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Rande Cook is an Indigenous wood carver and artist, a hereditary chief of the Ma'amtagila Nation, a progressive / rebellious visionary, and one heck of an inspiring human. I sat down with him at his studio in Victoria BC to chat all about his art, his role as a chief, land back, and the work he does connecting folks to each other and the lands we all share to create a better future. Learn more about Rande's art at the Rande Cook gallery Learn more about Awi'nakola Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Rande chose to support the Akala Society. Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠⁠or⁠⁠⁠⁠ Substack.⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Undercurrents is a podcast series from Nerdy About Nature where we discuss recent studies, reports and news from the world of environment, ecology and climate which all impact our understanding of the world and the way we relate to it.  In other words, it’s all the unseen things that happen without much notice that impact the direction or flow of our society and the world we all share. This episodes topics: Life on Mars: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09413-0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FAYABW-c_Q Podchat 21 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFwdac42Qng Fungi land evolution: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41559-025-02851-z https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251001092208.htm http://science.psu.edu/news-and-events/2001-news/Hedges8-2001.htm Produced by Ross Reid Hosted by Ross Reid & Julia Huggins Nerdy About Nature is a passion project whose primary goal is to provide free access for all to education about this world so that people can enjoy it more, build connection and fall in love with it, and ultimately work in ways to steward it for future generations to enjoy.  We do this through short and long form videos all over social media @NerdyAboutNature, as well as this podcast you’re listening to now, and it’s all made possible thanks to support from folks like yourself.  If you’re enjoying the content we’re creating, you can help keep it going by supporting us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nerdyaboutnature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Natures pretty neat, ya know - let’s keep it that way!

Out on the west coast of Vancouver Island exists an awesome little non-profit that siphons sea water from the harbour into tanks on land, which briefly house some of the areas most gorgeous residents from under the waves. I'm talking about the Ucluelet Aquarium, a catch-and-release aquarium who gathers all of its exhibits seasonally from the surrounding waters, giving visitors a glimpse into a world that surrounds us yet we seldom see. I sat down with Laura Griffith-Cochrane from the Ucluelet Aquarium to chat all about this awesome project, and her unique approach to education that emphasizes hands-on interactions to build connection and care to place. We also delve into various issues relating to these near-shore marine ecosystems, with ethical information on fishing and tide-pooling that we all could use to become better stewards of these places for generations to come. For more information on the Ucluelet Aquarium, visit www.uclueletaquarium.org Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Laura chose to give hers to ⁠Surfrider Foundation Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠⁠or⁠⁠⁠ Substack.⁠⁠⁠ You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Forests are incredibly important ecosystems on our planet for many different reasons from carbon storage to biodiversity, and yet they face constant pressure to meet human demands in many forms. With a significant portion of deforestation and forest degradation attributed to demand for pulp, paper, packaging and even textile products, how can we work to meet these demands while also taking better care of our forests? I sat down with Valerie Langer of Canopy Planet who works to source and grow emerging markets of alternative sources to forests for pulp and textile demands, and it's budding potential. Join us as we chat all about this inspiring new perspective on managing forest uses and demands, as well as Val's colourful history in advocacy and action for forests, and how she's been able to gain greater leverage for protecting forests by stepping away from the front lines and into the corporate world. Today's episode was brought to you by Canopy Planet, who works to protect forests all over the world in a variety of different ways. Learn more about all the good they do at www.canopyplanet.org Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Val chose to give hers to Friends of Clayoquot Sound Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠⁠⁠Patreon ⁠⁠or⁠⁠ Substack.⁠⁠ You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Whale, we've shore got a fun chat lined up for y'all today! Sea what I did there? Silly puns aside, we're talking all about Orcas, or Killer Whales, with the infamous Orca Man! You may have seen The Orca Man, whose real name is Fred, online as he does a lot of social media education and news on things happening with Orcas all around the world, but especially those populations here in the PNW - the resident and transient Killer Whales. Fred and I sat down for a sunset chat where we discuss all things Orcas, why they’re so amazing, different populations of them around the world, their fascinating social structures, and threats they face both in our home waters of Cascadia and beyond.  Learn more about Fred's work here and on Instagram here. Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Fred chose to give his to ⁠The Orca Conservancy Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠⁠Patreon ⁠or⁠ Substack.⁠ You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

There is a lot of talk these days about the melding of Indigenous knowledge with Western Science, and I couldn't think of anyone better to get into the weeds (pun intended) on the subject with than Leigh Joseph. Leigh is a member of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and a working ethnobotanist who does a lot of incredible work bridging the gaps in understanding between western and indigenous knowledge, while also working to re-establish Indigenous food gardens and cultivate crops as they would have been prior to colonization on her traditional homelands.  She’s the owner of Skwalwen Botanicals, a skincare brand that creates everything from plants cultivated from the land, the author of a new book called ‘Held By the Land’, and she’s just an overall lovely and inspiring human with who has a lot of great ideas and perspectives on the world I think we all could benefit from learning. I had the incredible honour of sitting down by the Squamish Estuary on a hot, sunny, summer day to chat about all this and more with Leigh, and I hope y'all enjoy it! Learn more about Leigh & her work. Take care of your skin with Skwalwen Botanicals. Get your copy of "Held by The Land" Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Leigh chose to give hers to The PEPAKEṈ HÁUTW̱  Foundation Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by becoming a paid subscriber on ⁠Patreon or Substack. You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

