Golden State Naturalist
by Michelle Fullner
Latest episode
Spooky Special: Bats (Part I) with Joey Curti and Rachel Blakey
Spooky Special: Bats (Part I) with Joey Curti and Rachel Blakey
About this podcast
Golden State Naturalist is a love letter to California's ecological past, present, and future.
Come with Michelle Fullner as she climbs to the top of a beaver dam, descends into a tar pit, peers into the canopy of a giant sequoia, and basks in the glow of the Milky Way under the eerie silhouettes of Joshua trees.
Each episode, Michelle interviews captivating experts in their natural habitats across California to find out how the unique plants, animals, geology, and hydrology of this biodiversity hotspot make this state Golden.
Episodes
The newest 20 of 73 episodes
- Spooky Special: Bats (Part I) with Joey Curti and Rachel Blakey · 21 min · Season 5 Episode 6In the late 1800s, the people of New England believed there were vampires in their midst. Many had a neighbor who had gone pale, who'd felt as if someone were lying across their…
- Catalina Foxes with Lauren Dennhardt and Katie Elder · 52 min · Season 5 Episode 5In 1999, the once-healthy population of Catalina foxes plummeted suddenly and without explanation. Over the next few years, scientists worked to find out what was wrong and to…
- Island Biogeography with Kevin Alison and John Knapp · 1 h 0 minHumans have been fascinated by islands since the writing of the earliest works of literature, but the outsized role they play in our imaginations isn't limited to fiction…
- Schedule Update · 2 minThe pod is going stronger than ever, but it's also part of a larger picture than ever, which means a little shuffle is in order. Have a listen to find out the specifics. I'll see…
- California Grasslands with Justin Luong · 1 h 1 min · Season 5 Episode 3The golden hills of California are hiding things. At first glance, grasslands like these ones appear to be simple systems. And to some degree, they are simplified versions of…
- Seeds with Cheryl Birker · 1 h 8 min · Season 5 Episode 2Seeds are far more present in our lives than most of us realize. They compose everything from our morning coffee to our favorite chocolates and have helped shape the world as we…
- Forgotten Lands with Josh Jackson · 1 h 31 min · Season 5 Episode 1California is home to 15 million acres of a kind of land most people have never heard of. These lands span deserts, grasslands, oak woodlands, and coastal rainforests. They’re…
- Did someone say season 5? · 2 minWhat do California lizards and tiny foxes have in common? Check out this special announcement episode to find out. More soon, friends! Michelle Kayleigh Shawn McCollum
- Resolutions with Anders Reynolds and Bill Hodge · 32 minAre you making New Year's resolutions this year? Mine are a little unconventional. Find out what they are and get to know two incredible advocates for public land, Anders…
- Critical Mast: Oak Trees with Zarah Wyly · 1 h 12 minWe 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…
- Symbiotic Cities with Kat Superfisky · 1 h 17 min · Season 4 Episode 14Can cities be good for wildlife? Or at least not so bad? What changes would we need to make to welcome more life into our cities? How would those changes impact humans? What are…
- Saving California: How 30x30 Is Growing the Conservation Movement in the Golden State · 44 min · Season 4 Episode 13California is one of only 36 Global Biodiversity Hotspots. This means that we have incredible species richness with at least 1,500 endemic vascular plant species. But here's the…
- The LA River with Kat Superfisky · 46 minDescend with me and LA's first ever urban ecologist into the concrete channel of the Los Angeles River as we discuss novel ecosystems, eminent domain, Greased Lightnin', flood…
- California Red-Legged Frogs with Brad Hollingsworth · 1 h 11 min · Season 4 Episode 11Chances are, you’ve never seen our state amphibian in the wild. In this episode, find out how the California red-legged frog became so rare while also delving into international…
- Listening in Nature with Fil Corbitt · 1 h 3 min · Season 4 Episode 10How can listening deepen our relationship with place? What do birds think about highway noise? Is that ice bridge safe to cross at this time of year? How can I learn to listen…
- Torrey Pines with Jon Rebman · 45 min · Season 4 Episode 9What do cacti and rare pines have in common? What’s a paleoendemic? Do pinecones have teeth? Why do so many different plant species live in Mediterranean climates? Join me and…
- Ringtails with Dave Wyatt and Kristyn Schulte · 1 h 19 min · Season 4 Episode 8Have you ever wondered what little-known and mysterious beings are living among us, just out of sight? This episode is about one such creature that most Californians have no idea…
- Fire in Built Environments (Special Episode: LA Fires) with Alexandra Syphard · 1 h 12 min · Season 4Join me and Dr. Alexandra Syphard as we discuss what makes some neighborhoods more fire prone than others, the Santa Ana Winds, defensible space, the massive differences between…
- Urban Canyons with Michelle Thompson · 44 min · Season 4 Episode 7Flying over San Diego, you can see them: Fingers of green extending through neighborhoods all across the city. San Diego’s urban canyon’s serve as refuges for people and…
- Keystone Plants with Doug Tallamy · 58 min · Season 4 Episode 6What do oak trees, goldenrod, willows, and ceanothus all have in common? They all belong to the group of roughly 14% of plants supporting 90% of caterpillar species. In other…
