Best Stpaul Podcasts (2025)

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Episode 254: Wonders of Wild Rice - What is it? 1854 Treaty Authority 24:21

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12d ago24:21

24:21

Darren Vogt, Resource Management Division Director at 1854 Treaty Authority, joins us to discuss what the 1854 Treaty Authority is, how the Ojibwe views on partnership with the land impact how the 1854 Treaty Authority stewards the land and the living things on it, and how wild rice being viewed as a gift by the Ojibwe creates a different perspecti…

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Episode 253: Wonders of Wild Rice - Restoring it in Three Rivers 23:35

6d ago23:35

23:35

How do you restore wild rice to an area? Steven Hogg, Senior Manager of Wildlife at Three Rivers Park District, talks about the work done to bring back wild rice. From sourcing seeds, to distributing them, and making sure it grows Steven talks about the challenges, what he's learned, and how the restoration is going at Three Rivers.…

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Episode 252: Wonders of Wild Rice - What is it? 36:51

6d ago36:51

36:51

Wild rice can be found in every grocery store, but what is it? Is it a rice? A grain? Find out as we learn about this uniquely North American food that has been in Minnesota for at least 12,000 years. Ann Geisen from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources wanders with us as we paddle through that rich history and context around wild rice in …

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Episode 251: Urban Trees - Preventing Future Ash Borers 27:49

1M ago27:49

27:49

Dr. Adam Berland from Ball State University joins us to talk about research on why trees are important for people in an urban environment. He also talks to us about the surprising conclusions from his research in Minneapolis on how urban foresters can plant trees to prevent future large die offs from climate change and invasive species such as we'v…

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Episode 250: Urban Trees - The Next Generation 17:36

1M ago17:36

17:36

Laila Bacon and Makayla Freeman started working with Analyah Schlaeger do Santos when they were 14 years old. Seven years later they are still planting trees in Hennepin County were tree deserts exist, and teaching their community how to plant and care for the trees. Join us as they discuss why this work is important to them, the accomplishments an…

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Episode 249: Urban Trees - Starting with the Community 26:54

1M ago26:54

26:54

Trees provide health, economic, and many other benefits just by being present. However, some suburbs and urban areas in and around Minneapolis and Hennepin County are tree deserts. Analyah Schlaeger dos Santos, Environmental Justice Youth Director & Global Climate Justice Coordinator, MN Interfaith Power and Light, among many other things,. Joins u…

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Episode 248: Fisher Facts - THE Fisher Guy 28:46

2M ago28:46

28:46

While connecting with fisher researchers Angela and Brandon were told over and over that there was one researcher they had to talk to. Dr. Roger Powell, Professor Emeritus at NC State University in North Carolina has been researching fishers for decades and is considered the expert on them. He shares his insights into fishers, how he raised fishers…

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Episode 247: Fisher Facts - Research in the City 31:26

2M ago31:26

31:26

Dr. Michael Joyce of the Natural Resources Research Institute (NRRI) at the University of Minnesota joins us to talk about why NRRI is researching fishers as they move from the north woods to southern Minnesota. What are the risks and rewards for a fisher living in a Three Rivers Park? How is he studying fishers? How can you help his research? Wand…

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Episode 246: Fisher Facts - What is a Fisher? 25:21

2M ago25:21

25:21

Fishers have been moving from northern Minnesota south and can now be seen in the Twin Cities area. What is a fisher? Join Brandon and Angela as they discuss what makes this large member of the weasel family special, and the special adaptations it has to help it hunt foods from rabbits to porcupines.…

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Episode 245: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases - Scoop a Poop and More 30:39

4M ago30:39

30:39

Why does a scientist want poop mailed to them? Find out as Dr. Dr. Michelle Power joins us all the way from Australia! She has a passion for engaging the public in scientific research using it to help study diseases. We discuss what One Health is and how that impacts wildlife and human health. She also gives advice on what you can do to prevent ant…

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Episode 244: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases - Fish Diseases 32:05

4M ago32:05

32:05

Have you ever seen a sick fish? Dr. Isaiah E Tolo, Fish Health Supervisor at the Minnesota DNR, discusses diseases that affect fish, how he monitors for them, and what, if any, impacts they have on us. Learn how to help keep fish healthy as we dive deep into fish diseases.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 243: Whispers of Wildlife Diseases - Minnesota Diseases 35:01

4M ago35:01

35:01

Just like humans, animals can get sick too. We wander with Dr. Michelle Carstensen, Wildlife Health Program Supervisor for the Minnesota DNR. How do animals get sick? What are some of the diseases the Minnesota DNR is looking out for in wildlife and how do they monitor for them? How can you help keep animals from getting sick? Wander with us to fin…

