Ep. 81 - Keepin' Wetlands Wet: The Western NY Land Conservancy's Mission to Save Bear Lake

Ep. 81 - Keepin' Wetlands Wet: The Western NY Land Conservancy's Mission to Save Bear Lake

Every now and then, a conservation opportunity comes along that you can't pass up. The Western NY Land Conservancy (WNYLC) is currently in a race to permanently protect the Bear Lake Preserve, 311 acres of undeveloped shoreline, mature forest, and an array of critical wetland habitats linked to the Lake.

To break down what makes this property so special, the guys hit the trail with WNYLC Stewardship Director Josh Balisteri. He gives them a tour of the property, discussing the history and ecology of Bear Lake, the historical and global crisis of wetland loss, and why we need to start viewing the Great Lakes ecosystem through the lens of crucial "inland coasts."

Head over to wnylc.org/bearlake to check out maps of the new preserve and support their work!

Ep. 77 - Mite-y Cool: The Amazing, Unseen World of Feather Mites

Ep. 77 - Mite-y Cool: The Amazing, Unseen World of Feather Mites

Bill and Steve dive into a tiny, bustling world - a world that’s hiding on the feathers of the birds we see every day. Joining them is Dr. Alix Matthews, postdoctoral research associate in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University at Buffalo, and she reveals the strange lives of feather mites — how these barely-visible hitchhikers feed and get around and whether or not they’re helping or hurting their avian hosts.

Ep. 67 - Fishers in the Field: A Hike with Fisher Researcher Dr. Scott LaPoint

Ep. 67 - Fishers in the Field: A Hike with Fisher Researcher Dr. Scott LaPoint

If we want to help wildlife, we need to know when and where they’re moving on the landscape. Dr. Scott LaPoint has spent his career researching just that. When our recent episode on fisher cats left us with a lot of questions, we figured who better to help us out than Dr. LaPoint. He was kind enough to join Daniel and Bill for a hike, sharing his expertise and his amazing ability to communicate science with enthusiasm, humor, and clarity. Join the guys for a wide-ranging discussion on fishers, connectivity, and wildlife-human interaction.