Cindy Crosby is a writer, teacher, and lecturer on the tallgrass prairie and nature conservation. She is also a Master Gardener, a prairie steward, and a dragonfly monitor. Her latest book Chasing Dragonflies: A Natural, Cultural, and Personal History is an engaging introduction to these remarkable insects. In this episode, Cindy re-introduces us to the often-ignored dragonfly, describing their history, natural habitats & behaviors, cultural mythologies, and ways we can attract them to our own gardens.
Episode 53: Moely Prairie - In Their Own Words
Moely Prairie is the largest remnant of the 14,000-acre Sauk Prairie in Sauk County, Wisconsin. Because it has never been plowed, the prairie is home to a rich array of native prairie plants and animals. Permanently protected through a perpetual conservation easement by owner Barbara Moely in 2015, the prairie is managed and cared for by The Prairie Enthusiasts Empire-Sauk Chapter. In this episode of Nature Revisited, we learn- through the words of the aforementioned- of Moely Prairie's history, its ecological treasures, the challenges of its upkeep, and what lays in store for the future. *Read this episode’s write-up on The Prairie Enthusiasts blog.
Episode 52: John Shewey - The Allure of the Hummingbird
Lifelong birding enthusiast John Shewey is a veteran writer, editor, and professional outdoor photographer. John's new book The Hummingbird Handbook is a must-have guide to attracting, understanding and protecting hummingbirds. In this episode of Nature Revisited, John talks about the origin of his fascination with hummingbirds, and shares a variety of interesting facts, discoveries and insights into the alluring world of these captivating birds.
Episode 51: Hugo Rittson-Thomas - Wildflowers for the Queen
Hugo Rittson-Thomas is a British photographer, best known for his high-profile photographic portraiture, including portraits of Her Majesty The Queen and the Dalai Lama. In his new book Wildflowers for The Queen, Rittson-Thomas celebrates the unsung beauty and diversity of wildflower meadows - specifically the Coronation Meadows established by HRH The Prince of Wales in 2013. In conversation with Stefan of Nature Revisited, Hugo discusses the initiative behind the Coronation Meadows, the importance of such natural landscapes and connected wildlife within the UK, and the various challenges he faced in documenting their natural beauty.
Episode 50: Paul Hawken - Regeneration
Paul Hawken is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, author and activist who has dedicated his life to environmental sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Paul introduces us to the concept of Regeneration - a response to the urgency of global warming that can regenerate life on earth and grant agency to a new generation of humanity working together in a system of interlocking initiatives to stem the climate crisis in the span of a single generation.
Episode 49: Daniel Mays- On Small Farming
In 2010, Daniel Mays started Frith Farm on a 14-acre piece of land in Scarborough, Maine. Drawn by Maine's food culture and support for local agriculture, Frith Farm now serves a CSA membership of over 200 families, as well as local natural food stores and farmer's markets. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Daniel talks about his path to establishing Frith Farm, the work and value he brings to the local community, and his belief that farmers should be stewards of the land, not miners of its resources, and that farms should be hubs of the community, not distant sources of its calories.
Episode 48: Heather Holm - Native Bees and Beyond
Heather Holm is a biologist, pollinator conservationist, and award-winning author. In addition to assisting with native bee research projects, she informs and educates audiences through her writing and many presentations about the fascinating world of native pollinators and the native plant communities that support them. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Heather introduces us to a surprising variety of native bees, the ways in which they support our ecosystem, and things we can all do at home to help sustain their populations.
Episode 47: The Stone Trust
Humans have utilized stone as an essential, long-lasting building material for millennia. The Stone Trust Center of southern Vermont offers an expanding program of educational events, workshops and outreach projects dedicated to the preservation and advancement of the ancient art and craft of dry stone walling. In this episode of Nature Revisited, we meet the students and staff of The Stone Trust and learn how they are engaged in preserving the natural use of plentiful stone in simple, gratifying ways.
Episode 46: Meg Lowman - The Arbornaut
Meg Lowman is a pioneering biologist, botanist and conservationist who has devoted more than forty years towards researching the hidden ecosystems of the world's forest canopies. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Meg talks about her new book The Arbornaut - a blend of memoir and fieldwork account. As in her book, Meg's discussion launches us into the life and work of a field scientist, offering insights and plans for action. Despite devastation across the world, through trees, we can still make an immediate and lasting impact against climate change.
Episode 45: Kevin Healey - Foraging: Searching For Nature's Bounty
Kevin Healey is a forager, scientist, chemist, and the author behind Pullupyourplants.com: a site that explores the ethnobotany of foraged food and peculiar produce. His passion is researching, discovering, and preserving the stories of the human-plant relationship. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Kevin reminds us of the ancient practice of foraging; an exploratory act within nature that can provide one with not only a potentially marvelous array of natural sustenance, but also intimate experiences that replenish one's connection with curiosities of the natural world that are all but forgotten in our current Industrial Age of monocrops and supermarkets.
Episode 44: Kelly D. Norris - New Naturalism
Kelly D. Norris is one of the leading horticulturists of his generation. An award-winning author and plantsman, Kelly’s work in gardens has been featured in numerous publications as well as television, radio and digital media appearances. His passion for planting at the intersections of horticulture and ecology has culminated in a new book New Naturalism: Designing and Planting a Resilient, Ecologically Vibrant Home Garden. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Kelly talks about the objectives of his book, his gardening philosophy, humanity as innate gardeners, and how our gardens may be the last threads holding our fragile ecological patchwork together.
Episode 43: Chaz Powell - The Wildest Journey
After exploring and hiking the globe for over 16 years, Chaz Powell now lives his life as an Explorer, Expedition Leader and Survival Guide. His ongoing project ‘The Wildest Journey’ is all about his travels by foot along Africa's wildest rivers with an aim to raise awareness for wildlife conservation and anti poaching. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Chaz talks about his path to becoming an Explorer, his numerous adventures, and his mission to help preserve Africa’s wildlife and wild lands for future generations.
Episode 42: Ben Cosgrove - The Trouble with Wilderness
Ben Cosgrove is an American composer and multi-instrumentalist whose work explores the intersection of sound and place. The strongest forces guiding Ben’s composition and performances have been his deep and abiding interests in landscape, geography, place, and environment. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Ben talks about his new album 'The Trouble with Wilderness', an expansive set of songs that consider the role of nature and wildness in the built environment.
Episode 41: Neil Diboll - Native Plants: A Cultural Shift
A pioneer in the native plant industry and recognized internationally as an expert in native plant ecology, Neil Diboll has dedicated his life to the propagation of native plants, promoting their benefits and furthering their use and in restoration projects. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Neil talks about the roots of the native plant movement, the importance of native plant species and their role in the food web, and how we all need to be respectful stewards of the land in order to secure a healthy future for all.
Episode 40: Dhyani Ywahoo - Sacred Plants, Sacred Medicines
Venerable Dhyani Ywahoo is a member of the traditional Etowah Band of the Eastern Tsalagi (Cherokee) Nation. Trained by her grandparents, she is the twenty-seventh generation to carry the ancestral wisdom of the Ywahoo lineage. In this episode of Nature Revisited, Dhyani discusses the numerous sacred medicinal plants the earth has to share, their healing properties, and how they are utilized in the transformative healing of body and mind.