This is yet another special edition of Undercurrents - instead of sharing and discussing recent science news, articles or studies here, Julia & Ross discuss important recent events regarding funding and the state of science in the US after the first week of the new presidency. Undercurrents is a podcast series from Nerdy About Nature where we discuss recent studies, reports and news from the world of environment, ecology and climate which all impact our understanding of the world and the way we relate to it.  In other words, it’s all the unseen things that happen without much notice that impact the direction or flow of our society and the world we all share. Produced by Ross Reid Hosted by Ross Reid & Julia Huggins Nerdy About Nature is a passion project whose primary goal is to provide free access for all to education about this world so that people can enjoy it more, build connection and fall in love with it, and ultimately work in ways to steward it for future generations to enjoy.  We do this through short and long form videos all over social media @NerdyAboutNature, as well as this podcast you’re listening to now, and it’s all made possible thanks to support from folks like yourself.  If you’re enjoying the content we’re creating, you can help keep it going by supporting us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nerdyaboutnature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

We face a variety of critical issues these days that all seem to be culminating at one big crossroads, and the interconnection of them all can make it very difficult to find a way to move forward in a progressive, ethical and decolonial way to create a better future. So how the heck do we do just that? I was joined by Rande Cook and Mark Worthing, two members of Awi'nakola, at their annual Tree of Life Gathering to learn about the values they embody as an NGO and how that determines their methodology and actions in the world. As many larger organisations, businesses and goverments frantically search for quick-fix 'profitable' solutions to these issues, the wholistic grassroots approach taken by Awi'nakola sure is refreshing to see, and may actually be the key to the change we all really need. To learn more about Awi'nakola, visit them at https://awinakola.com/ or @_treeoflife on Instagram. Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Rande chose to give his donation to the ⁠Ma'amtagila Nation & Mark gave to Orcalab. Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by joining the Patreon family. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Got Questions?  Want Stickers?  Want community?  Wanna engage?  Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy! You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

This is a special edition of Undercurrents - instead of sharing and discussing recent news, articles or studies here, Julia & Ross delve into their thoughts and reflections given the results of the recent US Presidential election, and what that means moving forward. Undercurrents is a podcast series from Nerdy About Nature where we discuss recent studies, reports and news from the world of environment, ecology and climate which all impact our understanding of the world and the way we relate to it.  In other words, it’s all the unseen things that happen without much notice that impact the direction or flow of our society and the world we all share. Produced by Ross Reid Hosted by Ross Reid & Julia Huggins Nerdy About Nature is a passion project whose primary goal is to provide free access for all to education about this world so that people can enjoy it more, build connection and fall in love with it, and ultimately work in ways to steward it for future generations to enjoy.  We do this through short and long form videos all over social media @NerdyAboutNature, as well as this podcast you’re listening to now, and it’s all made possible thanks to support from folks like yourself.  If you’re enjoying the content we’re creating, you can help keep it going by supporting us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nerdyaboutnature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. 

In case you missed it, I took a brief hiatus from your regular programming to run for MLA of the Mid Island - Pacific Rim riding as the Green Party of BC Candidate and whewwww, what a time! After a long campaign period of lots of learnings, I unfortunately wasn't elected...but thats alright with me, I've got other things to focus on and I may revisit it again in the future. After a week and a half of decompressing, I've decided to pop on here and share some thoughts and reflections on the whole experience with y'all in a long-winded rant, while also taking time to address some questions that many of you had here. Massive thanks to everyone who supported me and who voted in this election, y'all are the best, and together we can make the future a pretty rad place! Links: Green Party of BC 2024 Platform PDF Green Party of BC Platform site Enjoying Nerdy About Nature? Support this project on Patreon to make podcasts like this possible! ⁠⁠|| SUPPORT THESE PODCASTS ||⁠⁠ Follow elsewhere Nerdy About Nature for more engaging fun-facts to make your next jaunt into the outdoors more rad! || ⁠⁠YouTube ⁠⁠|| ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ || ⁠⁠TikTok

Over the past 40 years, Tla-O-Qui-Aht First Nation has been fighting relentlessly for their traditional unceded territory with the colonial government of BC / Canada so that they can implement a land vision and stewardship model that seeks to benefit society at large, while preserving options and opportunity for their grandchildren. I sat down with Saya Masso, the Lands & Resources Manager for Tla-O-Qui-Aht First Nation, to chat about the origins of their Tribal Parks, trials and tribulations along the way, recent wins, and the vision for the future they hope to achieve. A truly fun and charismatic guy, Saya has a great deal of experience and unique perspective on some of the most pressing issues we as a society face today, with progressive solutions that work to create an equitable, inclusive and diverse future for all of us who reside amongst these lands. Listen in, and get inspired! Learn more about the Tla-O-Qui-Aht Tribal Parks Allies at TribalParks.com Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Saya decided to give his donation to the Tla-O-Qui-Aht Language Keepers Program. Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by joining the Patreon family - ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Got Questions?  Want Stickers?  Want community?  Wanna engage?  Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy! You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

