Podcast
Golden State Naturalist
Hosted by Michelle Fullner · EN
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.
12episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Resolutions with Anders Reynolds and Bill Hodge
Dec 3000:31:57Tap to summarizeAre 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 Reynolds and Bill Hodge of The Wild Idea Podcast, on this special bonus episode. And of course remember to check out The Wild Idea Podcast as soon as you're done listening here. Happy New Year, friends!
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Critical Mast: Oak Trees with Zarah Wyly
Oct 2801:12:59Tap to summarizeWe 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 Wyly, on a walk through a relatively new oak woodland in Folsom dotted with two ancient, magnificent oak trees. Learn the story of how this unusual woodland came to be, find out why oaks are my all-time favorite trees, and explore such questions as: What kinds of life are supported by oak trees? If I plant one, will it wreck my house? What do you have to do to acorns to make them edible? Why does it look like some oak trees are growing apples? How do oaks spread such heavy seeds? What kinds of variety is there among different oak species? What does any of this have to do with the Declaration of Independence?And here's a handy list of the other podcasts participating in Critical Mast! Future EcologiesJumpstart Nature Nature's Archive Learning from Nature: The Biomimicry PodcastOutside/InOk, get ready for a lot of links. Here you goooooo! The Declaration of Independence and the Hand of Time The Nature of Oaks, by Douglas Tallamy National Resources Conservation Service Resource on GrazingSecrets of the Oak Woodlands, by Kate Marianchild Braiding Sweetgrass, by Robin Wall KimmererCity Nature Challenge Sacramento Tree Foundation Calscape (to help with planting natives!) Daniel Airola's research on bird diversity in urban forests The theme song is called "i dunno" by grapes, and it can be found here. Follow me on Instagram @goldenstatenaturalistMy website is www.goldenstatenaturalist.com You can find me on Patreon here. Episode photo by Bendp
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Symbiotic Cities with Kat Superfisky
Sep 2601:17:32Tap to summarizeCan 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 other cities already trying? Come with me and Kat Superfisky to the largest city in California, where we discuss all of this and so much more. Note: This interview was recorded in September of 2024, so any references to the Federal government are references to the government during the Biden Administration. Helpful Links: Kat’s website Content Creation for NatureSupport Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here.
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Saving California: How 30x30 Is Growing the Conservation Movement in the Golden State
Sep 1100:43:56Tap to summarizeCalifornia 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 bummer. In order to be considered a Global Biodiversity hotspot, a place must also be threatened. So threatened, in fact, that it must have only 30% or less of its original natural vegetation remaining. Oof. Thankfully, Californians are not sitting idly by waiting for the rest of our biodiversity to disappear. Across the state, conservation leaders, on both small and large scales, are pulling together and protecting the places that matter to us most. In this special episode, come with me behind the scenes of this year's 30x30 Partnership Summit to talk with those leaders, hear about some of today's most inspiring conservation success stories, and discover how you can be part of the movement to protect California for generations to come. Helpful Links: 30x30 Official Website Valérie Courtois's TED Talk Carr Lake in Salinas Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here. Otter photo by Kedar Gadge on Unsplash.
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The LA River with Kat Superfisky
Sep 300:45:30Tap to summarizeDescend 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 prevention, Ice Cube, soft bottoms, emerald necklaces, and why the LA River is the perfect microcosm of everything LA was, is, and one day could be. Helpful Links: Kat’s website Jason Wise's websiteJuan Crespi’s journal CalMatters LAPD Helicopters article Grease Filming Locations Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here.
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California Red-Legged Frogs with Brad Hollingsworth
May 6, 202501:11:53Tap to summarizeChances 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 border crossings with endangered frog eggs, urban drool, The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County, things that can fit into a bullfrog’s mouth, and the essential mindset shift that might just change the world. Join me and Brad Hollingsworth from the San Diego Natural History Museum as we discuss all of this and so much more. Links: Trivia Night! Join me in-person on May 12th or online on May 27th for Quiz for a Cause, a fundraiser to help rebuild the Eaton Canyon Nature Center. And check out the silent auction here! Saving the California red-legged frog from extinctionFAUNO: Fanua del Noroeste. Learn more about the work in Mexico or sign up for a workshop. ECOS information on red-legged frog federal listing Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here.Episode cover photo courtesy of the San Diego Natural History Museum.
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Listening in Nature with Fil Corbitt
Mar 13, 202501:03:24Tap to summarizeHow 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 more closely? Join me and Fil Corbitt as we snowshoe down the Eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in search of a handmade desk and a place to listen to flowing water, to birdsong, to each other, and to the ever-changing landscape itself. Links: Fil's podcast is called The Wind. Check out their Coyote episode. "Birdsongs alleviate anxiety and paranoia in healthy participants"Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here.
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Torrey Pines with Jon Rebman
Feb 27, 202500:44:39Tap to summarizeWhat 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 Jon Rebman as we go behind the scenes of the San Diego Natural History Museum, explore the herbarium, and discuss the rarest pine species in North America. Links: San Diego Natural History MuseumUniversity of California Museum of PaleontologyCool study about redwood leavesInfo about Torrey pines and bark beetlesSupport Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here.
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Ringtails with Dave Wyatt and Kristyn Schulte
Jan 30, 202501:19:46Tap to summarizeHave 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 even exists. Join me, Dave Wyatt, and Kristyn Schulte as we discuss clever little foxes, oak mistletoe, the floor is lava, dissolved poop, the smallest mountain range in the world, tasty taxidermy, classroom design, convergent evolution, weasel lemurs, and a whole lot more. Links: The California Ringtail Project Mistletoe toxicity Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. Subscribe to the GSN email newsletter. Episode cover photo by Dave Wyatt. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here.
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Fire in Built Environments (Special Episode: LA Fires) with Alexandra Syphard
Jan 16, 202501:12:12Tap to summarizeJoin 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 fires in forested Northern California and shrubby Southern California, the pendulum swing of public opinion, ways that climate change does and doesn’t contribute to wildfires, the WUI, positive uses of abandoned Fry's electronics buildings, waxy leaves, invasive plants, and so much more. This episode is an attempt to add context for everyone struggling to comprehend the scale of the fires in Los Angeles, especially those impacted. I hope it helps. Sending love. Links: California Fire Hazard Severity Zones Support Golden State Naturalist on Patreon and get perks starting at $4/month. Follow me on Instagram. My website is goldenstatenaturalist.com. Get podcast Merch. The theme song is called “i dunno” by grapes and can be found here. Cover art by Raquel Raclette.
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