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Episode 242: Turtle Treks - Adapting to a Changing World 28:37

4M ago28:37

28:37

Starting their research right here at Three Rivers, Dr. Jeanine Refsnider, shares the journey of being curious about Minnesota's State Threatened, Blanding's turtle, led to having her own lab at University of Toledo. Jeanine shares past and current studies exploring turtle adaptions.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 241: Turtle Treks - Nesting Insight 30:30

4M ago30:30

30:30

How do baby turtles manage to wander from their nest to a lake or pond? If turtles are male or female is decided by temperature how will climate change impact them? Do turtle hatchlings coordinate their calendars to leave the nest? Learn all of this and more as Dr. Steve Freedberg, Professor of Biology at St. Olaf College discusses his research on …

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Episode 240: Turtle Treks - Shells of the North 36:45

4M ago36:45

36:45

Listen as Brandon and Angela start local with guest Dr. Tricia Markle from the MN Zoo to explore turtle species of the north, research, and conservation efforts we can all take towards healthy turtle populations such as road crossings.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 239: Toxic Trails of Neonicotinoids - Neonics in the Water 20:45

6M ago20:45

20:45

One of thing neonicotinoids are good at is traveling from where they are applied, to new areas by water. This is because it is designed to dissolve in water so seeds can suck it up. The unintended consequence is that it is effectively perpetually in rivers, streams, and other water bodies. Dr. Bill Arnold from the University of Minnesota about how …

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Episode 238: Toxic Trails of Neonicotinoids - Backyard Birds 30:51

6M ago30:51

30:51

How is a pesticide that targets insects harming backyard birds? Hardy Kern, Director of Government Relations, Pesticides and Birds Campaign at American Bird Conservancy, joins us to talk about the link that has been established between neonicotinoids and a decline in backyard birds across the country. He also gives us some tips on what we can do to…

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Episode 237: Toxic Trails of Neonicotinoids - Minnesota's Birds and Mammals 31:30

6M ago31:30

31:30

We are joined by Dr. Charlotte Roy from The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources to discuss their research to determine if Minnesota birds and mammals are exposed to neonicotinoids. From monitoring simulated seed spills, to driving by farms to look for seed spills, and doing lab work with chickens to see how much neonicotinoids needs to be con…

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Episode 236: Women and Wilderness – What Was Lost 26:21

7M ago26:21

26:21

Get a taste for hands on experience with land management from prescribed fire and bison introductions with Molly Tranel from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Women stepping into leadership roles has been a welcomed observed change over time and provides a necessary spark for confidence building. Brining awareness early to career oppor…

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Episode 235: Women and Wilderness – Authentic Representation 22:52

7M ago22:52

22:52

Talk story and authentic representation with guest Mary Montes to explore the importance of hands on experience within environmental stewardship. Starting with a Marine Science degree out of Hawaii to joining Conservation Corps in Minnesota, learn how relationships to land can differ. An important reminder that everyone is connected through story a…

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Episode 234: Women and Wilderness – Forestry Learning 30:23

7M ago30:23

30:23

Starting in forestry and branching into education to engage women specifically with woodland management, Angie Gupta, a Forestry Extension Professor at the University of Minnesota, shares her personal and professional journey. From various learning styles to the importance of family and connection to community there are many ways to make everyone f…

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Episode 233: Ripples in the Wetlands - Muskrats Management 34:56

8M ago34:56

34:56

Our Wildlife Supervisor Steven Hogg joins us to discuss his love for muskrats, their impacts on wetlands, and the balance Three Rivers has to find for managing an animal that is key to wetland health and also has a knack for impacting humans.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 232: Ripples in the Wetlands - Muskrats and Cattails 20:48

8M ago20:48

20:48

Dr. Adam A. Ahlers from Kansas State University wanders with us as we discuss his research in Minnesota on muskrats. Through relocation studies, preferred diet studies, and other research he has been working to determine how invasive hybrid cattail and muskrats impact each other.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 231: Ripples in the Wetlands - Muskrats 101 30:04

8M ago30:04

30:04

What exactly is a muskrat and why has such a small creature been connected to international trade, World War 2, and the survival of wetlands? Join Brandon and Angela as they follow ripples in history and water and find their source- muskrats.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 230: Echoes of the Woodpeckers - Red-headed Woodpeckers 28:21

9M ago28:21

28:21

Red-headed Woodpeckers are a strikingly beautiful and increasingly rare woodpecker. Join us as Dr. Elena West from the University of Minnesota discusses her research on how to improve habitat to help their populations. From studying fledglings in the nest to determining what kind of trees need to be present around nesting trees, she is providing a …