For the past couple hundred years, buildings and homes in North America have been constructied using virgin timber from the vast forest resources that once stretched across the continent, and when those structures fall out of use, they are typically demolished, sending all of those old high quality timbers to the dump. Yet with that supply of quality oldgrowth timbers virtually non-existent these days, and second growth timbers not quite being of the same caliber, perhaps there's a way we can be less wasteful, more creative, and more resourceful in what we scrap, and what we build with what remains? Thats where the concept of 'deconstruction' comes in, or the process of taking a building apart and saving all of the most high quality pieces to be used again in new structures. I sat down with Adam Corneil of Unbuilders & Heritage Lumber to chat all about this budding industry, the challenges and benefits, and how thinking in a more circular fashion is better for our society and our forests. Learn more about Unbuilders and all the great work they do at Unbuilders.com, and all the great vintage wood products they create at HeritageLumber.ca Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Adam decided to give his donation to ⁠⁠ The Re-Use People Of Canada Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by joining the Patreon family - ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠ Got Questions?  Want Stickers?  Want community?  Wanna engage?  Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy! You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

What is economic reconciliation, why is it important, and what does it have to do with protecting lands and empowering communities? I sat down with Michelle Laviolette, the director of Indigenous Banking Strategy at Vancity to break it all down and hear about all the ways that they are working to support and create opportunities for individuals and their communities.  They’ve been leading the charge in helping to support indigenous nations to provide banking and investment opportunities, to provide homeloans and retrofittings for climate sustainability, to opening up branches in remote communities to help support them, as well as tons of other incredible initiatives, so get ready to get inspired! Todays episode is presented by Vancity, a community credit union based in the greater Vancouver region that operates on a local scale to support and build up the communities it operates in, investing in building a clean and fair world for all.  Put your money into doing good! Learn more about Vancity and become a member by checking out VanCity.com. Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Michelle decided to give her donation to ⁠⁠Aborginal Mothers Centre. Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by joining the Patreon family - ⁠https://www.patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠ Got Questions?  Want Stickers?  Want community?  Wanna engage?  Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy! You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Forestry is a large part of the culture and economy of the PNW in both the US and Canada, but over a century of poor forest management has led to some of the largest issues we face today from a lack of biodiversity and carbon stores, to ecosystems that are less resilient to drought and forest fires. How can we create healthy communities living amongst healthy forest lands through a thriving forestry industry? Well, simply put - it's by changing the way we do things and learning to value a forest for more than just its value as a source of timber. I sit down with Barry Gates of Wildwood Ecoforest to talk all about ecoforestry as the best solution to our industrial logging complex problem, and I hope you find it as incredible and inspiring as I did. There's a lot of work to be done, but thankfully Barry and the crew at Wildwood have already done the ground work in laying out a clear path for a better future, so let's get to walkin' it already! Each episode of Nerdy About Nature makes a donation to a non-profit of the guests choosing using funds from Patreon supporters, and in this episode Barry decided to send his donation to ⁠Stand.Earth Nerdy About Nature is an independent passion project that relies on support from folks like you.  If you’re enjoying this podcast and videos, help me keep making them by joining the Patreon family - https://www.patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠ Got Questions?  Want Stickers?  Want community?  Wanna engage?  Do it all as a Patreon member, it’s easy! You can also make a one-time donation, get NAN merch, resources and more information at ⁠⁠www.NerdyAboutNature.com

Undercurrents is a podcast series from Nerdy About Nature where we discuss recent studies, reports and news from the world of environment, ecology and climate which all impact our understanding of the world and the way we relate to it.  In other words, it’s all the unseen things that happen without much notice that impact the direction or flow of our society and the world we all share. This episodes topics: Shifting Heatwaves: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adl1598 The Cost of Bad Winters: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13683500.2024.2314700 Droughts and Fire: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168192324001059 Nitrogen Impeding Nocturnal Pollinators: https://www.science.org/content/article/night-pollution-keeps-pollinating-insects-smelling-flowers Better Variable Retention Management: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112723000816 Produced by Ross Reid Hosted by Ross Reid & Julia Huggins Nerdy About Nature is a passion project whose primary goal is to provide free access for all to education about this world so that people can enjoy it more, build connection and fall in love with it, and ultimately work in ways to steward it for future generations to enjoy.  We do this through short and long form videos all over social media @NerdyAboutNature, as well as this podcast you’re listening to now, and it’s all made possible thanks to support from folks like yourself.  If you’re enjoying the content we’re creating, you can help keep it going by supporting us at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/nerdyaboutnature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, or at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠nerdyaboutnature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.  Natures pretty neat, ya know - let’s keep it that way!