lost and threatened ecosystems.
Episode 83: The Jungle Journal
The Jungle Journal is an online platform/annual print magazine covering themes around the environment, global cultures, ecosystems, indigenous activism, and more. Founded by Sara Lopez and Gabriel Alvarez out of a mutual passion for travel and curiosity about the world, its mission is to remind people of who they are and where they come from - that we are nature and we come from nature. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Sara and Gabriel interview each other from within a remote Mexican jungle, recounting their personal journeys, the origins of the Jungle Journal and its mission, and some of the remarkable experiences they've had during their world travels.
Episode 82: Missouri Prairie Foundation - Saving Our Prairies
For over 55 years, the Missouri Prairie Foundation has been conserving Missouri’s prairies and other native grasslands - some of the most imperiled habitats on the planet. In this episode of Nature Revisited, we join Executive Director Carol Davit, as well as Bruce Shuette, VP of Science and Management, who talk about the prairie's natural and human-influenced history, its vital role in the health of the planet, and the Foundation's mission to protect and conserve some of the most biologically rich habitat on earth.
Episode 81: Kristen Miskelly - Meadow Maker
Kristen Miskelly is a trained biologist with a passion for nature, a love of native plants, and an aspiration to facilitate local ecosystem restoration work. In 2013 she and her husband James opened what is now Satinflower Nurseries in Victoria, British Columbia. Satinflower Nurseries aims to inspire and empower people to restore and conserve nature by providing native plants, seeds, and expertise, and specializes in the restoration and ecology of Garry oak ecosystems and meadowscaping. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Kristen talks about her background in nature and biology, the evolution of her nursery business, and why acting locally to promote the propagation of native species is so beneficial to migratory pollinators and the overall ecosystem.
Episode 80: Ben Rawlence - The Treeline
Ben Rawlence is a British writer based in the Black Mountains of Wales where he is the founding director of Black Mountains College, an institution devoted to creative and adaptive thinking in the face of the climate and ecological emergency. His latest book The Treeline: the last forest and the future of life on earth explores the shifting frontier of the boreal forest and the mysterious workings of the forest upon which we rely for the air we breathe. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Ben talks about the boreal forest - which contains about one third of the the earth's trees - and the myriad repercussions its northern expansion is having on a local and global scale.
Episode 79: Kristin Ohlson - Sweet in Tooth and Claw
Kristin Ohlson is a writer living in Portland, Oregon. She is the author of Sweet in Tooth and Claw: Stories of Generosity and Cooperation in the Natural World, and The Soil Will Save Us: How Scientists, Farmers and Foodies are Healing the Soil to Save the Planet. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Kristin talks about the connection between soil and climate health, rethinking our relationship with the land and each other, and how we can work with the land and its natural processes to regenerate damaged habitats, drawdown carbon, and more.
Episode 78: Dani Baker - The Enchanted Edible Forest Garden
Dani Baker is a forest gardener, owner of Cross Island Farms, and author of the book The Home-Scale Forest Garden. When she attended a permaculture workshop, she was inspired by its message of working with nature to create a thriving edible garden ecosystem. She immediately launched a new experiment she dubbed “The Enchanted Edible Forest”- a beautiful, bountiful edible landscape. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Dani talks about making the transition from market gardener to forest gardener, her discoveries along the way, and tips for those who would like to create their own forest garden - at any scale.
Episode 77: Susan Fox Rogers - Learning The Birds
Susan Fox Rogers is a writer, teacher, birder, and nature lover who writes about the natural world and adventures large and small in the outdoors. Her second book, Learning The Birds, a memoir which includes bird history and a larger history, follows her first three years of intense birding from the Hudson Valley, to Florida, Arizona, and Alaska. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Susan talks all things birding, from the first bird that sparked her passion, to bird preservation, and some of the things we can all do to get transported into the secret and thrilling world of birds.
Episode 76: Jeffrey Ryan - This Land Was Saved For You And Me
Jeffrey H Ryan is an author, adventurer, photographer, and historian. He has written several books about his outdoor exploits, his fascination with hiking trails, and a deep appreciation for history woven into walks across contemporary landscapes. His latest book, This Land Was Saved for You and Me, traces the path from Olmsted’s first wanderings in Yosemite to the signing of The Wilderness Act in 1964. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Jeffrey delves into the history of rescuing America's public lands, and both the notable and lesser-known people who gave their all to protect forests and wilderness areas before they would be gone forever and ensured that all Americans would retain the benefits of ownership.
Episode 75: Patrick Curry - The Enchantment of Nature
Patrick Curry is a Canadian-born British scholar who has worked and taught on a variety of subjects from cultural astronomy to divination, the ecology movement, and the nature of enchantment. He is known for his studies of J. R. R. Tolkien. His recent book Enchantment: Wonder In Modern Life explores how enchantment plays out in a wide range of contexts, including our relationship with the natural world. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Patrick discusses what enchantment is, its unalterable characteristics, and its essential role in both self-discovery and the appreciation of things outside of ourselves.
Episode 74: Marcos Trinidad - Urban Nature/Human Nature
Marcos Trinidad is the Center Director at the Audubon Center at Debs Park in Los Angeles where he is working with a growing community of volunteers, youth, and community partnerships, bringing nature to the urban setting. Born and raised in Northeast LA, Marcos is also an avid birdwatcher and host of the podcast Human/Nature. In this episode, Marcos talks about his awakening to the wonders of the outdoors in his youth, and how this inspired a commitment to educating others to the magic of nature - something urgently needed in urban environments.
Episode 73: Cheryl Charles - Nature For All
Throughout her career, Cheryl Charles has focused on the well-being of children, families, communities, and the environment that supports us all. Considered one of the world leaders in the movement to connect children with nature, Cheryl is the Co-Founder of the Children & Nature Network and is international co-chair of #NatureForAll, a global campaign of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Cheryl talks about her career and her ongoing work for children, her new global effort to inspire love of nature, and how getting involved locally is the best way begin acting globally.
Episode 72: James Faupel - The Urban Prairie
James Faupel specializes in Restoration Ecology at the Litzinger Road Ecology Center (LREC), a division of the Missouri Botanical Gardens in St Louis, MO. With a background in horticulture and arboriculture, James is part of a growing movement championing the ecological benefits of cultivating native plant species. In this episode, James discusses the alarming loss of natural prairie from the American Midwest, its vital role in the preservation of wildlife and plant species, and how 'Urban Prairies' can help raise awareness and appreciation for prairies, and the crucial mission to save and restore them.
James’ Article A Prairie Resurgence?
Episode 71: Jeffrey Ryan - The Making of the Appalachian Trail
Jeffrey H Ryan is an author, adventurer, photographer, and historian. He has written several books about his outdoor exploits, his fascination with hiking trails and the people and places found just off the beaten path. In this episode of Nature Revisted, Jeffrey talks about the colorful history of the Appalachian Trail and the parties involved in its creation. He also recounts some of his own personal experiences on the AT, as well as some notable stories and anecdotes that have caught on over the years.