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Episode 229: Echoes of the Woodpeckers - Thriving in the Suburbs 26:00

9M ago26:00

26:00

Dr. Jorge Tomasevic, Research Coordinator at Austral University of Chile, joins us to talk about the research he did in Seattle on whether Pileated Woodpeckers can survive in the suburbs or not. He was shocked at how much they thrived. Join us to find out why they can thrive near us and hear stories of Cooper's Hawks, garbage trucks, and other obst…

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Episode 228: Echoes of the Woodpeckers - From Beak to Toes 27:03

9M ago27:03

27:03

Start season 7 off with a bang! Literally, as Angela and Brandon explore how all of a woodpeckers adaptations are connected, allowing them to bang their head 12,000 times a day. Wander with us as we explore why they do that and how they survive.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 227: Dragonfly Festival Live - Audience Questions 24:37

9M ago24:37

24:37

Wander with us as our audience asks questions and Angela and Ron answer them. What is one of Ron's most memorable dragonfly experiences? Can we see all of the colors on a dragonfly? Can you make dragonfly habitat at home?By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 226: Dragonfly Festival Live! 29:04

9M ago29:04

29:04

As season six comes to a close we look back at a summer highlight of the Big Year of Bugs. Join Angela at Eastman Nature Center’s Dragonfly Festival as she talks to Ron Lawrenz, founding and current board member of the Minnesota Dragonfly Society, in front of a live audience. Why do Plain's Emeralds live near Eastman? What is the cultural significa…

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Episode 225: Getting Squirrely - A Hmong Perspective 38:22

10M ago38:22

38:22

Kao Thao, Outreach Naturalist from Fort Snelling State, wanders with us to discuss the history of squirrel hunting in Hmong Culture and why this makes squirrel hunting just as important as deer hunting for them. He shares how squirrel hunting gets the entire family outside, challenges to hunting and some possible answers from technology, and what h…

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Episode 224: Getting Squirrely - City Squirrels 27:27

10M ago27:27

27:27

Why do squirrels do so well in our cities and suburbs? Doctorate student Charlotte Devitz from the University of Minnesota joins us to talk about her research trying to answer this question. From chipmunks realizing her live traps are nice safe shelters to finding squirrels taking food from one house's trash and caching it in another house's mailbo…

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Episode 223: Getting Squirrely - What is a Squirrel? 31:33

10M ago31:33

31:33

Wander with us as we head into the treetops and explore the unique world of tree squirrels! Why are they so good at getting into your bird feeders? Do they really need to keep chewing on things or die? What happens if they fall from a plane? Come with us as we explore the unique adaptations all squirrels have, and some of the specific skills Minnes…

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Episode 222: Veterans in Nature - A Personal Story 23:02

11M ago23:02

23:02

Daniel and Amanda Crawford share their personal story of how the trauma from Daniel's service in the Marine Corp impacted their family, and how 23rd Veteran helped him in living a happier, healthier life. Daniel shares the struggles he went through and what his path to his current life took. Amanda shares what she learned as she supported Daniel th…

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Episode 221: Veterans in Nature - 23rd Veteran 38:03

11M ago38:03

38:03

Joining us from 23rd Veteran is the Executive Director Mike Waldron and the Program Manager Matt Rosky. They share with us how their personal experiences have shaped 23rd Veteran, how the 14 week program works, and why nature helps veterans living with trauma live happier, healthier lives.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 220: Veterans in Nature - Why Nature Helps Continued 23:41

11M ago23:41

23:41

We are back to finish our conversation with Brandon Harding as he talks about the successes, he saw in using nature to cope with trauma. Find out why shared suffering played an important role, and why Brandon prefers the term Combat Stress Injury to PTSD.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 219: Veterans in Nature - Why Nature Helps 23:28

11M ago23:28

23:28

Veterans and active-duty military members can struggle with trauma from their service. Former military chaplain Brandon Harding joins us to discuss what inspired him to start using nature as part of the retreats he led to help veterans and active military members cope with that trauma.By Three Rivers Park District

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March of the Governors #40 Mark Dayton 1:13:31

11M ago1:13:31

1:13:31

Mark Dayton, Minnesota’s fortieth governor, was the oldest to assume that office for the first time at sixty-three. He stepped into the role with vast political experience. In the 1970s, he served as legislative aide and Minnesota Economic Development commissioner and later worked four years as state auditor and six as a US senator. He won election…

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Episode 218: Intriguing Bats of Minnesota - Endangered Species 27:05

