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The Smith Oaks Rookery on High Island, in springtime, teems with life. Several species of colonial nesting birds come here to raise their young. And they do so right in front of human onlookers, without signs of fear. To give you a sense of the experience that the Rookery offers, I packed up my microphones and headed to Smith Oaks. There I met with Houston's expert bird guide Glenn Olsen. Join us as we explore some of the island’s hustle and bustle. Then get in your car, pay this magical place a visit and see for yourself. Find the transcript and show notes at https://houstonnature.com/smith-oaks-rookery 

Kristi Rangel has many facets: By career she is an educator, public health official, and artist. By passion she explores African American connections to the land in Houston. When she talks, you quickly learn that her rootedness in nature runs deep. It starts with a three-times great grandfather who, although African, owned a large piece of property in Mississippi. It continues with her childhood adventures in family gardens and her adult efforts to bring raised vegetable beds to Kashmere Gardens Elementary School. In this episode Kristi tells her story. She also shares her thoughts on property ownership, the conflicted history that connects black Americans to the land, and the need to find healing in nature.

Does observing birds – as they jump from twig to twig, stalk prey, feed their young – bring you joy? Then, according to Sarah Flournoy of the Houston Audubon Society, you are a birder, whether you own a pair of binoculars or not. Follow Sarah on her journey from beginner to expert birder. Find out why in Houston birding is such a big deal, and learn how you can connect with other bird enthusiasts through Houston Audubon. Find episode resources here.

The population of Texas is changing, but the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is ready. In this third episode of a three part interview, Ted Hollingsworth tells us how his agency addresses the increasing diversity of Texans, and how the demographic trends affect both its ranks and its bottom line. He also lets us in on the secret behind the Department’s overall popularity. https://houstonnature.com/ted-hollingsworth/

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) describes its approach to protecting the state’s ecosystems as science-based and forward-looking. How does being science-based work in a political culture that disputes science? And how does one pursue a forward-looking approach when the future looks so different from the past? To find out, I spoke to Ted Hollingsworth, who directs TPWD’s Land Conservation Program. He explains how the Department uses the best science to conserve habitat, while acknowledging that with more and more species pushed towards extinction, they have to make hard choices.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is a state government agency, and it maintains a number of tourist attractions in the Houston area. An example is the San Jacinto Monument, where Texans won their independence from Mexico. What’s it like to maintain these assets, especially when the public is critical of the way you do things? Ted Hollingsworth has stories to tell. In the 1990s and early 2000s he was stationed in Houston. Not only did he decide to let the grass grow at San Jacinto. He also wanted to use fire as a weed control strategy. How did that play out? Tune in to find out.

In this episode we’ll look at Houston through the lens of a native plant enthusiast. Katy Emde, an expert member of the Native Plant Society of Texas, explains why native plants are great but sometimes hard to find, what she does to source the best seeds and what books and digital resources will inspire you to give native plants a try.

Each human being is host to a microbiota, an ecosystem made up of trillions of bacteria that inhabit the surfaces and crevices of our body and especially the insides of our large intestine. In this episode we’ll look at the ecology inside our gut, where bacteria are on a constant quest to feed and multiply, while bacteriophages scheme to snatch their minuscule bodies for their own reproductive purposes. Our guide is molecular biologist Dr. Laura Bridgewater. She’ll tell us how our microbiota influences our weight, our health, and even our personality. Believe me - it’s a zoo down there!

In his book “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,”  Microsoft founder Bill Gates proposes a global – yes, world-wide – solution to climate change. That’s ambitious. Does he succeed? Find out from this conversation with environmental attorney Tom Campbell, who played a key role in resolving the infamous Exxon Valdez crisis. This is part 2 of a two-part interview.

In his book “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,” Microsoft founder Bill Gates proposes a global – yes, world-wide - solution to climate change. That’s ambitious. Does he succeed? Find out from this conversation with environmental attorney Tom Campbell, who played a key role in resolving the infamous Exxon Valdez crisis. This is part 1 of a two-part interview.

Former Congress member Beto O’Rourke knows Texas like no other. That’s because he’s visited every single one of its 254 counties – listening, debating, and campaigning for the U.S. Senate. In this interview he shares what the geography and landscape of Texas means to him, what its needs are, and how he would like us to protect it.

Even though squirrels are a very visible form of Houston wildlife, we know little about them. Were you aware, for instance, that their brain shrinks and increases in size with the seasons, and that far from being pests, they are crucial to forest ecosystems? Kelsey Low of the Houston Arboretum has studied our squirrels in depth. She'll tell you what's cool about them and what they do to survive. Most importantly, she'll make you appreciate these little rodents in an entirely new way. For transcripts and other resources, visit https://houstonnature.com/houston-squirrels or https://houstonnature.com/11