12M ago27:05

27:05

The Northern Long-eared Bat is a Federally Endangered Species. Jill Utrup from USFWS manages the recovery team for the Northern Long-eared Bat. She talks with us about what it takes for a species to be federally listed, how that changes its protections, and the work done to help the species recover.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 217: Intriguing Bats of Minnesota - White-nose Syndrome 21:21

12M ago21:21

21:21

Dr. Christine Salomon from the University of Minnesota joins us to discuss her research on controlling white-nose syndrome. Come spelunking with us as we learn what it is, why it is so dangerous, and possible hope for the future.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 216: Intriguing Bats of Minnesota - Not so scary 30:09

12M ago30:09

30:09

It's spooky season and Melissa Boman with the MN DNR joins us to talk about the creature of the night, bats! From what bats live in Minnesota, to how they survive winters, and the adaptations that should make you say "cool" instead of "eww" we soar through the night listening for bats.By Three Rivers Park District

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March of the Governors #39 Tim Pawlenty 1:12:48

1y ago1:12:48

1:12:48

Tim Pawlenty grew up in a family of South St. Paul Democrats but embraced Republicanism as a teenager. He was a hard worker and excellent student in public schools and at the University of Minnesota and the University of Minnesota Law School. He was hired by a prestigious Minneapolis law firm before getting into politics. At age thirty-two, Pawlent…

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Episode 215: Sustaining Oaks - From Acorn to Oak 32:12

1y ago32:12

32:12

We are joined by Missy Anderson, Propagation Specialist at Three Rivers Park District to talk about how they grow acorns into mighty oak sapling that are planted around the park district. What makes a good acorn? Do mast years have an effect? How do you grow thousands of oaks a year? Wander with us to find out.…

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Episode 214: Sustaining Oaks - Oaks in our Parks 29:12

1y ago29:12

29:12

Dan Comerford, Forestry Supervisor at Three Rivers Park District, walks us through how oak trees are managed in Three Rivers' parks. From dealing with oak diseases to determining where they are planted, learn what goes into caring for the oaks you can walk by in our parks.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 213: Sustaining Oaks - The Most Powerful Plant 35:27

1y ago35:27

35:27

Dr. Doug Tallamy, famous author, professor, and more wanders with us to discuss the one plant that can have the biggest impact in your yard, oaks. We discuss why oaks are such a powerful plant for biodiversity and turning your yard into a refuge for wildlife.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 212: The Hopping Orchestra - Minnesota Locust Plagues 31:34

1y ago31:34

31:34

A swarm of wings that darkened the sky. Millions of bodies on railroad tracks that kept the trains from moving. Crops, clothes, and anything else organic eating. The Minnesota Grasshopper Plagues of the 1870's devastated the immigrants and settlers in the area. Zack Mohlis from Three Rivers' History Team joins us to discuss the Grasshopper Plagues.…

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Episode 211: The Hopping Orchestra - Grasshopper Songs 31:35

1y ago31:35

31:35

Dr. Hojun Song, from Texas A&M University's Department of Entomology discusses his research on how grasshopper songs have evolved. From cricket calls that evolved before ears to grasshoppers evolving ears to help them swarm, wander with us as we study the hopping orchestra.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 210: The Hopping Orchestra - Backyard Grasshoppers 33:55

1y ago33:55

33:55

Hop along with us as Marissa Schuh a University of Minnesota Extension Educator joins us to explore the common grasshoppers in the Twin Cities area, and what makes them special.By Three Rivers Park District

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March of the Governors #38 Jesse Ventura 1:48:48

1y ago1:48:48

1:48:48

To call our thirty-eighth governor, Jesse Ventura, unique is to engage in understatement. He was Minnesota’s first third-party governor since Elmer Benson in 1936. Though he ran on the Reform Party ticket, that party elected no one else, so he had no allies in the legislature. His plurality, 37% of the vote, was the lowest of any Minnesota governor…

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Episode 209: Return of Fading Butterflies - Preparing for Butterflies 29:45

1y ago29:45

29:45

John Moriarty, Senior Wildlife Manager at Three Rivers Park District, returns to talk about how you prepare to reintroduced a rare or endangered butterfly. From planting thousands of host plants to working with Federal Agencies, wander with us as we see what goes into restoring what's been lost.By Three Rivers Park District

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Episode 208: Return of Fading Butterflies - Sanctuary in Army Bases 25:13

1y ago25:13

25:13

Land management or stewardship is a complex task, especially when you are managing nature on an Army Base. Jessup Weichelt, Land Manager at Fort McCoy, Wisconsin joins us to talk about managing habitat for rare and endangered butterflies, and what makes Army Bases so uniquely suited to this.By Three Rivers Park District